I believe the McCain "hang" ad is a rovian trick... here's why...

[scheming daemons]

Referenced here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6786035&mesg_id=6786035


Remember in 2000, when a practice debate tape of Dubya just "happened" to show up at Gore's headquarters? Rove's goal was to have it "leaked" to the press and then accuse Gore of cheating.

Gore blew Rove's plan away, however, when he immediately notified the FBI and gave the tape to them. Subsequently, a low-level Cheney staffer took the fall.



Remember the subliminal "RATS" in another ad that year, when the word "Democrats" morphed into "RATS"? Also, a rovian trick. The Democrats screamed "Foul!" and then the GOP turned it around to make us look like a bunch of crazies for even THINKING that was their intention. Complaining about it BACKFIRED on us.


This is another one. We'll get all hot and bothered about it... it will become a media shitstorm.... the RW media will indignantly accuse us of "playing the race card" and that only someone who's nuts would've seen the "Hang" there.

And it will dominate 2 or 3 news cycles, completely blowing the positive PR of OBama's speech tonight off the front pages.



WE. NEED. TO. IGNORE. THIS.



I know it is too late.... some of you have already taken the bait. By tonight, this will be ALL that is being talked about on the news channels.... and any positive coverage we might get tonight will be blunted.



I know I'm screaming into the wind here, but PLEASE don't fall for it.


(I know I'm too late)

[writes3000]

1. Smart analysis, SD. And you're probably right. I'm not sure it will get big play unless

Someone from the campaign really takes the bait.

Otherwise it becomes a story about bloggers.

Smart thinking though.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Having worked in advertising for 30 years

it's well known that "Subliminals" are really a bunch of bullshit
and that anyone who thinks they can gain some kind of edge or result
with secret nefarious hidden messages is a total freakin' idiot.

But that doesn't stop Republicans from trying.
To me, this ad just shows how desperate and dim witted they are.

Don't worry, it's the harmless machinations of utter hacks.

SD is right... ignore

[scheming daemons]

3. My point is that the GOP will use the FALLOUT from our complaining about it....

We need to ignore this story.

[C_U_L8R]

8. Agree Agree

[jackstraw45]

14. Scientific study from 2007 : Subliminal Advertising Leaves Its Mark On The Brain

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070308121938.htm

ScienceDaily (Mar. 9, 2007) — University College London researchers have found the first physiological evidence that invisible subliminal images do attract the brain's attention on a subconscious level. The wider implication for the study, published in Current Biology, is that techniques such as subliminal advertising, now banned in the UK but still legal in the USA, certainly do leave their mark on the brain.

(cut)

Dr Bahador Bahrami, of the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and the UCL Department of Psychology, said: "What's interesting here is that your brain does log things that you aren't even aware of and can't ever become aware of. We show that there is a brain response in the primary visual cortex to subliminal images that attract our attention -- without us having the impression of having seen anything. These findings point to the sort of impact that subliminal advertising may have on the brain. What our study doesn't address is whether this would then influence you to go out and buy a product. I believe that it's likely that subliminal advertising may affect our decisions -- but that is just speculation at this point.

[scheming daemons]

15. Except that A) this wasn't all that subliminal... and B) the goal is to GET us to complain...

So they can reinject race into the discussion.


Don't fall for it.

[C_U_L8R]

17. Yeah but it won't sell a single can of soda

or make anyone vote for John McCain.
Try it yourself if you don't believe me.

[Ian_rd]

4. I suspect you're right. It's the race card of our generation.

That is, attack your opponent in a subtle racist manner. And if they complain, accuse them of playing the race card. That way, you get to play the race card and accuse your opponent of playing it at the same time. Pretty clever.

[quiet.american]

5. K&R in the hopes of getting this to the greatest page so that --

-- every other DU thread title on this historic day will not have the word 'Hang' in it.

[Prefer]

6. I agree

[Enrique]

7. I agree: what's the most likely effect of this ad?

is it that the subliminal message will cause a number of voters to hate Obama and not vote for him?

Or is it that the campaign will become dominated by racial issues instead of on the economy and Iraq? I think the latter, except that I don't think Obama will fall for it.

[izzybeans]

9. They want to cry "race baiter". They want to play that card.

It's the only bluff they have left in their arsenal.

I agree with you.

[Egnever]

10. you are a smart cookie

this wont help us to harp on.

[jenmito]

11. Don't worry. I haven't heard about it/seen it on tv at ALL today and I never even heard about it

'til I read this thread.

[Danger Mouse]

12. Good idea...let's not give them what they want.

[DefenseLawyer]

13. Rove didn't get much play from the "mysterious package" sent to McCain

on the day after his house gaff either. It's played, Jerry. So played.

[MadrasT]

16. Well done. I concur. K/R

Reprehensible trick, but one that is best ignored.

:kick:

[emulatorloo]

18. Good analysis -- N/T

[glitch]

19. Except - they don't have anywhere near the credibility they had in 2000

Such as it was.

This time around regular people are more likely to believe it was intentional, and even more loathsome than their usual antics.

Is there such a think as blowback from blowback? Maybe we can get them into a feedback loop where everything they do blows right back on them (or maybe they've already put themselves in that position).

[elleng]

20. Right;

happens ALL THE TIME!

[loyalsister]

21. This conversation could actually be useful

Imagine what could be asked when complaints were shot down...

Aside from historical implications, wouldn't it be equally threatening to have "hang" over the head of a white presidential candidate?
If someone complained in that case, would their complaints be valid?

[shaniqua6392]

22. Considering that McCain hired KKKarl Rove's team a few weeks back...

this crap is not so surprising.