Althouse: Tommy Thompson, coming at you on his motorcycle...

July 25, 2012

Tommy Thompson, coming at you on his motorcycle...

... and Tammy Baldwin's gigantic face is part of the highway...

... the highway to repeal of Obamacare.

27 comments:

Known Unknown said...: He's just so fuckin' cool with his shades and chopper!

Ugh.; 7/25/12, 10:47 AM
MadisonMan said...: Could there be a worse choice than Tommy v. Tammy?; 7/25/12, 10:47 AM
Sorun said...: Too old!; 7/25/12, 10:48 AM
CJinPA said...: Thompson looks like he's aged 20 years in the 20 years since I've seen him.; 7/25/12, 10:50 AM
Curious George said...: "MadisonMan said...
Could there be a worse choice than Tommy v. Tammy?"

Yes, Tammy v. Tammy.

And this ad is pathetic. It just makes Tommy look even older than he is. Like a fat old woman wearin ga mini-skirt. EMD is right...UGH!; 7/25/12, 10:53 AM
Anonymous said...: Weird ad.

Also, nothing about the CBO's findings that the ACA is going to reduce the deficit? What a surprise.; 7/25/12, 11:04 AM
traditionalguy said...: Strange ad. Will the old man in the ad even remember what he said in it tomorrow?; 7/25/12, 11:26 AM
Richard Dolan said...: I agree that TT looks pretty old and fat.

Put yourself in the shoes of whoever created this ad, when they were trying to decide how best to present the candidate. Evidently they thought his age was a big negative. The motorcycle thing was, in part, a visual answer -- show TT as still vigorous and in the game -- while also giving a nod to all the seniors who have taken up m'cycling. It's also a riff on some of the Mitch Daniels ads -- they loved to show him on his bike -- which helped Mitch (another aging, bald Rep) into a candidate with some mojo.

On this one, the ad's producer may have been channeling a bit too literally the adage that art is about the history of art, as generations of artists play off of images that earlier artists made iconic.; 7/25/12, 11:35 AM
edutcher said...: They might as well have Brando riding that sickle.; 7/25/12, 11:35 AM
Joe Schmoe said...: To a non-WI-ite, that ad is unintentionally hilarious. Instant classic, right up there with Mike Gravel glowering into the camera before throwing the rock in the pond.

Give those guys a movie contract for Grumpy Old Men Part 3.; 7/25/12, 11:52 AM
Jim said...: That's just 30 seconds of AWESOME!; 7/25/12, 11:53 AM
holdfast said...: To those who say TT is too old, I say: Frank Lautenberg.; 7/25/12, 12:02 PM
chickelit said...: MadisonMan said...
Could there be a worse choice than Tommy v. Tammy?

The choice is easy, rider.; 7/25/12, 12:06 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Tommy said he was too old 2 years ago when he declined to be the one to take down Feingold.; 7/25/12, 12:13 PM
AllenS said...: Perhaps Tammy could borrow Obama's bike, helmet, and mom jeans, and do a commercial just like this.; 7/25/12, 12:26 PM
chickelit said...: Tommy said he was too old 2 years ago when he declined to be the one to take down Feingold.

Feingold was a tougher opponent, and less of a blatant partisan than Tammy.; 7/25/12, 12:30 PM
garage mahal said...: Also, nothing about the CBO's findings that the ACA is going to reduce the deficit? What a surprise

yea that's a real shocker. Not a peep from the deficit fetish crowd either, you'd think they would ecstatic?; 7/25/12, 12:42 PM
Hagar said...: The CBO is a non-partisan agency, but it is not an independent agency. It is a creature of Congress and bi-partisan as specified by Congress.; 7/25/12, 12:49 PM
frank said...: for you youngins', TT has a resevoir of good will, don't like 'practical Republicans, tough shit kiddos. He'll carry 50% of Dane County, 55% of Milw County and wipe up the rest of the state. Elected 4 times as Gov--Romney will ride his coatails to win WI electorial votes.; 7/25/12, 12:52 PM
A. Shmendrik said...: Thompson is sui generis, for sure. I never understood why, but I have understood how popular he is. During his 1st term I was at a Brewers game at the old Milwaukee County Stadium. The crowd starts roaring and getting up for a standing ovation. The PA never announced his presence, but as he took his seat along the 3rd base line, the whole stadium was on its feet for him. If you analyze it, there is no explaining it, it just is what it is. I wouldn't mind Hovde, but he seems to be screwing the pooch with some awful press moments. So it will be Thompson and he will roll it up big on Tammy. She'll be licked.; 7/25/12, 1:18 PM
ndspinelli said...: What a buffoon.; 7/25/12, 1:32 PM
Thorley Winston said...: I remember when Tommy Thompson was governor and Arne Carlson was our governor. A bunch of my friends who were planning to camp at Taylor’s Falls decided to camp on the Wisconsin side instead when they heard that your governor was in the park. The reason for his popularity was that Governor Thompson was seen as a champion for school choice and one of the earliest pioneers of welfare reform. If Thompson is running on being the 51st vote to repeal ObamaCare and has enough coattails to help Romney win Wisconsin, he could ride a unicycle in a leotard for all I care.

And he’d still be cooler than Barack Obama.; 7/25/12, 2:47 PM
Curious George said...: "garage mahal said...
Also, nothing about the CBO's findings that the ACA is going to reduce the deficit? What a surprise

yea that's a real shocker. Not a peep from the deficit fetish crowd either, you'd think they would ecstatic?"

Because it won't, nor did they say it will. Here, read all about it. http://www.economics21.org/commentary/yet-another-fiscal-turn-worse-understanding-cbo-re-score-2010-health-care-law; 7/25/12, 3:55 PM
chickelit said...: Was that a thought bubble, Nick?; 7/25/12, 4:24 PM
jacksonjay said...: ACA will cost less, reduce the deficit, and INSURE FEWER people because the SCOTUS made Medicaid expansion voluntary!

Wasn't the whole idea to insure MORE people!; 7/25/12, 4:26 PM
ndspinelli said...: chickelit, Yes it was. If it comes down to him and Tammy I'll vote for the buffoon but that is a sad refrain too often in this political system. Voting for the lesser idiot, buffoon, sleazeball, etc.; 7/25/12, 4:45 PM
William said...: Dude needs to wear a helmet.

I question the judgment of any motorcycle rider who does not.

I have been questioning Tommy's judgment for a while. We need more conservative leadership with fresh ideas and energy.

I wonder if Harley is cool with the tacit cross marketing.; 7/25/12, 5:33 PM