Obama Ad Demeans Him And Female Youth

Presidential campaign ads tell us two things. They speak of the candidates perspective of themselves. The way they present themselves tells us much of the way they see themselves.  Ads also reveal the candidates perspective of the target audience.  I thought of this when I saw an ad of President Obama’s.  The ad is targeted toward youth in general and female youth in particular.  I found it very disturbing. I searched the internet for ads by previous presidents seeking re-election targeting the same audience or issues.  I present them to you with my commentary.  You may view the ad by clicking the president’s name atop my commentary.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:

26 year old actress, writer and director Lena Dunham is the ad’s spokeswoman. She equates a vote for Obama with ones loss of virginity.  A cheap easy comment is the wonderment if she sees the re-election of the president as the equivalent of this private biological act on the nation.  
As it is cheap and inappropriate I will not make this comment even though it exceeds the standards of the ad.

Her loss of political virginity revolves around a cult of personality reminiscent of those found in countries led by hard fisted one party states formed around one leader.   The reasons one should choose the president for her move to womanhood partner are:

• He is a great guiy
• He understands women
• He got us out if Iraq
• He will force the government to pay for her birth control.
• Gay couples will have wonderful weddings.

I guess it is okay if young people cannot find jobs as long as they can have relations with someone else paying for their birth control.  I hope President Obama is wrong in his view of the young in general and young women in particular.  I fear for our future if this ad represents the values and perspectives of today’s youthful voter.

PRESIDENT REAGAN:

This ad is not a perfect comparison but it deals with the youth and issues of peace.  The ad represents Reagan’s persona.  One living through the Reagan years is reminded of his vision.  He speak of big issues with a big vision and ways of protecting us.  It is a peace through strength message related to the youth of his day.  No appeals for government giveaways just the recognition of the governments first and highest priority; the protection of it’s citizens.  

PRESIDENT EISENHOWER ADD DIRECTED TOWARDS WOMEN (1956):

This ad talks about Ike as a man and his character.  However, the ad reflects on the good of the nation.  The ad has a spokeswoman very different than the Obama ad.  She frames the ad around the big issues of the day and the good of the country.  The ad is focused and targeted on women.  The women of the ad speak of families, peace and freedom.  There is no reference to what Ike will give them personally but what is best for the nation generally.  Here is an ad from the same campaign focused on the same female age group as the Obama ad.  Notice the difference.  IKE AD - COLLEGE WOMEN

PRESIDENT NIXON YOUTH:   NIXON RE-ELECTION AND YOUTH:

Here are two ads by Richard Nixon.  One is from 1968 where he talks about his faith in the young.  This may not make sense unless you understand it came after young people demonstrated (people of the day might say rioted) in Chicago during the Democratic Party Convention.  The second commercial is asking young people to vote for his re-election.  The second commercial targets the same audience as the Obama ad.  It talks of ending the war in Vietnam, the draft, and allowing 18 year olds voting rights. Issues larger than copulation.

PRESIDENT CARTER:

This ad is targeted towards women in general.  It focuses on the “mother’s” concern for the safety of her children and war.   The ad is family focused and the issues are big.  Notice President Carter is not buying votes with free condoms but selling himself as a peacemaker.  


SUMMARY:

I find these comparison’s both interesting and frightening.    The days of presidents asking not what the country can do for you but what you can do for your country are over.  Today candidates are in a bidding war for our vote.  Who can give us the most with someone else’s money?  Where is the candidate who asks what do we do when we run out of someone else’s money to spend?  The Obama ad illustrates a de-evolution of society.  We live in a post constitutional era where our liberties and freedoms are in deep peril.  Sadly, there are those who are willing to sell our freedoms for the price of a free condom.