Almost every political ad is a lie or has stretched the truth so far that the ad ends up meaningless. Even so, they can be fun when two candidates get on each other about their ad lies.
A recent ad by Gephardt attacks Dean, "Did you know Howard Dean called Medicare 'one of the worst federal programs ever? Did you know he supported the Republican plan to cut Medicare by $270 billion? And, did you know, Howard Dean supported cutting Social Security retirement benefits to balance the budget."
"Well obviously that's hooey," says Dean after seeing the ad. He says Gephardt's ad is "the last gasp of the Washington establishment." Dean claims, "We have health insurance for all the kids in my state. We have prescription benefits for a third of our seniors." A third? Is that good? I don't know and that's not the point. It's just fun to see two grown men reduce themselves to a playground fight and then expect us to respect them as the leader of our country.
Back in July, Lamar Outdoor declined to run an anti-rodeo billboard campaign featuring former "Baywatch" babe and Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Bonnie-Jill Laflin. The board featured Laflin in the stereotypical country-girl-laying-on-a-pile-of-hay pose with the headline, "Nobody Likes and Eight Second Ride."
Seems PETA had its eight second ride, was left unsatisfied and is demanding completion. The anti-everything group will run the ad in the "Fort Worth Weekly" for the next three weeks, coinciding with the Fort Worth Southwest Exposition and Livestock Show, which includes a rodeo. So those of you who missed Laflin's roll in the hay and want to witness PETA's "completion," will have a chance to see it again albeit in low quality newsprint. Better yet, see Laflin in full sized, four color glory right here.
A billboard campaign currently running in South Africa for cell phone provider Vodacom may get banned Monday by the Commission on Gender Equality for being insensitive to women. The billboard, showing a bare breasted woman reaching for her bra, is accompanied by the headline, "Don't get caught without coverage."
Addressing complaints and defending the campaign, Vodacom communications head Mthobi Tyamzashe said, "We go out of our way to actively take part in programs that are aimed at helping to preserve their dignity." He cited Vodacom's support of rape center victims and the company's charitable contributions which is, perhaps, the best defense I've ever heard for a controversial campaign. What's next? "Don't like our ad showing a guy with an erection and the tagline, 'Our rates are so low, you'll be very excited?' Well we give charitable contributions to the Large Penis Support Group."
