No, the title of this post doesn't refer to the MN Vikings pathetic season so far. Or I should say it doesn't *just* refer to them. It accurately refers to what was going on between the game action yesterday, with the paid political ads from a couple of Democrats who thought they had signed lifetime leases on safe seats in the US Congress.
Jim Oberstar (D) and Tim Walz (D) must be aware of trouble in incumbent paradise, as both purchased expensive TV ads during Sunday's sports programming. Ads that reached all the way into the Twin Cities, forcing me to watch them even though I'm far from their Congressional Districts (both geographically and culturally). This tells me they are desperate enough to have to spend money to blanket even the fringe precincts that begin to encroach on the Twin Cities metropolitan area TV market.
In terms of intellectual honesty and dignity, these have to be among the worst political ads Minnesota have ever been subjected to. And from two powerful sitting Congressman, no less. How the mighty have fallen.
First from Tim Walz.
Note how there is ZERO mention that he happens to be a Democrat, despite the fact he is a loyal and disciplined soldier for his party's agenda. Then he attempts to project all of the classic criticisms of Democrats and the left onto his opponent, Republican Randy Demmer. It's not Tim Walz, the multi-term Democrat Congressman who voted for spending hundreds of billions on a failed stimulus program, who voted for ObamaCare, who voted for budgets that put us trillions in debt, who is a career politician and big spender. It's that Republican who's never served in Congress! It's the Jedi mind trick approach to political advertising. He waves his hand in front of the voters and says "I am not the Democrat you're looking for."
Next, the Oberstar ad, which is most noteworthy for being just plain weird.
The sitting chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, in office for nearly half a century, one of the most powerful men in the country. And the best argument he has for re-election is a rusty hatchet edit job of his opponent saying something positive about Malaysia.
Even in the absurdly truncated edit, it seems Chip Cravaack is merely engaging in comparative economic analysis, revealing a broad-minded, sophisticated approach and that he appreciates the rest of the world can provide examples that enable us to understand economic challenges. Or in the alternate universe of Jim Oberstar: "He wants to turn us into Malaysia! Vote for me instead!"
Seems like one of the most insulting and laugh-out-loud ads ever. But maybe Oberstar knows the people of his district better than I do, and MN CD8 is a hotbed of rabid anti-Malaysian sentiment. Time will tell.
