Negative Ads

There was a particularly ugly political ad put up on YouTube the other day.  Ron Paul has denied any connection with it, although it was made by an “organization” called New Hampshire Liberty 4 Paul.  Going by the fact that this was their only video, it’s not really a great production, and

The Huntsmans

they’re refusing to talk to the press, it’s probably just a couple of guys who really like Ron Paul.

The ad shows Jon Huntsman speaking Mandarin (Huntsman responded that of course he speaks bloody Mandarin, he’d have to be a total wuzzock not to, being as how he was ambassador and all) and shows his adopted Chinese daughter, once standing by the podium as he was speaking and once, a bit older, at a recent campaign rally.

The ad also shows him with an Indian baby, which may or not be the one he adopted, but it never stopped with the hokey Chinese background music.

I believe Ron Paul when he says he never authorized the ad.  Now, in the era of social media, any of your supporters can make an ad.  Obama had the Obama Girl, Obama babies, and that hockey mom with the living room piano parody of “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.”  The Republicans have endless racist e-mails.  To what extent should a candidate be judged by his supporters?  That’s a big question.

Basically, though, I don’t see anything negative about Huntsman in this ad.  So, he’s got a couple of adopted foreign daughters.  So does Angelina Jolie.  Even John McCain has one, and this ad is reminiscent of the South Carolina push polls that hurt McCain so badly in the 2000 primaries.  (would you be less inclined to support John McCain if you knew he had a black baby?)

Of course, especially with a politician, one has to suspect their motives, even with adoption (I’ve noticed that Brigitte McCain is not nearly as visible, or visibly part of the family, as Meghan.)   I don’t know the relationship between Huntsman’s adopted daughters and his 3 smoking hot female biological offspring, and I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

He did a good thing with the adoption.  Those two kids have a better life.  Even if it’s self-serving, it’s still a positive act.

I’m actually much more disturbed with Rick Santorum’s exploitation of his Downs Syndrome Baby.  (note to Rick Santorum – Sarah Palin lost)

Actually, we have better reasons to oppose Paul, Huntsman or Santorum – the fact that they are Republicans is enough – and I don’t believe that Rick Santorum’s wife had a Downs Syndrome baby on purpose.  It’s just that it looks really, bizarrely coincidental and I hope it doesn’t become a trend.