Someone explain this Obama ad to me, please.

[Mickalino]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the purpose of a candidate approving an ad message, for the possibility that an unauthorized group produced the message ?
Well, he has an ad that I've seen multiple times over the past few months, where he "approves" the message, when there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that he created the message. Why ? Because the entire commercial is both audio AND video of Obama talking. The audio matches the video, meaning there's no doubt that what you're hearing was spoken as the video of Obama was taken. There's no snapshots, no video or pictures of anyone or anything except Obama with his rehearsed message, looking directly at the camera, talking during the whole commercial. Yet he thinks he needs to say that he approves the message ???

WTF ?

Is he that dumb, or is this a really dumb sense of humor ?

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

To be honest, I'm kinda shocked you're even dwelling on it.:)

[DjTj]

"I approved this message" is required by law.

Here is an article about it from 2004, and they agreed with you that it was stupid:

In one of his television commercials, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts announces his candidacy for president before a throng of adoring, placard-waving supporters.

But at the end of the spot, amid the roar of the crowd, Mr. Kerry abruptly steps from the podium, looks into the camera and shouts, ''I'm John Kerry, and I approve this message!''

Such odd juxtapositions occur often in the first commercials of this election season because of a little-noticed provision of the new election law requiring candidates -- including President Bush, when his campaign begins running ads -- to pledge responsibility for their ads.

Campaign strategists are in near-revolt over the rule, complaining that the words take up precious seconds, confuse voters and garble their messages while possibly violating free-speech rights.

''It's really clumsy and awkward to put in an ad,'' said Steve McMahon, whose firm is handling the advertising for Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont. ''Focus groups say 'Of course you approve it, you wouldn't have said it.' ''

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9505E0DF1339F93BA35752C1A9659C8B 63

[Mickalino]

"I approved this message" is required by law.

Here is an article about it from 2004, and they agreed with you that it was stupid:

In one of his television commercials, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts announces his candidacy for president before a throng of adoring, placard-waving supporters.

But at the end of the spot, amid the roar of the crowd, Mr. Kerry abruptly steps from the podium, looks into the camera and shouts, ''I'm John Kerry, and I approve this message!''

Such odd juxtapositions occur often in the first commercials of this election season because of a little-noticed provision of the new election law requiring candidates -- including President Bush, when his campaign begins running ads -- to pledge responsibility for their ads.

Campaign strategists are in near-revolt over the rule, complaining that the words take up precious seconds, confuse voters and garble their messages while possibly violating free-speech rights.

''It's really clumsy and awkward to put in an ad,'' said Steve McMahon, whose firm is handling the advertising for Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont. ''Focus groups say 'Of course you approve it, you wouldn't have said it.' ''

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9505E0DF1339F93BA35752C1A9659C8B 63

Thanks, now I don't feel QUITE as nervous about the possibility of him becoming President :)

[SkinsTerps26]

Thanks, now I don't feel QUITE as nervous about the possibility of him becoming President :)


Dude... i swear i was about to go off on you for this thread for finding fault in nothing. But that smiley changed my mind

:)

[Burgold]

The other thing is and I learned it when I started doing radio. It is remarkably easy to tamper with audio. I don't know about the video side so much, but if you can insert b roll, you certainly can make cuts. Regardless, with today's technology it would be the simplest thing in the world to make a candidate misspeak, to transpose, reorder and downright change sentences. I guess you cut and paste that "I approve this message," but if you did that and he didn't or it didn't come from his camp that's easily proven.

Think of how many photoshops can easily pass for the real thing even upon inspection.