See more funny videos at Funny or Die
Oh? You think it's not pro-McCain? Explain why!
(And I'll tell you why you're wrong.)
ADDED, 12 hours later: I guess I owe you an explanation. My reason for calling this a pro-McCain ad is this. First, of course, Paris Hilton is promoting herself, as she always does. She exploited the opportunity that the McCain ad gave her, as she exploits every opportunity. That's very free-market capitalistic of her, but that's not my big reason. McCain's ad presented her as an airhead (for the purpose of suggesting that Obama is also an airhead), so here she is suddenly being very smart. Her ad has her saying something that we are supposed to accept as exactly what a very smart person would say if they weren't limited by constraints of party politics. She presents her answer on oil as a "hybrid" of the 2 candidates' positions, but listen to it! It's McCain's position. She supports off-shore drilling, with appropriate environmental safeguards, as we encourage the development of alternative energy sources.
That's McCain's position! Secret message of the ad: The smart position is McCain's position and not Obama's.
Now, you might want to say that all that funny stuff at the beginning about McCain's age is anti-McCain. No, it's not! It's McCain's position. McCain is constantly making jokes about how old he is. How many times has he said "I'm older than dirt and more scarred than Frankenstein"?
Finally, Hilton is giving the "biggest celebrity" ad another big boost. That ad has already worked, but it was coming to the end of it's life cycle. Hilton jolted it back alive.
FROM THE COMMENTS (that predate my explanation): Ben (The Tiger) said:
How is it pro-McCain?Beldar said:
1. Well... there's no hint of pulling back from her lifestyle. Looking to where she can fly next is not unlike McCain's call for the sound of fifty thousand Harleys.
2. Her position is very much like McCain's -- drill, but not everywhere. (I'd prefer more drilling.)
3. If she really wanted to skewer McCain, she'd do more than make fun of his age in a way that he did himself on SNL.
4. Obama not seriously engaged.
5. Again, she's not backing down from the American life of excess. There will be no scolding of people's life choices. That doesn't fit with the environmentalist movement.
6. She left the door totally open for the McCain riposte -- "Paris Hilton supports drilling! Paris Hilton has a better energy policy than Barack Obama!"
***
So the ad's objectively pro-McCain.
Was it intentionally pro-McCain?
I suspect so -- I don't think she's dumb.
But then, I'm prejudiced -- I'm a McCain fan.
I don't think the ad's intentions, other than furthering the popularity ambitions of Ms. Hilton, are at all clear.Ben (The Tiger) responds:
Because I already had a view of Obama as (mostly) humorless and of McCain as being willing to poke fun at himself ("older than dirt"), I was inclined to take her comments about the "really old guy" as fond teasing. But honestly, that's me projecting sly wit onto Ms. Hilton that I'm not at all sure she intended.
The ad does McCain palpable damage by its strong suggestion that he opposes conservation. He doesn't. As others have pointed out, what she describes as the "Paris Hilton position" is in fact essentially the McCain position (a combination of prudent development and conservation). In fairness, the McCain campaign itself has muddied these waters by choosing to lampoon Obama for suggesting that people check their tire pressure, which in fact is a perfectly good conservation suggestion, albeit wholly inadequate by itself.
I'm not at all sure why, Prof. A, you think this video cuts so unequivocally in McCain's favor. I think you may be crediting the "average" viewer, or at least large numbers of viewers, with more subtlety and discrimination than they in fact possess, but I eagerly await your promised explanation.
I want to see Althouse's explanation, but I think it's telling that almost all the right-wingers whose reactions I've read think that the spot was charming, whatever else they've thought about Paris Hilton in the past. (And I do, too.)Yeah, and Beldar, the unclarity of Hilton's position is what makes it effective. An openly pro-McCain ad would not be effective. Her above-party-politics pose is .... hot.
Greg Toombs said...
The ad is 90% about McCain (when it's not about Paris) and 10% the 'other guy'/Barack.J Lee said:
Specific McMentions:
1) He's the oldest celebrity in the world
2) like super old
3) dancing a sin & beer in a bucket examples
4) is McCain ready to lead
5) wrinkly, white-haired guy
6) thanks, white-haired dude
7) Paris' energy plan endorses McCain's drilling plus his $300 million battery prize
8) three McCain pictures - none of Barack
It's all about McCain.
When it's not about Paris.
What makes the ad pro-McCain in large part isn't just what it says, but the McCain camp's reaction to the ad.
Watching how the morning network news shows tried to play it today, the spin was "Paris Hilton strikes back at McCain ad", which is where it would have stayed if they had their way. Unfortunately, they were forced to also cover the McCain camp's reply that credited Ms. Hilton with having a better energy policy than Barack Obama. Had the McCain camp responded with the same sort of humorless "whatever" remark the Obama people did, it would have freed up the big media folks to paint this exclusively as a slap-down of Maverick and his original ad.
Now, here's something different, and very smart, from LB-Philadelphia PA (who has only commented once before, back last year):
Has anyone else picked up on the subliminal racism of the "best tan" comment? I mean, Obama is seriously tanned and he's from Hawaii. It's code, I tell you, code!Interesting, but is that pro- or anti-Obama point?
Posts
118 comments:
It calls him old.
Her plan is Obama's actual plan.
It mocks McCain's ad.
She has small boobies.
The point of McCain's ad was that she's a vacuous little trollop who's done nothing to deserve the fame that she's blundered witlessly into. And her little ad does little to dispel the point, whoever it's supposed to (or actually does) favor.
Her family might be McCain donors, but this ad isn't pro McCain. It's not a pro McCain or pro Obama ad. It's just a sloppy vagina with a head reading a humorless script. Funny? No, I just want her to DIE.
A good spoof should at least attempt satire...this doesn't even come close. Yawn.
I do like the headline over at Drudge:
Paris Supports Drilling
!
I thought it well done and amusing.
Wow, Zach. Get some help with your anger at women, dude.
Zachary Paul Sire said...
"It's just a sloppy vagina with a head reading a humorless script."
Yep.
"Funny? No, I just want her to DIE."
I wouldn't go that far. Who cares about her. But if it'll sate your enthusiasm, someone who absolutely did deserve it has finally been killed. And if we're very, very lucky, the dissenters will be vindicated.
Wow. This is amazing. McCain can laugh publicly, call her to congratulate her for her candidacy publicly, joke about her as VP, anything. He can joke about his white hair and age, and everone laughs. It's his meme.
Can Obama laugh at himself? Can he say anything? If his policy is exactly as Paris', everyone will hear Paris. All the while his supporters are making utter fools of themselves ranting about phallic symbols.
Amazing. And Obama + campaign walked straight into it.
The treachery of age and experience overcomes youth and skill anytime.
Derek
Oh, and anytime McCain repeats anything from this, everyone knows he's talking about Obama. And laughing.
Paris resents being compared to that airhead Obama.
The ad lives on and on and on. Obama, star, airhead.
Wow. I really don't think anyone could have designed such a coup.
I think Obama's campaign staff are going to be, umm, cleaned up during the olympics when no one is watching.
Derek
First and foremost, it was a coup for Paris Hilton. And they say the Dwight School is for drunk white idiots getting high together. Whatever.
Second, it's really a rather brilliant policy position. I certainly agree with it.
Third, McCain can say, and has already said, that other equally huge celebrities have better energy policies than Obama.
But tell us Althouse. Be profound and insightful. Make my mouth drop, like the one about Maureen Dowd from the other day.
Can a humorless scold win the presidential election?
We will find out. Obama and campaign are being defined as such.
Derek (who will stop now)
Can a humorless scold win the presidential election?
Yes.
Oh I'm sure if it's one thing Paris supports, it is drilling.
***
"A J.D. and 2 dollars will get you on the bus."
We will see if the McCain campaign can go for the jugular. What if he says something like...
Reference to my age and wrinkles is nothing but ageist! and then bursts out laughing.
Since Senator Obama refuses townhall debates, maybe Paris will show up.
etc.
Derek
It's pro-Paris, not pro McCain. But by all means, 'splain to me why I'm wrong.
The ad was totally pro McCain. First, the ad brings more attention to the original ad which is good for Mccain.
Second, the joking about McCains age was so silly (as intended) it totally deludes from the serious issue of Mccains age, thus taking away the issue. Third she rips Obama's "change" slogan so subtely its better than any ripping McCain has ever done. Fourth, she reiterates McCain's energy position (do everything) and touts it as the compromise position in contrast to just drilling or just alternative energy. The problem for Obama and Democrats is that they are the ones not compromising.
Best of all the ad was great for Paris Hilton, she made the most of this attention on her. The ad was great.
Since Senator Obama refuses townhall debates, maybe Paris will show up.
Excellent line! I hope McCain uses it. He should pay you royalties.
Give Paris Hilton credit for some pluck.
She WAS funny!
Good on her. She has got past her druggie days it seems, and has always had a sense of humor about how she was magically selected to be the "it" celebrity given millions for being Paris....when a million other young foxes failed.
Paris is pro-drilling! You go, gal! Keep on drilling. The last videotape was excellent!
The first videotape, on the other hand, was a bit of a bore. I expected better.
Rim shot.
By her reacting to the McCain ad the net effect of her ad hurts Obama by validating McCain's point. If it hurts Obama, McCain is helped. Plus when she calls McCain the old white haired guy, older voters --the people who reliably turn out to vote-- are driven to McCain. Win-win for McCain.
McCain at a speech:
My opponent has put forward an energy policy that allows for drilling with strict environmental standards to give us time to develop alternatives...(an aide comes up and whispers in his ear)...
Oh, that was Paris Hilton.
What my opponent actually said is that we could solve our energy problems by inflating our tires (with that sly grin McCain has).
In February and for the next 4 years, it will be a mantra in the Democratic Party that they will not allow their candidate to be 'Paris Hilton'ed'. They will organize a group of crack researchers to be quick with humorous rejoinders.
Derek
Derek -- Brilliant!
oh, it's anti-mccain, pro-obama ad, prof. ann.
but it has the same effect as that ludacris rap song. i'm sure not a few will find the "wrinkly old man" comment very mean-spirited and an overreaction.
but i guess it is understandable for paris to be upset at being compared to an airhead like obama.
Did a google search on McCain Paris Hilton, and the headlines are that Paris is attacking McCain. So she is his opponent now? Really? Obama = Paris for real? This is unbelievable.
Derek
There's no way that "ad" is anti-McCain. Whoever wrote it went out of their way to make sure of that.
Listen to it carefully. Or, just think about how easy it would be to be anti-McCain.
Thinking about this another way: if that "ad" is anti-McCain, what is an ordinary hour of CNN or MSNBC?
If McCain doesn't mistakenly call his respected opponent HiltonoopsObama tomorrow he may miss this wave.
The reaction will be worth the price of admission.
Derek
How is it pro-McCain?
1. Well... there's no hint of pulling back from her lifestyle. Looking to where she can fly next is not unlike McCain's call for the sound of fifty thousand Harleys.
2. Her position is very much like McCain's -- drill, but not everywhere. (I'd prefer more drilling.)
3. If she really wanted to skewer McCain, she'd do more than make fun of his age in a way that he did himself on SNL.
4. Obama not seriously engaged.
5. Again, she's not backing down from the American life of excess. There will be no scolding of people's life choices. That doesn't fit with the environmentalist movement.
6. She left the door totally open for the McCain riposte -- "Paris Hilton supports drilling! Paris Hilton has a better energy policy than Barack Obama!"
***
So the ad's objectively pro-McCain.
Was it intentionally pro-McCain?
I suspect so -- I don't think she's dumb.
But then, I'm prejudiced -- I'm a McCain fan.
Best ad ever. 100% of pro McCain. Uncle John remarks Barak's celebrity equates with Hilton's, but implies Hilton might have more substance. Hilton demonstrates she does. Beaches.
As for small tits. Together Paris and Nicky were asked in an interview if they ever considered breast enhancement. They looked at each other and laughed, shrugged and both said, "We think it's gross."
She's spectacular.
I don't think the ad's intentions, other than furthering the popularity ambitions of Ms. Hilton, are at all clear.
Because I already had a view of Obama as (mostly) humorless and of McCain as being willing to poke fun at himself ("older than dirt"), I was inclined to take her comments about the "really old guy" as fond teasing. But honestly, that's me projecting sly wit onto Ms. Hilton that I'm not at all sure she intended.
The ad does McCain palpable damage by its strong suggestion that he opposes conservation. He doesn't. As others have pointed out, what she describes as the "Paris Hilton position" is in fact essentially the McCain position (a combination of prudent development and conservation). In fairness, the McCain campaign itself has muddied these waters by choosing to lampoon Obama for suggesting that people check their tire pressure, which in fact is a perfectly good conservation suggestion, albeit wholly inadequate by itself.
I'm not at all sure why, Prof. A, you think this video cuts so unequivocally in McCain's favor. I think you may be crediting the "average" viewer, or at least large numbers of viewers, with more subtlety and discrimination than they in fact possess, but I eagerly await your promised explanation.
I want to see Althouse's explanation, but I think it's telling that almost all the right-wingers whose reactions I've read think that the spot was charming, whatever else they've thought about Paris Hilton in the past. (And I do, too.)
I think that meme that Paris Hilton is somehow dumb is a pretty silly one. Here we have a minor heiress who turned herself into a mega-millionaire entertainer and someone famous for being famous -- without beauty more stunning that the average sorority girl, or the ability to sing, dance, act, juggle, (jiggle), or tell a joke.
That's not easy to do.
Whatever she is up to, she knows what she's up to. She approved the script. Nothing there is an accident.
Can Obama laugh at himself?
Of course not. That would be racist.
That's hot.
(had to say it since no one else did).
I'm surprised that no one has spoofed this video by inserting subliminal references and imagery to Valtrex.
Zachary Paul Sire said...
I do like the headline over at Drudge:
Paris Supports Drilling
!
I sense jealousy. Call her a cunt with wanton abandon. I dare you.
Rev at 12:23 made me laugh.
I only say the C word when it's appropriate (i.e. making fun of McCain), or if I'm being silly with friends. It's not the definition of the word...it's the way it sounds. Say it. Say it again. See?
Plus, Revenant already told me to stop saying it...and I like following orders.
It's the perfect obscenity though, the C word. 4-letters (naturally), three of which are strong, curt consonants, and my least favorite vowel in the middle (the ugly U), make it a deliciously perfect curse word.
Paris Hilton is not worthy of being called the C word because the word is too good for her. She's just a lifeless sack of human waste.
Thing I learnt from or had confirmed by this ad?
Most Americans don't like rich girls.
That is all. Oh, the ad is pretty good actually. Who knew she had it in her?
(Since the answer is not McCain or his staff, then...)
Cheers,
Victoria
At least she has a job, Zach.
Good night!
I worked out for almost 3 hours today. The guy next to me in the Precor treadmill was really hot. I'd do him. I'd have to wax his Pete Sampras unibrow, but only if I can squeeze him in between Spin and Hatha Yoga.
And yeah, I sweat. But I like tasting myself.
(What? Think of me like an Olga Korbut version of Titus)
It's not the definition of the word...it's the way it sounds. Say it. Say it again.
And then when we're done, we can find some Jews and call them "kikes".
1. Very white skinned girl sitting in the sun trying to get tanned
2. For the best tan, where to go? But Maui, of course, which is part of Hawaii
3.On energy plan,
a) references first Obama's plan calling him by his first name and then McCain's plan calling him by his last name;
b) She short-changes McCain energy policy by referring only to drilling i.e., old style solution?
4. Directly pokes fun at McCain, e.g, old, white, never pokes fun at Obama unless you consider 1. and 2. above to be mockery.
re: her energy plan, it is deficient. To curtail the $700 billion and growing annual wealth outflows to foreign countries, we need to consider all forms energy including nuclear and clean coal technoloy. Drilling and new technology=conservation won't get us there.
Sorry Paris.
Sen. Obama needs to add some ex-Saturday Night Live writers for his campaign commercial writers.
Perhaps Al Franken is available?
Paris' response is pretty funny and edgy at the same time.
Mortimer said Her plan is Obama's actual plan.
Oh you mean when Obama was against offshore drilling before he was for it?
She has small boobies.
More than a mouthful is a waste.
I typed something in, but Sloan had typed it earlier and better.
"And then when we're done, we can find some Jews and call them "kikes"."
And then we can move on to the N-word. I love how it just rolls off the tongue.
"Noonan"
"Noonan!"
"Nooonan!"
/We're all gonna get laid!
ZPS said Funny? No, I just want her to DIE.
ZPS, your mask is slipping. I thought all liberals cherished life. Such bloodlust is quite unbecoming.
I mean its not like she murdered some innocent person in cold blood and is awaiting her comeupance on death row.
Or is being a rich, vacuous, white bimbo a capital crime in the liberal world?
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Paris_Hilton_responds_Really.html
"Paris Hilton makes fun of John McCain's age and unveils her own energy policy. Really.
UPDATE: Obama spokesman Bill Burton reacts: "Whatever."
UPDATE: McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds emails: “It sounds like Paris Hilton supports John McCain’s ‘all of the above’ approach to America’s energy crisis - including both alternatives and drilling. Paris Hilton might not be as big a celebrity as Barack Obama, but she obviously has a better energy plan.”"
The Obama camp needs someone to tell them, "lighten up, Francis." Why so serious?
Paris Hilton is not worthy of being called the C word because the word is too good for her. She's just a lifeless sack of human waste.
I think you have vagina envy.
I lked the ad - Paris shows a flicker of being more than a dumb blonde. Here is a joke I made up:
Did you hear McCain wants to drill more?
That's no surpise - have you ever seen his wife?
AJ, you could turn that joke around.
"Do you know why Obama opposes more drilling?"
You know why you can't, though. That would be racist.
Simon,
I think you've missed the point of Senator McCain's ad. It wasn't so much that Miss Hilton is "a vacuous little trollop who's done nothing to deserve the fame that she's blundered witlessly into," but rather that Senator Obama's fans and their fellow travelers in the media are as hysterical as the vacuous little trollop's groupies:
"I'm able, by means of a secret charm"
Ecore:
I am not going there either.
Has anyone else picked up on the subliminal racism of the "best tan" comment? I mean, Obama is seriously tanned and he's from Hawaii. It's code, I tell you, code!
(I think the Paris sendup is brilliant, and the first McCain campaign response set the perfect tone.)
Damn, I'm really starting to like Paris Hilton. Her sense of humor about herself and the absurdness of her celebrity is really pretty appealing.
I got one of those Chris Matthews feelings in one of my legs.
Just please don't tell us which leg.
MarkW - but see Tina Fey on Paris Hilton's SNL appearence.
Several people here are talking as if Paris crafted this whole thing herself. Even defending her from charges she's dumb. Come on! You do know that FunnyOrDie is Will Ferrell's venture, don't you? I don't care if she's got a Ph.D., I've got a dollar that says she's not the primary creator here.
I think it's pro-McCain because it allows any Obama shift (like his new indication of willingness to support OCS drilling) to be cast as a tack towards the Paris Hilton position.
Ah. The video is tagged "From Paris Hilton, Chris Frenchy, Adam McKay."
lol
wrinkly old guy with white hair gets several hits.
not pro-mccain.
mccain really should make Reagan's pledge to step down if he deve3lops full blown senilia.
He's had at least two moments of classic STML (shortterm memory loss) already (that we have seen)-- confusing Anbar with Baghdad on his Surge senior moment, and mixing up the Sunni and the Shi'ia in hie question to General Petraeus.
Paris who?
Paris's ad is definitely pro-McCain. So she calls him an old wrinkly guy. Big deal. Then she mentions the energy policies of the two candidates. Her policy acknowledges what Obama's air policy doesn't—there must be a transitional source of energy and fuel until the alternative sources come online (not holding my breath). Says Paris, responsible and limited offshore drilling will provide the transitional source. She goes for the bird in the hand (McCain's position) rather than the two in the bush (Obama's).
Paris may be a useless celebrity, but I doubt she's an airhead. Somehow, I don't think an airhead, given $51 million in trust fund cash can arrive at fiscal independence. Paris has. She's earned $187M a year by parlaying her perceived celebrity into big bucks, and she's also used her resources to establish several business ventures which have made money. Airhead? A legally blonde one.
That may be true, Wheeler's, but I'll bet that McCain doesn't think there are 57 states.
Maybe I am late to the party on this one, but some of the commentators are right about Obama's sense of humor. He doesn't have one. In fact listening to Obama make fun of himself would be horribly painful.
Perhaps that is the true message of this ad. You can have a humorfilled back and forth with McCain, but don't even consider it with Obama - he is no fun at all.
This all comes back to the experience question. W was widely criticized during his first campaign for not being widely traveled. Therefore, I would like for the current candidates to comment on what they have learned from their time in Paris.
Allen, you forgot to include the "8-10 years" knee-slapper! It never gets old!
Maybe for variety, you can throw in an arugula joke? Also, what's the deal with airline food? It's terrible!
Well, I'm off to go leave the toilet seat up and not ask for directions.
and mixing up the Sunni and the Shi'ia in hie question to General Petraeus.
As stated above, at least McCain knows there are only 50 states.
I'm getting so old, I can't remember what senilia means.
I'm getting so old, I can't remember what senilia means.
Well, I'm getting so old that...
errr....
I forget.
The ad is 90% about McCain (when it's not about Paris) and 10% the 'other guy'/Barack.
Specific McMentions:
1) He's the oldest celebrity in the world
2) like super old
3) dancing a sin & beer in a bucket examples
4) is McCain ready to lead
5) wrinkly, white-haired guy
6) thanks, white-haired dude
7) Paris' energy plan endorses McCain's drilling plus his $300 million battery prize
8) three McCain pictures - none of Barack
It's all about McCain.
When it's not about Paris.
What makes the ad pro-McCain in large part isn't just what it says, but the McCain camp's reaction to the ad.
Watching how the morning network news shows tried to play it today, the spin was "Paris Hilton strikes back at McCain ad", which is where it would have stayed if they had their way. Unfortunately, they were forced to also cover the McCain camp's reply that credited Ms. Hilton with having a better energy policy than Barack Obama. Had the McCain camp responded with the same sort of humorless "whatever" remark the Obama people did, it would have freed up the big media folks to paint this exclusively as a slap-down of Maverick and his original ad.
I think she is cute and a little endearing in the video.
I would fuck her.
Instapundit long ago noted the babe factor in setting cultural trends.
Angelina Jolie needs to make a commercial with her quote about guns.
“If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, I’ve no problem shooting them.
I bought original, real guns of the type we used in Tomb Raider for security. Brad and I are not against having a gun in the house, and we do have one. And yes, I’d be able to use it if I had to. I could handle myself.
I think it’s good for anybody to learn a skill when it comes to fight training – be it kung fu, boxing or kick-boxing – because self-defence is important.
Brad and I want our kids to learn it. They’re going to get into a fight some day, so they might as well learn how to take care of themselves.”
McCain could then show a picture of Nancy Pelosi hectoring us about gun control.
Who knew she had it in her.
Everyone who downloaded the video.
Sorry, but someone was going to have to do it.
Give her credit - she's even better at self-promotion than Madonna!
I never thought Paris was sexy before now. Her energy plan made me fall in love. If she starts talking up nuclear power I'm going to work my ass off to get her on the ballot.
Hoosier Daddy said...
Or is being a rich, vacuous, white bimbo a capital crime in the liberal world?
Just being rich.
Being editor of the law review is a credential more closely associated with a Supreme Court clerkship than with being the leader of the free world. Obama is to politicians what Paris is to celebrities. Obama has run a successful campaign for President based on his achievement of running a successful campaign for President. It's like Paris being famous for being famous....You have to admire her though. She has upstaged the Presidential election.
Zachary Paul Sire, take a laxative. It'll be good for you.
I absolutely love that vid. Paris Hilton is very, very shrewd (She's made herself many, many times the amount of money she inherited), and - sorry Ann - the add was nicely calculated not to be an endorsement of either Obama or McCain, nor too heavy handed of a slam at them, but rather it is an endorsement of HER.
Brilliant. Paris Hilton may be many things, but she's no airhead.
She presents her answer on oil as a "hybrid" of the 2 candidates' positions, but listen to it! It's McCain's position.
Actually, it's not. McCain doesn't care about environmental safeguards, which take years to implement, he wants "drilling now". And he advocates for more domestic coal production and nuclear power as opposed to more renewable energy sources and investment in wind and solar. Furthermore, instead of backing raising fuel efficiency standards and subsidies for hybrid cars, McCain proposed offering a $300 million prize for the first to develop a very effective electric car battery. The plan Hilton is describing is actually Obama's plan.
Says Paris, responsible and limited offshore drilling will provide the transitional source. She goes for the bird in the hand (McCain's position) rather than the two in the bush (Obama's).
This interpretation doesn't make any sense. McCain has claimed he wants "drilling now," which is impossible, because the soonest drilling would start is 7 years from now. The only transitional source is changes in efficiency and conservation, tax credits/subsidies, and modifying our policy toward the strategic petroleum reserve. Obama has proposed all of those things.
McCain, by contrast, has opposed raising fuel efficiency standards, mocked the notion of proper tire inflation to improve fuel economy, and instead of offering tax incentives for Detroit to produce hybrids (a near term solution), he proposed a $300 million innovation prize for an electric battery (a long term solution). Your argument is about as baseless as McCain's tire gauges stunt, which he just officially backtracked on, by the way, because it was stupid.
Now, you might want to say that all that funny stuff at the beginning about McCain's age is anti-McCain. No, it's not! It's McCain's position.McCain is constantly making jokes about how old he is. How many times has he said "I'm older than dirt and more scarred than Frankenstein"?
it is anti-mccain.
this is like the use of the word nigger. if blacks use it, it's okay. if whites use the word nigger on blacks, then it could cause a fight.
mccain can make fun of his old age, and late night comedians too, because that is their job. but the democrats and barack and paris openly attacking mccain on his age, i don't know...
No, you're missing the big point.
It's a HUGE McCain ad because as soon as I saw it, I thought - this is the perfect setup for McCain to respond with something like "Finally, the brains of the Dem party has emerged" or - what they actually did - "Her energy plan is better than Obama's"!
Brilliant!
And endless jokes about how "I'd rather vote for her than Obama"; "Paris is smarter than Obama"; and so on and so on, ad nauseum. I mean, did they not see this coming???
Was this engineered by Karl Rove?!!
Damn good ad and outstanding energy policy. Perhaps Paris could replace Nancy Pelosi now and get ready to run for President when she's 35.
I'd want to see her birth certificate though. I hear she was born in France.
If Althouse can read this as a pro-McCain ad -- and I think it's a very reasonable reading (though I'm prejudiced, as I said above) -- then I think that this post can be read as a strong indication that when all is said and done, our hostess here will vote for McCain.
On the most salient issues -- energy, the war, and so on -- she lines up with him, and she has always caught Obama when he tries to pull a fast one on us.
It's no less reasonable a take than what we're offered here.
In fact, we could see this whole "cruel neutrality" thing as a clever way of walking undecided independents through the thought process that has them vote GOP at the top of the ticket this November.
How's that? :p
In fact, we could see this whole "cruel neutrality" thing as a clever way of walking undecided independents through the thought process that has them vote GOP at the top of the ticket this November.
How's that? :p
Well, that would be duplicitous and unethical.
Well, that would be duplicitous and unethical.
Nonsense!
Performance art.
Which I should shut up about (if I've called it right), lest she be forced to come clean & then fulfill her vow of not voting.
Here's another thing for McCain to say at a speech in response:
"After I watched Paris Hilton's response to my Celebrity Ad, which I thought was pretty funny, I considered asking her to be my Vice President. Unfortunately, when I spoke with my wife about it, she told me that if I did that, I'd be sleeping on the couch during my entire time in office."
Revenant said...
Can Obama laugh at himself?
Of course not. That would be racist.
My word, that's a delicious spin on the Duty of the One Messiah never to laugh at himself..For to laugh at The One, Even By The One Himself....only drags America back to the days of lynching, Bull Connor, and when black women either had to get married or keep their legs closed..
On the most salient issues -- energy, the war, and so on -- she lines up with him,
On the most salient issues she talks about.
It's what Ann doesn't often talk about here that tend to be clear reasons why she would want to vote Democratic more than Republican, why she has in the past.
And what she doesn't talk about here tends, I think, to be deeper parts of her. The blog is like the revealed part of the Althouse iceberg.
I think that makes it part of the fun.
Nonsense!
Performance art.
No.
Nonsensical performance art = the McCain campaign.
Interesting to me is the realization that she is not the rich heiress bimbo that we have known, esp. with her TV show. She apparently makes much more a year than she is inheriting by promoting this blond bimbo image. Under that there appears to be a fairly shrewd business woman, who would probably make her grandfather proud.
The lady isn't dumb.
Have you looked at McCain's plan called The Lexington Project.
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/17671aa4-2fe8-4008-859f-0ef1468e96f4.htm
Looks like maybe Hilton is borrowing McCain's plan.
If McCain picked Paris Hilton as his VP, and Obama picked Bayh, who then would be the 'old fashioned' candidate, hmmm?
Can't you just see the ads? "France may have Carla Bruni, but America will always have Paris!" "Just a heartbeat away from The Button," with a closeup of her fingernail on a big red fakey button...
She'd make the Lewinsky scandal look positively quaint!
Has anyone else picked up on the subliminal racism of the "best tan" comment? I mean, Obama is seriously tanned and he's from Hawaii. It's code, I tell you, code!
How can you not notice the picture of KFC Colonel Sanders? If that isn't a clear appeal to White racism then I'm not Bob Herbert.
And whats with the little brown dog Paris is holding at the end of the video? I think that is a subliminal message that Obama is nothing more than a little dog, unfit to lead on his own.
And she said WHITE haired dude. Wasn't that really a dog whistle to White folks, as in White SKINNED dude?
As I said in a comment I wrote elsewhere, Paris isn't dumb.
How many attractive young women want to make millions of dollars by wearing designer dresses, walking around in high heeled shoes and generally looking and feeling hot, while not sleeping with anyone they don't want to?
Lots.
How many attractive young women have actually pulled this off, without being supermodels?
Her.
I really enjoyed the humor of Paris' ad.
To me, part of the message is that McCain is making fun of me, and I'm big enough to laugh about it. And as she said, the ad really elevates her to the status of Presidential candidate.
I have to agree that the impact's definitely pro-McCain. It's them together, enjoying a chuckle at the expense of Obama, and who can argue against that?
D
Pro-McCain?
Better to ask the director of the video.
“McCain made one huge mistake. He drifted into the world of pop culture. And that’s Paris’ world. She owns that world,” he said. “So now he gets the blowback.”
“We’re praying that Obama does an ad with Screech from ‘Saved by the Bell,’ ” he said. Then he twisted a knife. “Or maybe McCain’s next ad about the trillions we’ve spent on the Iraq war while our economy falls apart will have Janet Jackson or Paula Abdul in it.”
JibJab
http://londonamerican01.blogspot.com/2008/08/paris-i-want-america-to-know-that-im.html
paris hilton gives fresh oxygen to an emerging meme. you go girl!
I just saw a video of Paris blowing Barack Obama! She wasn't blowing McCain. He was getting fisted by his daughter, Meg. Disgusting!
The quotes Trevor found really hit a generation gap: Perhaps people in the world of pop culture (certainly excludes me) see the add as blowback; older people (definitely includes me) saw it as mostly pro-McCain. I am guessing voter turn out is much higher among the latter group.
Turnout will be key, indeed, Roger.
I'm all for letting multiple interpretations stand, but I just don't see how you spin the Crypt-Keeper as a pro-McCain image. There's lots of old people he could have been compared to. Hackneyed pics like Wilford Brimley or Matlock could have been just the same ambiguous tone as "wrinkly, old guy" can be read.
But a dessicated corpse that delights in suffering? Yeah, I'm not seeing it.
Trevor Jackson said...But a dessicated corpse that delights in suffering? Yeah, I'm not seeing it.
But are you seeing it as a sign of bigotry?
Isn't it a demonization of older people?
Hillary vs. Obama was in part dueling isms, racism versus sexism. And we all know which of those two isms is more terrifying and morally outrageous.
Ann's recent blogginheads was with a woman who wrote about the genocidal plague ravaging the landscape which she calls "singlism".
But what about "ageism" or even "lookism"? Why isn't there any moral outrage about that? Or maybe the oldsters are quietly smoldering and waiting to blaze with rage for McCain on election day.
I'm guessing a culture that sees the biological process as the using up of youthful energy and matter and not the acquisition of information and wisdom is a culture that is not going to be particularly offended by "ageism". Or even "lookism".
In fact the average American probably would define "ageism" as the horrible condition of growing old and "lookism" as the disease of being ugly.
I heard the audio a few times on the radio before watching the clip.
The audio is great; in video it's lame.
I guess it's because she doesn't look empty-headed - the empty-headed part is a badly done act in the video - and also she isn't hot, so you wonder what all the fuss is about as well.
Radio is a thousand times better than TV, for related reasons.
On radio it's just what it's exactly supposed to be - empty-headed ditz takes on the joke, furthers it along, everybody wins.
I don't think she cares about either McCain or Obama, in audio or video version.
Why does blogspot keep asking me for my ID each time now, is an unrelated question.
This ad and people's reaction to it strongly resemble Obama:
people see and hear in it what they want to see and hear.
Personally, I was kind of hoping she'd swing her leg over and do a little Sharon Stone for the camera...
Q: Can Obama laugh at himself?
A: Of course not. That would be racist.
Follow-up Q: What if it's his black side laughing at his white side?
Trevor,
I think what you're missing, perhaps, is that there's no sting in McCain being old.
He's not denying it. He's suggesting it shouldn't be considered a liability, down to where I believe he's released his medical records. (Something Obama hasn't done, I think.)
So if the add says "Hey, McCain is old" but also, "Hey, Obama is inexperienced/flipfloppy/ambiguous" I think McCain is going to come out ahead.
Be interesting to see some actual market research on it, though.
Oh, God, I actually wrote "the add".
"Ad", dummy!
It was more persuasive with audio only. That "swim"suit isn't "hot" and her smirk does her message little credit. Mostly, she reaffirmed my original impression that Obama can't stand up to environmental radicals and the John McCain isn't really a maverick so much as just not very bright.
Now if Jethro Gibbs were running. . .
But both McCain and Obama support limited offshore drilling, so her plan is both of their plans. See http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20080805/cm_usatoday/ourviewonenergypolicyobamajoinsmccaininoffshoredrillingreversal
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