Saturday, October 09, 2010

Barletta campaign indicted for attempted humor

I have seen a lot of terrible campaign ads over the years and this is one of the worst. It tries to be funny but comes across as just stupid. I'm sure the actors could use the work but the writers and the media consultants who dreamed it up deserve to be unemployed.




The Kanjorski camp sent out an unnecessary press release picking it apart. In my opinion if your opponent stumbles just leave it alone or respond with ridicule.


HEY LOU BARLETTA, PAUL KANJORSKI IS NO COUCH POTATO

WILKES-BARRE The Kanjorski campaign said today that Lou Barletta’s latest TV ad is insulting to Northeastern Pennsylvanians and the message subtly suggests that people in their jobs for a while “should get out of the way” for younger ones in the workforce.

“It’s so insulting to seniors Barletta should pull that ad off the air right away,” Ed Mitchell, Kanjorski campaign spokesman said.

“The Barletta ad sends an offensive message to the thousands of area seniors: ‘Get out of the way because your time may have passed.’

“It says that if you work for a company for 25 years, you should just go away because you have nothing more to offer. Or if you lose your job at age 50, don’t even look for something new. We have to make way for younger people.

“Truth is, many of our older residents work at jobs well beyond retirement, or even age 50. They also live active lives enjoying their children and grandchildren and are not ready to just go away and hide because ambitious, younger people want their place in society,” Mitchell said.

The ad shows on screen a guy on a couch, who overstays his welcome, and his host, while the announcer lists a litany of supposed Kanjorski mistakes and concludes the couch potato has been around, “Simply long enough.”

“Is the best way Barletta can depict people around here as a bunch of fat couch potatoes?” Mitchell asked. “We have an active, vibrant population and they take advantage of the work, church, social and entertainment opportunities of the area as opposed to staying home sitting on a couch.”

“Nobody is less a couch potato than Paul Kanjorski. He works in Washington all week and drives several hundred miles home and back every weekend to meet with constituents. His tenure is and has been very productive and achievement laden. He’s always on the go and hasn’t slowed down. He has much more to offer, as his recent accomplishments show,“ Mitchell said.

He also asked if the talent in the ad were actors and whether they lived in the congressional district. Mitchell said, “Barletta would probably have a hard time finding real, everyday constituents willing to play the roles in the ad. If he used actors, the ad is only more phony.”


Mayor Lou's media people should take lessons from this outfit that produced a clever satirical spot.


via GrassrootsPA


8 comments:

D.B. Echo said...

I would bet that that ad is just a package item being used around the country. It's funny to listen to local political ads from all over and hear the same voie actors and the same ads - "Job-killing energy tax! Voted with Nancy Pelosi 91% of the time! Supports Obama's government takeover of healthcare!"

Anonymous said...

i swear that guy looks like Barletta's communication director, the guy that use to work for the standard speaker!

Patpacer said...

It really is not funny how understaffed and badly run the W-B VAMC is and has been. A few photo shots at the VA with a bunch of suits falsely showing things are fine there, while most veterans would get better medical care one mile down the road at the Plains SPCA. That is something I will be addressing Congressman Barletta about, not to mention his website states he is against euthanasia, and I believe veterans should have the right to choose between the VA drug cocktail and the humanity the SPCA offers. While nothing about Kanjorski is humorous anymore, I love this campaign ad, thank you for posting it.

Anonymous said...

There is no way I will allow this shot at the VA to get past me without a response. For many years I only used the VA for treatment of my Glaucoma. I think my VA doctor is outstanding and he is my choice as a care giver. For over two years I have been receiving Remicade intravenous treatment every 8 weeks and my total cost was $2.00. As of January, the pharmaceutical company increased my deductible from $2.00 to $300 and no explanation offered. A $300 deductible every 8 weeks was pretty tough so I asked the VA if they could help me. I must preface this by saying that the Remicade was the third choice offered by my private Rheumatologist because the first two treatments cost $1,700 per month. Obviously $2.00 was outstanding. When the VA doctor ran the usual tests, he asked me if Remicade was my first choice and I explained the problem. He suggested what he believed was the best treatment (Enbriel) for my condition which is a weekly shot I administer myself. What would have cost me $1,700/month now cost me $6.00 per month thanks to the VA. I have several friends who also use the VA and none of us have a complaint so for anyone to bad mouth the treatment veterans receive at the Wilkes Barre VA is totally off the wall. I'm not alone in singing the praises of the VA and Congressman Paul Kanjorski used his seniority in Congress to fight to keep the VAMC in Wilkes Barre just as he fought to keep the Tobyhanna Army Depot open and actually expanding. For the people who scoff at Congressional seniority, all I can say is you just don't get it! Thank you Congressman Kanjorski and I'm sure I'm not the only veteran who appreciates having a VAMC in our back yard.

Wil Toole,
US Coast Guard veteran with 4 years of active duty sea service

Patpacer said...

As I stated above Mr. Toole most vets would receive better treatment at the SPCA nationwide. I am not busting most of the doctors there but a few there presently would not know what to do if the VA was properly funded and staffed. The docs I know would love to actually treat veterans instead of just medicating their symptoms. What will help the most (right now) is getting rid of the corrupt local politics there. I could add so much more that your head would spin, and spin it shall, soon. Very glad your problem is helped by the VA, obviously you are not one of us lucky veterans which have used it for many decades now. These new young veterans returning home deserve good medical care, not the VA drug cocktail.

Big Dan said...

GORT: pink suit alert!!!!!!!!

Clueless Rick Santorum: ‘Bush Policies Worked’ To Reduce Poverty To ‘The Lowest Rate Ever’

Stephen Albert said...

Is it me, or does the one actor bear a striking resemblance to Ricky Santorum?

Anonymous said...

Wow is this how silver spooned Lou Barletta thinks of his potential constituents? Does he really see them as fat, couch potato slobs? I don't like Lou, I don't like Kanjo. I was going to abstain in this election. No more. I am voting Kanjo.