Political commercial tactics you hate

Politics & Elections
1

California Prop 16 is to allow diversity to be a factor in public employment, education, and contracting decisions. It would be a state constitutional amendment, and it is sponsored by the state legislature.

This may be laudable (or maybe not) but their TV commercial ends by saying something like: “This measure is supported by all the right people (video background of a lot of nice people) and is opposed by those who always oppose progress (video background of what I think is those neo-nazi men marching at some protest last year).”

I don’t expect a lot of integrity from political commercials, but they are in effect saying that anyone who opposes this measure is the same as those neo-nazi marchers. That sucks enough for me to strongly consider voting against the measure. (But I will read what I can about it and try to decide on the merits.)

So I hope this thread will not be a litany of commercials about candidates you hate, but rather specific illogical or unfair tactics that are being used, by either side.

2

Both in commercials and general talking: telling me what their opponent “really” thinks.

3

Using children to read a scripted message, especially if it’s a negative attack on some politician.

A bad message isn’t any more legit just because it’s delivered by a child.

4

“Teach, your children well … and know they love you.”

That Simon and Garfunkel song was the only audio for the Mondale/Ferraro campaign blub, and it still makes me angry. WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot is that? Regan/Bush are war mongers and Mondale wasn’t? Sure, g’head and claim that, I don’t care. But who approved this nonsensical, milquetoast ad, and paid Simon and Garfunkel the royalties, to actually say nothing?

5

Especially when that last bit will piss off Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills and Nash…

6

I hate the fake-outrage-scary over dramatic voice they all use. Just talk like a normal person, for fucks sake.

7

Pazuzu was the real warmonger.

8

Pretty much most attack ads.

I’ve been watching The Lincoln Project ads. Trump is the one candidate in my lifetime I’m pretty sure deserves to be the subject of vicious attack ads, but I find, in a lot of these ads, even when they’re directed at Trump, they still leave me annoyed.

I mean, put a WWII color filter and add a German accent to the voiceover, and you’d have a hard time convincing me that this ad wasn’t honest-to-god historical Nazi propaganda.

9

I’d much prefer if they told me why I should vote for them, not why I shouldn’t vote for the other person. No implications, no subtle messages/dog whistles. Just tell me what you’ve done and what you’re going to do going forward.

10

Crosby, Stills & Nash. Nash wrote it IIRC.