I hope your like your Super Bowl with a side of politics
It’s bad enough to watch bailed-out company after bailed-out company spend millions and millions of dollars for the most expensive TV advertising slots of the year. There were all those Chevy (GM) slots, as well as at least two for General Electric, whose financial arm survived 2008 in part because it received a federal guarantee of its debt valued at some $139 billion. At least GE didn’t cash in on that guarantee; GM is still part-owned by Uncle Sam and owes taxpayers some $25 billion according to a recent inspector general’s report. GM’s former financing arm, now known as Ally Financial, remains majority-owned by the federal government and owes about $12 billion.
But the halftime Chrysler commercial starring Clint Eastwood, describing America as being in its own “halftime,” was just overtly politicized. After all, what else could “halftime” have meant, in the year 2012, than halfway through the eight years Barack Obama would be president if re-elected this fall? I’m fairly certain it wasn’t a prediction that the country will break up circa 2248 A.D.
Chrysler of course has a right to political speech. But it would be nice if the company wouldn’t be so brazen about its leanings while still owing the entire country — left, right and center — billions of dollars.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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127 comments Add your comment
ragnar danneskjold
February 6th, 2012
11:55 am
I glad we have time to rally – certainly we are much worse off as we approach the end of the first half. Put an early end to the leftist game.
Will Jones
February 6th, 2012
11:58 am
Pro Detroit, Pro America … these are now single party concepts?
Also, you forgot to mention that Chrysler (the company that paid for the ad) repaid all taxpayer subsidies last year.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:06 pm
Will: Check out the last link in the OP. They repaid the taxpayer money with … other taxpayer money.
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
12:07 pm
Yeah, you know, because Clint is a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat.
Oh, wait, no he’s not.
As for these companies spending money on ads… you hate free enterprise now? They got loans, they need to stay in business to repay the loans, but they aren’t allowed to do marketing? Shame on you.
You saw what you wanted to see, Kyle. Halftime could also mean that the game’s not over no matter how much the nabobs of negativity want to proclaim it to be.
Junior Samples
February 6th, 2012
12:07 pm
Corporations are people, remember Kyle?
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:08 pm
As for the “single party concepts” part: The way those “concepts” were phrased sounded an awful lot to me like the way the president phrased it in his State of the Union address — America wins when it comes together … and it needs to come together behind what he wants to do.
But I’m open to hearing other interpretations.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:09 pm
Junior: Like I said, it’s Chrysler’s right to do that.
scrappy
February 6th, 2012
12:09 pm
You fail to take into account marketing principles in this analysis. To earn profit you must sell, to sell you must market & advertise. Yes the commercials are expensive, but you also get millions of viewers, an almost guarntee that those viewers will actually be watching the commercials, and a high liklihood that they will be talked about for days.
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
12:11 pm
The way those “concepts” were phrased sounded an awful lot to me like the way the president phrased it in his State of the Union address
You know that commercials are usually “in the can” long before they air, right? I think you’re seeing gobblins under your bed next.
Junior Samples
February 6th, 2012
12:13 pm
And Clint’s a Republican, so your “halftime” interpretation is half baked. Look before you leap.
Aquagirl
February 6th, 2012
12:18 pm
After all, what else could “halftime” have meant, in the year 2012, than halfway through the eight years Barack Obama would be president if re-elected this fall?
Hmmm…Obama took office January 2009. It’s now 2012. That makes just over three years. How is that “half” of 8? I mean, I knew you guys aren’t much for science and all, but now you’re spazzing basic arithmetic?
Believe it or not, not everything is a political metaphor about Barack Obama. Obsessed much?
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:19 pm
Junior: Eastwood has backed candidates from both parties.
DannyX
February 6th, 2012
12:19 pm
Bailouts? Why not call them “incentives”? You know like the state of Georgia does when they land foreign car manufacturing plants with millions in tax breaks and other goodies.
Is Delta Airlines still advertising? Yes, of course they are. The state continues to give Delta millions in tax breaks every year.
Obama gave GM and Chrysler “incentives” to stay in business, those incentives will surely pay for themselves down the road. Small businesses were helped. Unemployed auto workers are being recalled. Plants are reopening.
Great job Obama! Four more years.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
February 6th, 2012
12:19 pm
I loved the commercial and didn’t read into it anything that you did, Kyle.
Didn’t even know it was Clint until they showed his face, however. His voice has really deteriorated over the past few years.
Sarah Coulter
February 6th, 2012
12:20 pm
Yeah, I seriously doubt that Clint Eastwood would be talking about the current president in a positive light. If anything, he is talking about it is halftime as a break and the real team will be in November.
Trust, he is a man of conviction. He isn’t going to do anything that goes against his grain. He has nothing to prove.
“Well, opinions are like a$$holes. Everybody has one.”
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
12:25 pm
Ti: he’s 81 or so. Once you get past 80, it’s almost like the warranty expires.
arnold
February 6th, 2012
12:27 pm
SC @ 12:20 pm
“Well, opinions are like a$$holes. Everybody has one.” And they all stink.
Aquagirl
February 6th, 2012
12:28 pm
His voice has really deteriorated over the past few years.
And whatever you do, don’t look at his main pic on wikipedia. Yikes!
TBone
February 6th, 2012
12:31 pm
I thought half time was all about making making adjustments from things that are not working to things that will work based on our resources. The metaphor works as long as we change our present course this November.
Jefferson
February 6th, 2012
12:31 pm
You are no different, when it comes to grits and groceries.
Junior Samples
February 6th, 2012
12:33 pm
So I guess we heard it here first, Clint Eastwood is supporting President Obama in 2012. Do you have any CNN interviews coming up? You shouldn’t contain your prowess on this local rag, jump for the brass ring!
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:35 pm
Looks like I’m not the only one who saw it this way. Most of the other coverage I’ve sen of the ad at least acknowledges the possibility that the message had the same undertones I picked up on.
If Chrysler wanted an apolitical ad, this would have been my advice: Don’t go for a game analogy in an election year. Yes, obviously, it was aired during a football game. But the same message could have been written without those references — Detroit is on the rise, the rest of the country is/can be on the rise, too — and it would have been much less open to criticism about politicization.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:37 pm
TBone: And if the ad had hinted at changing quarterbacks, it would have been equally in poor taste.
Jefferson
February 6th, 2012
12:38 pm
I wonder why they didn’t seek your advice ?
scrappy
February 6th, 2012
12:42 pm
“Don’t go for a game analogy in an election year.”
uuuuhhhh – cause it aired during a game (at halftime!), using a game analogy is not a good idea?
Yeah, that makes sense….
I think you / cons are grasping at straws here, is everything you hear now Pro-Obama?
Do what??????
February 6th, 2012
12:43 pm
I guess this would be something controversial if people actually bought those crappy cars.
Peadawg
February 6th, 2012
12:44 pm
So you would have GM and the other car companies go under? How many more thousands of people would be unemployed b/c of that?
Do what??????
February 6th, 2012
12:44 pm
“But the halftime Chrysler commercial starring Clint Eastwood, describing America as being in its own “halftime,” was just overtly politicized. ”
And if Americans want to be like Detroit, by all means keep voting Democrat.
Quandrella
February 6th, 2012
12:45 pm
“After all, what else could “halftime” have meant, in the year 2012, than halfway through the eight years Barack Obama would be president if re-elected this fall?”
Hmm, I didn’t make that association at all. That’s a bit of a stretch.
Anyway I thought the Chrysler commercial was better than the baby launched with the slingshot to grab a bag of Doritos. We’ll hear from the child welfare activists on that one.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:48 pm
More agreement from Michael Moore, Matt Yglesias, Dan Pfeiffer, and many others both left and right.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
February 6th, 2012
12:51 pm
I will say that Doritos had the best commercials. Both the baby being launched and the dog burying the cat (always a laugh riot to me) and buying off his owner were fantastic.
The VW one with the dog was also good, especially the Star Wars bar scene at the end where the alien thought the dog was funnier than Darth Vader, and the Doritos and the Eastwood ads were about it. Otherwise, the commercials overall were pretty flat.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:53 pm
At the very least, it would appear Chrysler didn’t get its wish if it wanted an apolitical ad. A much-talked-about ad? I guess that’s a yes.
Worth the price of a Super Bowl ad ($3.5 million is what I’ve seen)? Maybe. But a lot of companies manage to sell goods/services and make profits without advertising during the Super Bowl.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
February 6th, 2012
12:53 pm
Kyle, I just think people are being overly interpretive about secondary meanings in this political environment. I’m as political as they come, but I didn’t read anything into that ad at all.
TBone
February 6th, 2012
12:53 pm
I think the use of the auto industry as the symbol of manufacturing in this country was a poor choice. To get back in the “game” the unions and over-regulation has to go. That ain’t gonna happen.
Aquagirl
February 6th, 2012
12:53 pm
Looks like I’m not the only one who saw it this way.
You’re citing a tweet?
Of course some people will see a hidden analogy in there, we discuss everything about the Super Bowl endlessly. And anything about the economy can be interpreted politically. I’m sure some of those people could cite your blog, creating an endless feedback loop of confirmation. But this ran at HALFTIME of a football game, for god’s sake.
Why would Chrysler avoid references to a football game in an ad designed for a football game? What the hell are they supposed to reference, synchronized swimming?
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:56 pm
Peadawg: We’ve discussed this numerous times on this blog over the past couple of years. Short answer: A traditional bankruptcy that didn’t favor union members over bondholders wouldn’t have meant the demise of the companies.
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
12:59 pm
So the political commenterati class saw something political in an ad. Stop the presses!!!
Seriously, you don’t want politics with your Super Bowl ads, then you need to whack this REPUBLICAN across the head:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/06/pete-hoekstra-ad-china-michigan_n_1256912.html
The 30-second ad … opens with the sound of a gong and shows the Asian woman riding a bike on a narrow path lined by rice paddies.
Stopping her bike, the woman smiles into the camera and says, “Thank you, Michigan Senator Debbie Spenditnow. Debbie spends so much American money. You borrow more and more from us. Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good. We take your jobs. Thank you, Debbie Spenditnow.”
Only ran in Michigan.
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
1:00 pm
Oh, and ran during the Super Bowl. Some people won’t get that connection on first reading.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
1:01 pm
Aquagirl: “You’re citing a tweet?”
Is that supposed to be derisive? This isn’t 2007 … Twitter is where a lot of people, pundits and otherwise, voice their initial reactions to debates, speeches and, yes, Super Bowl commercials. And an initial reaction is probably the best way to gauge the effect of something like a Super Bowl commercial. First impressions and all that.
Do football references make sense for a lot of Super Bowl ads? Sure. But no one thinks the football references by, say, the Coca-Cola polar bears were an attempt to say something more broadly about society and the economy. If you’re running a 2-minute spot that amounts to “morning in America,” you ought to be super-sensitive to anything that could make your message seem political. If you’re really trying to be apolitical, that is.
Junior Samples
February 6th, 2012
1:02 pm
Fine… While I too thought “Why is Chrysler spending this kind of cash for a commercial when they still owe us for the bailout?”, I certainly didn’t think it was politicized with a Democratic slant from Clint, who backed McCain last time around.
I don’t believe Chrysler had any aspirations to politicize this, but everyone else needs to. If you’re a hammer…
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
1:03 pm
Short answer: A traditional bankruptcy that didn’t favor union members over bondholders wouldn’t have meant the demise of the companies.
Longer answer: no one stepped up to be the “debtor in possession” that would fund the company during bankruptcy. So company goes belly up unless government steps up. And then government can make the rules that Kyle doesn’t like. Let me call a Waaahhmbulance.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
February 6th, 2012
1:04 pm
The difference, ByteMe, is that the Hoekstra ad was designed to be nothing but a political ad. Nothing hidden in that message one bit. The argument being made here is the hidden message, if you will, in the Eastwood ad (which, again, I don’t believe was there at all).
I have no problem with the Hoekstra ad at all, nor of when it aired. Apples and oranges.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
1:06 pm
ByteMe: Like Chrysler, Hoekstra is free to decide if a Super Bowl ad is the best way to spend his resources.
That said, it was a pretty bad ad that might well backfire on him.
C Ahl
February 6th, 2012
1:10 pm
Kyle,
I get you are political wonk or junky, it’s your job here. You gotta lighten up man.
I can’t stand democrats either but your sucking all the fun out of even the little things. Take your rant on this ad that compares us to the Roman Empire more than it does to a State of the Union address. I didn’t watch the State of the Union because I knew it would be a rehash. So maybe that’s why I had no association with Obama. Even if I did, I still don’t associate Clint with Obama. He’s kind the next guy down on the ladder from the Duke.
Half the trouble with people is we see too much in everything to figure out we need to move forward. I think it’s the worst in News and Media industry. This is mainly due to the fact that the Media and News do not produce any tangible products, ideas and stories, yes that is their forte. Will we lose work or money over not hearing, seeing or reading a story or report? No not really, so try to realize that it’s always political.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
February 6th, 2012
1:12 pm
If you play the Chrysler ad backwards it says, “I buried Paul”. (obscure musical conspiracy reference)
kelly
February 6th, 2012
1:13 pm
Awfully sensitive today, Kyle. By the way, did you happen to see the Hoekstra ad? Which was more offensive to you? I think you’re worried 2012 may be slipping away.
Richard
February 6th, 2012
1:14 pm
With how bad the commercials were last night, I had stopped paying attention to them by the time Clint Eastwood made his appearance.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
February 6th, 2012
1:14 pm
And while we’re still on a Super Bowl theme, I’ve never been a fan of Madonna, and her halftime show didn’t do anything to make me one.
Peadawg
February 6th, 2012
1:17 pm
“Chrysler of course has a right to political speech. ” – As do Chevy, Audi, Ford, Honda, etc. etc.
Quit complaining.
It honestly sounds like you’re reaching a bit and trying to inject politics onto funny Superbowl commercials.
Aquagirl
February 6th, 2012
1:17 pm
Is that supposed to be derisive?
Yes, because it’s A tweet, singular. You can go tweet-mining and find most anything out there.
Byte said it best at 12:59, the political commenterati class can obsess endlessly about this. Holy cow. Detroit, unlike Coke, has taken quite a beatdown since the economic collapse. An ad about polar bears and cutesy crap would look dumb and ignorant of reality. How many people know Coke is based in Atlanta? Detroit, on the other hand, is irrevocably tied to GM and cars. They can’t talk about a resurgence without invoking the current state of America.
Seriously, I realize you live, breath, and sleep politics and must write columns, but the rest of us don’t. I’ll leave it at that.
Jefferson
February 6th, 2012
1:19 pm
I’m glad to see some folks are tired of being sick and tired.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 6th, 2012
1:26 pm
GM won’t pay any federal income tax for years as a result of Obozo’s theft of the company and it’s sweetheart-deal crony sham of a bankruptcy.
Where’s the outrage over them not paying their “fair share”?
Democrats: America-hating hypocrites.
Junior Samples
February 6th, 2012
1:28 pm
Tiberious,
“I buried Paul”
That’s funny!
Peadawg
February 6th, 2012
1:28 pm
“WSJ: General Motors poised to announce record profit” – Jay’s blog
And Kyle’s over here pissin’ and moanin’ about a wittle commercial.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 6th, 2012
1:30 pm
Record profits are a lot easier when you’re not paying your fair share in income taxes.
Sarah Coulter
February 6th, 2012
1:33 pm
You are right, Kyle. The Pepsi ad featuring Elton John was spreading the socialist message. Melanie came in, sang a few high notes, and Elton offered her a Pepsi. She wanted to give the Pepsi to all of the others behind her (entitlements, of course) even though they didn’t deserve it. She pulled a lever, and dropped Elton through the trap door. Everybody rejoiced and drank Pepsi because the rich king was gone, and they could spread his wealth (wealth redistribution).
Did I miss anything? :^)
jewcowboy
February 6th, 2012
1:38 pm
“After all, what else could “halftime” have meant, in the year 2012, than halfway through the eight years Barack Obama would be president if re-elected this fall?”
You wouldn’t, perhaps, be reading something into it based on your political leaning, would ya?
Libertarian
February 6th, 2012
1:42 pm
I didn’t think Clint was an Obama supporter. Isn’t he a libertarian?
Intown
February 6th, 2012
1:44 pm
Wow. You read alot more into these commercials than I did.
Joe Mama
February 6th, 2012
1:44 pm
Arnold — ““Well, opinions are like a$$holes. Everybody has one.” And they all stink.”
Without going into too much detail, some people have two and not always.
Google “ileostomy” if you have the stomach for it.
yesssir
February 6th, 2012
1:48 pm
Man, ya’ll are a whinnie bunch over here. Next Kyle will say the Skecker commercial was about Obama outrunning ya’ll….oh wait, that is happening!
Jefferson
February 6th, 2012
1:49 pm
Chevy made it through, Apple pie.
Intown
February 6th, 2012
1:49 pm
The Republicans just can’t stand that Obama has had some unequivocal successes despite their obstruction and over their objections. We’re all better off that the American auto industry was bailed out.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
1:51 pm
For those who are skeptical of my interpretation, let me suggest a somewhat more benign explanation with a far more common application:
Chrysler didn’t set out to make a political ad; it set out to make a feel-good ad. Because Chrysler is located in Detroit, and a lot of people in Detroit feel good about what’s happened there post-bailouts, the company and/or its ad agency thought the references to Detroit made sense. Because the ad was airing during the Super Bowl, those same folks thought the football game analogy made sense.
What those folks didn’t consider, because none of them question the wisdom and essential rightness of the bailouts, was how that message would be received by viewers who were not big fans of the bailouts. And what they also didn’t consider, because none of them question the politics of the bailouts — probably because many of them naturally gravitate toward the politics of the current administration — is how their message would be viewed by those who don’t share their politics as political in nature. Especially given that it was delivered during a presidential election year.
If so, it might be entirely true both that Chrysler wasn’t trying to make a political statement — and that it did make one.
What’s the more common application? As someone who’s worked in the media business for a little over a decade, I think this is how much of what is described as “media bias” comes to be.
It’s not that reporters and editors set out to inject bias into stories or headlines; that probably does happen sometimes but, in my opinion, again formed by experience, that represents a very limited number of media-bias cases. Far more likely is that there simply wasn’t anyone who thought about how the story or headline would be perceived by people with a different point of view — maybe because they don’t realize they’re presenting a point of view, maybe because they don’t share or understand that different point of view. The result is that the reporters and editors weren’t trying to be biased, and yet they were.
For a corollary from the opposite side, see the allegations of racial “dog whistles.” It’s probably true that some conservatives sound them intentionally, but I would be surprised if most of the incidents that spark such accusations didn’t arise innocently, or at least thoughtlessly.
It is possible to overcome or at least minimize this unintended tendency — and (small plug here) I believe the AJC’s efforts at addressing perceptions of bias in our newspaper are an example of that. But it requires one to be a) aware of the perceptions, b) willing to accept the validity of the concerns, and c) willing to address them.
It might simply be that, in the case of the Super Bowl commercial, Chrysler failed one of those three tests.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
1:52 pm
Sarah Coulter @ 1:33: funny
saywhat?
February 6th, 2012
1:53 pm
I went to the doctor about some hemmorhoids I was having. He told me not to sit too long on the throne, and try not to strain. Then he gave me some cream to rub on the affected area.
I suspect he was trying to persuade me to vote for Obama. Its pretty obvious, no?
Jefferson
February 6th, 2012
1:56 pm
Lucy, let me splain….
Peadawg
February 6th, 2012
1:56 pm
“What those folks didn’t consider,” are people like Kyle who can’t just enjoy a good football game with some funny commercials and try to make everything about politics.
Sad life you have there, Kyle.
jewcowboy
February 6th, 2012
1:57 pm
“But it requires one to be a) aware of the perceptions, b) willing to accept the validity of the concerns, and c) willing to address them.”
And there will always be people who read something into the benign based on their own perceptions.
yesssir
February 6th, 2012
1:59 pm
“Chrysler didn’t set out to make a political ad; it set out to make a feel-good ad.”
And ya still whining…..geez…..
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
2:00 pm
Peadawg: Oh, trust me: I enjoyed the game very much anyway. In spite of this … and yet another Geico pig commercial.
About the game itself: I think that last drive seriously crimps the idea that Belichick has revolutionized the passing game by having two amazing TEs and a bunch of average WRs.
saywhat?
February 6th, 2012
2:04 pm
Was the Chevy truck ad political too? After all, GM, a company that received a bailout, did put down Ford, a company that didn’t. Is somebody’s uterus all in a twist over that commercial too?
Joe Mama
February 6th, 2012
2:08 pm
Kyle — “and yet another Geico pig commercial.”
I love that little pig.
I’m not buying his insurance, but I think he’s cute. I bet his name is “Porkchop.”
DannyX
February 6th, 2012
2:11 pm
Looking forward to the next Super Bowl…
Tim Tebow does another political pro-life commercial.
President Gingrich does a H&M underwear commercial.
Peadawg
February 6th, 2012
2:14 pm
“bunch of average WRs”
Wes Welker just average? I was Giants all the way but come on.
Like I told Jay, stick to politics, Kyle.
Jm
February 6th, 2012
2:14 pm
Conservatives need to buck up, work hard, talk to their neighbors and get Romney elected
Or our country will be FUBAR
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
2:15 pm
I think that last drive seriously crimps the idea that Belichick has revolutionized the passing game by having two amazing TEs and a bunch of average WRs.
I didn’t think it “revolutionized” anything (I’m not a Beli-cheat fan
), but it did create some nasty match-ups for a lot of teams that had slower linebackers or small DBs. The Giants didn’t have Gronk to worry about so much last night, which helped minimize the match-up issue, but their defense was exceptional… most of those Brady sacks at the end came with 3 linemen rushing.
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
2:15 pm
Peadawg: I agree with what Colin Cowherd said this morning: Mario Manningham is the Giants’ No. 3 WR, but he would be No. 1 for the Patriots. Imo, that was the difference in the game.
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
2:16 pm
Pd: Welker is not a “wide” receiver. He’s almost exclusively a slot receiver.
UGA 1999
February 6th, 2012
2:18 pm
The Eastwood commercial was great. Of course Clint is very Republican. We all knew what halftime he was referring to. TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE.
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
2:20 pm
We all knew what halftime he was referring to.
Seems you disagree with Kyle on what he was referring to, so maybe we didn’t all know what he was referring to.
Peadawg
February 6th, 2012
2:21 pm
“Imo, that was the difference in the game.”
I’d say it was JPP, Osi Umenyiora, and the rest of the Giant’s defensive line that was in Brady’s face all night.
Oh and that sorry part of the Patriot’s defense that they call a “secondary”.
clyde
February 6th, 2012
2:22 pm
Anyway,I bet against the Patriots and won.
I didn’t watch the game though,I’d rather watch paint dry.Missed Madonna too,an added bonus.
Heard that Obama starred in the pregame.That’s political.
Clint needs to stay in Spaghetti Westerns.He’s at home there.
ByteMe
February 6th, 2012
2:22 pm
Oh and that sorry part of the Patriot’s defense that they call a “secondary”.
Their D-line wasn’t much better.
UGA 1999
February 6th, 2012
2:23 pm
ByteMe….WOW we actually agree. Their secondary was terrible.
Dusty
February 6th, 2012
2:28 pm
Kyle,
Go for it! The mere fact that the liberals here are pouring out excuses of innocence. proves your point. When their undercover jobs gets noticed, they start clattering like chimes in the wind. They even seem to forget that GM is owned by taxpayers until the stocks that nobody wants are sold.
But…..as far as I am concerned, commericals at all football games are a waste of teim, political or not. I don’t watch muscle bound guys banging their brains into bran flakes just to run down the field with a ball.
I’d rather watch Democrats try to materialize Obama’s tenure as something dazzling. That’s like trying to kick the ball over the goalpost at 75 yards. Mighty hard to do.!
clyde
February 6th, 2012
2:35 pm
Next year’s Super Bowl should be between The Repubs and The Dems.Put the big fat ones up on the line with Harry Reed quarterbacking the Dems and Nancy Pelosi as a far out receiver.Olympia Snowe can be one of the goalposts,Obama the other.Use Barney Frank as the football.
DannyX
February 6th, 2012
2:40 pm
“They even seem to forget that GM is owned by taxpayers until the stocks that nobody wants are sold.”
GM stock is up 27% this year, somebody is buying it. GM is also selling more cars worldwide than any other car company. GM sold so many cars in China last year the Chinese slapped them with a tariff. 2.5 million GM’s sold in China last year, the Chinese people love GM.
Fiat owns 58% of Chrysler, all of Fiat’s profits last year came from Chrysler. Left for dead Chrysler had a profit of $225 million last quarter.
Pretty dazzling don’t you think Dusty? Btw, the kick was GOOD!
Dusty
February 6th, 2012
2:54 pm
DannyX 2:40
You missed the goal post and hit the stands. GM is still owned by the government. That’s you and me, buddy, and our constitution says nothing whatsoever about citizens being car dealers.
I thought the government was supposed to govern, not sell cars. Where did I go wrong?
Linda
February 6th, 2012
2:55 pm
Kyle, How do you know that they “spend millions & millions of dollars for the most expensive TV advertising spots of the year?” There was also an Obama infomercial before the game. GM, Chrysler, the unions & GE OWE Obama. What makes you think that the Obama Channel who owns State Run News would charge (especially “full price”) for political payback?
Linda
February 6th, 2012
2:58 pm
Did anyone see the Volt commercial? Government Motors was hoping it would catch on fire. It did. The batteries are burning up the cars.
David
February 6th, 2012
3:00 pm
I didn’t see it as political. I don’t Chrysler think would like to be seen as taking a political side because they want everybody’s money. I saw it as Chrysler saying, “See, we feel your pain, we are just plain folk like you, and we’re American f@#k yeah!” Of course, they are full of it but I think that’s the message they were trying to convey.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
February 6th, 2012
3:02 pm
All you football pundits are way off base.
The Patriots lost for two reasons. First, Tom Freakin’ Brady can always be counted on to throw a drive-killing, game-killing long ball interception during a close, important game. Always. Second, he hasn’t won a Super Bowl since marrying Gisele Bundchen. That’s why we Pats fans call her Jinxele.
DannyX
February 6th, 2012
3:05 pm
“I thought the government was supposed to govern, not sell cars.”
See you over at Kyle’s new blog on the state putting up $400 taxpayer dollars for billionaire Blank’s new unneeded stadium?
At least the auto bailouts had a huge economic benefit. The Republican new stadium kick has to go through 2 stadiums, impossible to make a kick that long. Georgia Republicans should punt that one.
Do what??????
February 6th, 2012
3:05 pm
“GM stock is up 27% this year, somebody is buying it. ”
Yeah, it’s called the government. The public, not so much.
Do what??????
February 6th, 2012
3:06 pm
” I agree with what Colin Cowherd”
That’s the same guy that said Cam Newton would fail as an NFL quarterback. Kyle, since you agree with that moron, I now have a negative outlook on your opinion.
Thanks
Misty Fyed
February 6th, 2012
3:14 pm
Who’s buying GM Stock…Why all our elected officials are because the are the ones who can drive the value up…..sell…… and then let GM fall flat when they face normal market forces again.
UGA 1999
February 6th, 2012
3:16 pm
It is funny that you guys are slamming GM. They are one of the top brands to buy in China. The are in love with Buick. Isn’t this what we want. American companies profiting off of exports?
Dusty
February 6th, 2012
3:18 pm
About those commercials:
Did Solyndra also have solar panel advertisements with cheerful singing such as “You were my sunshine, dear Prez!”?
Perhaps we can interest the Chinese into buying surplus solar panels. Didn’t “we” finance that falllen company also?
Another dazzling achievement by this sunny administration.
Misty Fyed
February 6th, 2012
3:22 pm
Chevy the car is fine. GM the business model failed and hasn’t been repaired. As soon as the Federal Gov’t special status as favorite car goes away….It’ll fail again.
Saul Good
February 6th, 2012
3:30 pm
And Kyle…you happen to know that perhaps Clint pay for the video himself (besides producing and directing it)? If so… prove it.
DannyX
February 6th, 2012
3:31 pm
So the 8 billion dollar profit GM expects to post from 2011 is just a government conspiracy Misty?
The $10 billion profit forecast for 2010 is an illusion?
GM’s retaking the world sales lead and nice profits is a sign of a failed business model?
Dusty
February 6th, 2012
3:34 pm
DannyX
“At least, the auto bailouts had a huge economic benefit.”
Yes, indeed. When you gain five yards on the field when you are 90 yards behind, that gain looks good. Real good!
I noticed all those people buying homes, no unemployment lines, less food stamps dsitributed, and cheap food and gasoline everywhere. Nothing like bailouts for benefits……..yes!
Jm
February 6th, 2012
3:47 pm
Buy ford
Not bailed out
Making awesome cars too
Linda
February 6th, 2012
3:49 pm
It’s half-time & we have a stadium with a $15 T mortgage. Half the fans are trying to buy hotdogs with food stamps & the other half is demanding free beer. Actually, THE GAME IS OVER!
Don’t Play Misty For Me again.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 6th, 2012
4:00 pm
We’re all better off because GM got bailed out?
The GM bailout has cost Americans $27 billion that has not been repaid.
In my opinion, stealing the company from its owners, handing the company over to Obozo’s political cronies, and writing said cronies a check for $27 billion is criminal fraud and abuse of taxpayers.
Obozo’s base doesn’t care about that because the parasites don’t pay taxes anyway.
Democrats: Thieving scum.
Real American
February 6th, 2012
4:01 pm
Right wingers whining about a Chyrsler commercial.
ROFLMAO
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 6th, 2012
4:03 pm
DannyX, how much did Obozo Motors pay in taxes?
You must be pretty mad about a corporation with such huge profits not paying their fair share.
Hypocrite.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 6th, 2012
4:04 pm
Linda, ROFL!
Yeah, the Clint Eastwood Ad Was Probably Pro-Obama | The American Pundit
February 6th, 2012
4:16 pm
[...] Wingfield of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes: But the halftime Chrysler commercial starring Clint Eastwood, describing America as being in its [...]
Hillbilly D
February 6th, 2012
4:18 pm
Didn’t see the game or the commercials. Looks more like we’re in the 4th quarter to me, though. Too bad there’s no George Blanda to come off the bench.
Video: Chrysler ad a stealth Obama promotion? « Hot Air
February 6th, 2012
4:18 pm
[...] Wingfield of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found it equally offensive as a piece of taxpayer-funded propaganda: But the halftime Chrysler commercial starring Clint Eastwood, describing America as being in its [...]
quick work break
February 6th, 2012
5:19 pm
Eastwood, for his part, told Fox News producer Ron Mitchell, “There is no spin in that ad. On this I am certain. l am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message about just about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it. I thought the spirit was OK.”
“It has zero political content,” Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne told Detroit talk radio Monday morning. “The message is sufficiently universal and neutral that it should be appealing to everybody in this country and I sincerely hope that it doesn’t get utilized as political fodder in a debate.”
Johnny Five
February 6th, 2012
5:28 pm
Kyle Wingfield
February 6th, 2012
12:08 pm
As for the “single party concepts” part: The way those “concepts” were phrased sounded an awful lot to me like the way the president phrased it in his State of the Union address — America wins when it comes together … and it needs to come together behind what he wants to do.
How dare those evil corporate marketing socialists and and evil Kenyan mooslum marxist anti-America dictator preach Unity and American Greatness!!! Oh the outrage!
DannyX
February 6th, 2012
5:42 pm
SCOREBOARD
Brought to you by the good folks at Rasmussen
Obama 49
Romney 42
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 6th, 2012
6:49 pm
Funny, America didn’t need a pep talk until Obozo became the head coach.
Obozo: Loser.
independent thinker
February 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
So Kyle and the conservatives say that corporations are equal to persons as far as individual rights and free speech but have a huge problem when Chrysler does a corporate ad that matches Obama’s claim that American manufacturing is on the rebound and beating the foreign competiton. Would the Repubics prefer a commercial of American auto workers on the unemployment line and everyone buying Hyundais and Toyotas?
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 6th, 2012
9:27 pm
independent, do you have a problem with pharmaceutical companies advertising their products? Most libtards do.
Linda
February 6th, 2012
10:08 pm
Independent@8:27, It wasn’t Kyle & the conservatives who said that corporations were people. It was a ruling by the Supreme Court. If you go downtown Atlanta tomorrow with your checkbook, you can become a corporation & presto, you do not loose your rights to free speech.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 6th, 2012
10:30 pm
Let’s also not forget that the Citizens United case overturned a law that banned a movie that some politicians didn’t like.
What other movies would you liberal fascists like to ban?
Liberals wet dreams meet U.S. Constitution. U.S. Constitution wins.
In Defense of Clint Eastwood
February 6th, 2012
10:31 pm
[...] have even analyzed the word “halftime” as it was used in the ad, and come to the conclusion that it was [...]
Joel Edge
February 7th, 2012
6:45 am
Looks like desperation creeping into the Superbowl commercials, Kyle. Not to mention some propaganda. I suspect we’ll be seeing another episode of GM and Chrysler will their hands out.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 7th, 2012
9:59 am
This is at least the second bailout for Chrysler. I’m sure Jimmy Carter and his fellow travelers crowed about the success of his bailout of Chrysler just as Obozo is today. How many times are we going to have to do this?
bu2
February 7th, 2012
11:38 am
IMO the only political thing about the ad was Chrysler saying it was good that you bailed us out. I think they tried to make it look like a political ad to get your attention. “Who would be doing a political ad during the Super Bowl?”
Political people see politics everywhere when its not, just like a lot of people see racism everywhere when its not.
What did stand out was the moral decline of advertisers (or their target market) and their cloistered thinking. They still think killing cats is funny to everyone (wonder how many cat lovers aren’t going to buy Doritos now?) and the sex was everywhere even when it didn’t make sense (Go daddy.com). It actually did make sense in the florist commercial. Who outside alcohol companies think its a good idea to advertise a celebration of the end of prohibition (I’m not against alcohol, but it was over 80 years ago!). Elton John’s pepsi commercial was just stupid. And is a David Beckham underwear commercial going to get American football viewing men to buy underwear (women don’t buy men’s underwear)? Its kind of like politics nowadays. The advertisers think everyone must think exactly like them and they don’t get outside their little circle.
gm
February 7th, 2012
2:05 pm
To bad the right dont like Americans helping other Americans, who had nothing to do with the crash of the economy, these Anit Americans on the right rather for other Americans to be out of a job, home.
The right please put your flags down, you are a disgrace to this country, you and the terrorist have something two things in common you both want Americans to suffer, and you both wish the President of the United States to fail.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
February 7th, 2012
2:15 pm
When Obozo fails, Americans win.
bu2
February 7th, 2012
5:50 pm
@gm
Obama doesn’t even understand why we have a recession. It was a classic real estate crash. Everyone who bought a house they couldn’t afford or bought one at an inflated price contributed (in other words vast numbers of Americans). Obama wants to point fingers, but if there’s a finger to be pointed its jointly at the Bush administration who didn’t want to regulate and the Democrats who wanted to force banks to make bad loans in order to keep their franchise, in addition to the buyers who got caught up believing prices would always go up.