Campaign Commercial

Obama's campaign is out with a new and shiny slogan, coined by Joe Biden presumably, to the effect of "Bin Laden is dead and GM is alive." That is bolstered by a commercial about how Obama ordered the hit on Bin Laden and Romney might not have had the balls to do that. Republicans are aghast the he would use a moment like that as a campaign trick, unlike strutting around on an aircraft carrier in a flight suit with a "Mission Accomplished" sign in the background. At least Bin Laden actually is dead, although a few wierdos are claiming that the killing was faked. (Seriously?) They want the body produced as evidence. Sorry ladies, we actually did walk on the Moon, too.

I don't have any real problem with it, if that's how they want to represent their party's leader; as the world's number one "hit man." It worked for George W. Bush, who swaggered as a "tough guy" keeping us safe, and he got reelected, so if Obama wants to imitate George W. Bush I guess that's his privilege. I think the implication about Romney is a bit of a cheap shot, because Obama's people have no idea what he might or might not have done, and I think it's pretty stupid that they think the economy is doing well enough that they can change the topic away from it.

Both sides desperately want this election to be about anything other than the economy, but I have news for them; the determining factor for elections is voters not politicians. The news media pundits and politicians can blather all they want to about drone strike policies, deficit reduction, Albanian aid packages, and to what degree we did or did not call the death of Albanian people one hundred years ago "genocide," but the voters are going to determine what the election is about, and I will bet my next month's paycheck they are going to make it about the economy.

This scenario for an Obama campaign commercial came from the comment thread at Glenn Greenwald's Unclaimed Territory. I put a couple of comments together and edited very slightly for brevity.

(upwelling strings in background, something by Aaron Copland)
Announcer (rich baritone): It’s morning in Barack Obama’s America.
(footage of people lined up at an airport, early morning, being searched
before boarding)
TSA man: Is that a weapon, or are you just happy to see me?
Announcer: People are working again.
(footage of new Army recruits on a rifle range)
Drill Sergeant (holding M4 carbine): When you finish this course, you
will be able to kill a man at 300 meters! Guaranteed!
Recruit (sotto voce, to another): Cool! I’m gonna learn a trade after all!
(footage of American flag, trumpets play “America” softly)
Announcer: We stand today at a crossroads: One path leads to despair
and utter hopelessness. The other leads to total extinction. Let us hope
that we have the wisdom to make the right choice.
(fade to black)