# Discussion of a pro-Obama ad: its tone, content, and implications **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 8, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871 "2012-08-08T15:50:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/61 "2012-08-08T22:03:44Z")
The Team Romney response highlights the real clout of this ad. Here’s a hint, it’s not about jobs. Under Obamacare, this man’s wife would have had coverage. If Romney is elected, and repeals Obamacare, she would not. Romney’s surrogate said as much with his “if she moved to Mass she’d have been fine” response. This isn’t “Romney killed my wife”, it’s “Romney wants to go back to the system that killed my wife”. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/62 "2012-08-08T23:24:52Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > See? He even got the \*year \*wrong. 😉 Yep, that race will be in 2016. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/63 "2012-08-08T23:46:28Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > It’s a stretch, yes, but if you’ve ever been laid off and/or had a sick family member without insurance after losing your job, it doesn’t seem outrageous or silly. People will think about their own experiences, or fears, when seeing this example. They will think about how Obama passed health care legislation, and Romney wants to repeal it. They will think about how Obama bailed out GM, while Romney said it should go bankrupt. Maybe. But most of those people are in mental institutions, so they won’t be able to vote anyway. Romney is no more to blame than that butterfly who flapped it’s wings in Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/64 "2012-08-09T02:16:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yeah, this isn’t the Obama campaign… Nitpick: Apparently the Obama campaign used this steelworker (and had him tell this story) in a campaign conference [call](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-camp-denies-knowledge-cancer-tale-told-may-195237581.html) back in May. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/65 "2012-08-09T02:30:12Z")
It would be nice if Obama would man up and condemn it. Also…ROMNEY IS A BUSINESSMAN. NEWS AT 11. ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/66 "2012-08-09T02:37:09Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > It would be nice if Obama would man up and condemn it. > > Also…ROMNEY IS A BUSINESSMAN. NEWS AT 11. Maybe the majority of Americans find that this type of businessman isn’t fit to be the President. There’s nothing wrong with that. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/67 "2012-08-09T02:59:52Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > It would be nice if Obama would man up and condemn it. > > Also…ROMNEY IS A BUSINESSMAN. NEWS AT 11. I love the cries from Republicans for Democrats to hold themselves to higher standards. I think Romney should be the one to step up to the plate and condemn misleading ads first. He can start with the ones he approved that include lies. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/68 "2012-08-09T04:15:47Z")
> [@babygoat666](#): > > Maybe the majority of Americans find that this type of businessman isn’t fit to be the President. There’s nothing wrong with that. This type? What? He made a financial decision and closed down a factory. Presidents do the same thing when looking at budgets. > [@boytyperanma](#): > > I love the cries from Republicans for Democrats to hold themselves to higher standards. > > I think Romney should be the one to step up to the plate and condemn misleading ads first. He can start with the ones he approved that include lies. Yeah, me too. Except I’m a Democrat, so I just naturally expect my party to act better. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/69 "2012-08-09T05:46:53Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Nitpick: Apparently the Obama campaign used this steelworker (and had him tell this story) in a campaign conference [call](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-camp-denies-knowledge-cancer-tale-told-may-195237581.html) back in May. Yeah, I saw that. But that doesn’t change the fact that this is an independent organization putting the ad out there now. We can all “wink, wink” about how these Super Pacs aren’t really independent, but unless there is substantive proof that they aren’t, then we have to assume that they are. Independent, that is. That is not to say they have no history, but they have no coordination now. One thing I think we’re seeing here is the hubris that these Super Pacs are operating under. Citizens’ United unleashed a shit load of free speech, but a lot of it ain’t very smart. I think the public is going to tire of this negativity and ignore most of it. The hard core partisans might lap it up, but they’ve already made their minds up. Independents are going to :rolleyes:. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/70 "2012-08-09T06:43:14Z")
I wish I could agree with you. I’m beyond hoping negative ads will finally quit being effective with the American voter. I keep hoping for some sign, somewhere, that there is a pendulum beginning to reverse it’s swing… ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/71 "2012-08-09T12:09:13Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I guess I’m wondering why you think that these “normal” people would fact check Obama ads but not Romney ads. Because he’s been running some whoppers lately. Because to a lot of normal people, claiming the word “that” in “if you have a business, you didn’t build that” is a bit more of a whopper than “my wife died of cancer and it’s Romney’s fault”. Extreme Obama partisans, like much of the SDMB, aren’t capable of seeing or admitting that. That doesn’t mean it isn’t real. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/72 "2012-08-09T13:20:56Z")
Yes, it is the liberals who are blinded by the word “that.” Just keep telling yourself “that.” ETA: I would like to apologize to small business owners everywhere for using the word “that.” I truly didn’t mean to insult you by using “the word that shall not be repeated” in a way that could be ambiguous if it were taken out of context. I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings by using that word. Ah, crap. I did it again. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/73 "2012-08-09T14:15:07Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > I wish I could agree with you. I’m beyond hoping negative ads will finally quit being effective with the American voter. I keep hoping for some sign, somewhere, that there is a pendulum beginning to reverse it’s swing… I’m not saying all negative ads will lose their punch, but I think this type of ad isn’t going to sway independent voters. Of course, I could be wrong. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/74 "2012-08-09T14:31:23Z")
I hope you are not, but so far it seems the most nuanced analysis of the American character came from a pundit named PT Barnum, all those years ago… ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/75 "2012-08-09T16:49:18Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Extreme Obama partisans, like much of the SDMB, aren’t capable of seeing or admitting that. > Regards, > Shodan Irony, your name is Shodan. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/76 "2012-08-09T16:53:44Z")
Apparently conservatives are frothing mad at Andrea Sual’s accidental truth telling. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/77 "2012-08-09T17:12:41Z")
It is not desperation at all, Obama is doing quite good in most polls and has a very large chance of winning reelection. The Bain attacks are working, that is why you see them ramping up and why Romney is spending so much ad time trying to refute them. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/78 "2012-08-09T18:34:17Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > The context needs to change with the omission for it to be “taking it out of context”. It doesn’t. Whether you listen to just the chosen (admittedly worst) sentences from this speech that the ad played, or the whole thing unedited, the context is the same. You obviously misunderstand the meaning of the word “[context](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=15362725).” I think you have it confused with the word “meaning.” The context of Obama’s remarks, taken in totality, and by definition, cannot change. It is what it is. The commercial distorts, nay, completely misrepresents, what Obama was saying. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/79 "2012-08-09T18:45:08Z")
Oh, and my opinion of the ad? If you removed any reference to Romney and Bain and the ad addressed only what can happen if you find yourself in a life and death situation without access to adequate health care, it would have been a terrific ad for the Affordable Care Act. But since that ship has sailed, that won’t really be necessary, will it? 🙂 But blaming Romney for this? It’s more than a stretch, it’s ridiculous: Romney wasn’t even there when the company went belly-up! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871/80 "2012-08-09T20:34:19Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > I wish I could agree with you. I’m beyond hoping negative ads will finally quit being effective with the American voter. It’s not just the voters but also the media. Granted, Romney (and his camp’s) response didn’t help but this ad has kept him off message for a couple days now and burned a couple media cycles. In a sense, it doesn’t have to convince a single person to be a success even if the only thing it does it help run out the clock before the election. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-of-a-pro-obama-ad-its-tone-content-and-implications/630871.md?page=5)