The Democratic leadership is looking like that banker in the "pony" ad

[Armstead]

You know the ad where a slimy banker asks a girl "You want a pony?" She says yes and he gives her a toy pony. Then he asks the same of another girl, and trots out a live pony for her. The first girl says she didn't realize she could have a real pony, and the slimy banker replies: "Well, you didn't ask."

Or the other ad in that series where a boys is on a bike in a tiny circle. He begins to ride and the banker stops him. "It says specifically you can not take the bike outside of the circle." And the little boy says "I can't ride in this little circle."
And the banker replies "Well, you can't ride very FAR....Hahahaha."

That's what the Congressional Democrats --and yes Obama -- are beginning to seem like.

"Elect us and we'll bring you real healthcare reform." Then when people complain after getting stuck with a shit plan, the Democrats say "Well, we didn't say what KIND of reform you'd get."

Or when people complain that the current administration seems to be following the same old playbook, after promising "change you can believe in."

And the Democrats say "Well, the Republicans are out of power. But you don'tget any change beyond that....Hahahaha!"

[rocktivity]

1. The girl who gets the pony is a blonde, the one who doesn't is a brunette

But I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

My favorite commerical to hate--I want to reach through the screen and pound the snot out him: "How DARE you do THAT to a CHILD!"


rocktivity

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

2. So you're saying the burnette wasn't smart enough to ask?

I'm not getting what you're gettin' at here.

[rocktivity]

31. Well, the blonde wasn't smart enough to ask, either

but she got the real pony. It's because it's true that they have more fun.

:evilgrin:
rocktivity

[Armstead]

3. I'm a blonde and nobody offers me any real ponies

But I'm a male so maybe it doesn't count

[polichick]

5. I heard from someone familiar with the ad industry that the kids in those ads...

...didn't know they were going to be tricked because the ad agency wanted a realistic response. That seems pretty mean!

To me the blonde girl who gets the pony looks a lot like the man in the ad; I've wondered if she is his daughter.

[Armstead]

6. Kinda depends on whether they kept their respective ponies aftwerward

Now that would make it mean

[jberryhill]

19. Ummm.....

How many kids did you know when you were a kid, who got to appear on television several times EVERY night?

Those kids have to be loving it.

All of them got to be a TV STAR!

(and likely received a substantial payment either in trust or to their parents)

[jberryhill]

20. Then it's a good thing the kids "spontaneously" made up good lines in ONE take!

...and that the adult actor happened to have a snappy comeback.

One take, ad lib commercials... with children.

Riiiiggghhht.

I know there is a story floating around to that effect. I don't believe it.

These ads are scripted, and those child actors are wonderful.

[polichick]

25. It's only the tricked kids who didn't know (supposedly)...

The girl who got the plastic pony, the boy who got the cardboard truck, and the girl on the bike.

[jberryhill]

27. ...but they had the lines

They pronounced them with good timing, and the "mean guy" had a great cynical comeback.

Some people think pro wrestling is real.

I mean, maybe, if that guy is a top notch improv actor, but I'm not buying the tone and pronunciation of "You didn't say I could have a REAL pony!"

or "You can't really ride in this little box" after the adult says, "I'll have to charge you a substantial penalty." Substantial penalty? Any kid would say, "What's that?"

Aside from which, those two girls would not remain seated at the table when the real pony comes out; and that pony had to be "hiding" back there (with a handler) while they were setting up lighting, miking, and composition for the shot. Two girls at a table, seeing a pony come out, are going to spontaneously "awwww..." and get up to pet it. It's not like the one girl is going to just stay in her seat and sulk.

I've been thinking it would be great to bring back something like the old Art Linkletter show, because folks seem out of touch with spontaneous child behavior.

[polichick]

28. Well, I hope you're right because I thought it was mean (as I posted)...

My friend read it in an advert. journal.

[boppers]

32. Timing can be edited in, and he likely had several stock answers, or alternate takes.

Another possibility is that they did 20-30 takes for each set-up, with different children, until they got material they wanted.

[Donnachaidh]

22. the little brunette looks like she'd give that jerk a punch in the junk if she could

I really hate those ads. And I'd hold him for her to punch him, too. :sarcasm:

[polichick]

26. I love her - what a look she gives him! nt

[Odin2005]

14. That commercial is disgusting. Completely pathetic.

:puke:

[jberryhill]

18. Ummm.... you know... that's the point of the commercial...

I used to dislike certain actors because they had played characters I didn't like in movies.

Then... I realized, those are GOOD actors BECAUSE they make me dislike the detestable characters in the films.

The commercials are well done, because they inspire that sense of unfairness that you felt as a kid when something was just UNFAIR!

...because they are trying to sell the idea that their competitors treat you like a mean adult doing unfair things to kids.

I'm sure no children were harmed in the production of those commercials, and you know what?

EVERY ONE OF THOSE KIDS IS NOW A TV STAR!

Anyone offer you that when YOU were a kid?

[Odin2005]

21. Oh, I know, I just hate the commercial because it gives me the pissed off response, LOL.

And those kids are cute! :)

[jberryhill]

23. That's what makes it a good 30 second drama...

But it's a lousy set of commercials, because while I love those kids, I'll be danged if I could name the bank.

What drove me nuts were the pest control commercials that were commercials for "something else" with a bug crawling on the screen...

[Odin2005]

24. Oh, those bug commercials were EVIL!!!

They would send me into instant panic, ugh...

[jberryhill]

17. That's the POINT

I love those commercials.

Those kids are cute.

I'm sure no children were harmed in the production of them.

[polichick]

4. So true - love those ads, but it ain't so great what's happening with Dems. nt

[MUAD_DIB]

7. You have a few choices...

1) Elect a Dem candidate to replace the assholes.

*2) Don't vote

*3) Vote for a republican


*2 and 3 will net you the same results.

[Armstead]

8. I thought we did 1)...But like the banker, there's a gap between promise and delivery

[MUAD_DIB]

11. Maybe they don't deserve out votes.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Did the Blonde child ask for a "real" pony.....

cause I don't think so. I think she was just given the pony.
Sounds like the MSM to me!
They give, give, give to the Republicans without them asking
for anything different than the Democrats.

The Democrats are treated like shit by the media;
a media who has a great big hand in shaping the debate,
just like the little brown headed girl got hosed
with her pony.

[Armstead]

10. The MSM certainly has a hand in it...But we give them the fodder

The GOP managed to scare the shit out of the media when it was in power.

We just give them fodder for humor and dismissiveness.

Democrats need to be meaner....Not mean in the nasty sense, but tough and strong and not willing to take any crap.

But that's difficult when we spend so much time backpedaling and waffling.....Or playing bait and switch like the banker.

[FrenchieCat]

12. I think that the MSM is actually a bigger part of the problem than you do....

because a big half of what Democrats are forced to do is to navigate around
what they know is double wall of enemy territory; first the GOP and then the ever loud
media.

Remember when John Kerry made that "joke" that ended his presidential 2nd run ambitions?

The MSM came down on him so hard, and wouldn't stop until he apologize. By then, it was too late;
he had already become the punchline of his own joke.

Or when Kucinich ran, and got no coverage whatsoever from the MSM.

Ask Tiger Woods.....even if the media didn't make you; they can break you,
quite easily I might add. And yes, we help all of the time.

And I don't think being "mean" or not helps....because when the media sets the goal,
the last thing they take into consideration is how "Mean" someone is gonna be.

Ask Michael Moore, or a dozen of other folks who were shut down by the media, or mocked,
or made a caricature, etc....

The media is there to keep in line those that they have decided need to STFU....
and "Mean" or not "Mean" doesn't mean diddly squat.

[Armstead]

16. I totally agree with you about the media

I have long been one who believes the media is in need of serious reform and regulation. It is shameful what they do with gtheir monopolistic power.

They do unfairly screw over Democrats with distressing regularity. They do shit out voices that are outside of their little bubble.

They are a big reason that liberals and pr0ogressives have been marginalized.

However, I have also believed that instead of fighting them, Democrats allow themselves to get rolled. I remember when Howard Dean -- who is basically a moderate -- was tarred by the media as some lefty wild man. Unfortunately, instead of defending him, too many "centrists" joined in the chorus, and totally mischaracterization Dean.

The media os a big problem. But we too often let them get away with it -- and let them drive the agenda -- when we don't have to.

[FrenchieCat]

30. Yep. You have your answer; Dean was destroyed by the media.

Did he let them get away with it? Or did we?
I think the real question is what could have been done about it?

It is easy to shit on the Democrats and yell at them that we expect them to be stronger...
but hell, most of us do it too; retreat from and/or adopt the MSM line instead of fighting them;
that's what I saw during the summer, when Townhaller Palapalooza was going on. Where were we? We were watching from the sideline giving everyone else instructions.

We are sometimes so bent on telling others what they should do, we don't consider the context of a media that interferes, manipulates and screams much louder than we do. Lookit the Iraq Protest and how little coverage that got considering that we are talking about millions in the streets!

That's why I think dealing with media is actually a much, much bigger job than we sometimes give credit to the politicians as part of the deal; to a point that they have to take the media into consideration with any political strategy. As for "fighting them", that has been tried, I don't think works easy or well....which takes us back to Howard Dean.

[depakid]

13. In a fear driven society, failure to induce fear in opponents (or allies)

is a recipe for being walked on- and blown off.

The unfortunate reality- reinforced over the past 18 years by various behaviors is that no one is afraid of the Democrats- nor of this administration.

Why would they be?

[Odin2005]

15. The DLC evil clowns are REALLY pissing me off.

[Imajika]

29. I really love that pony commercial...

I don't really agree with a lot of your points here, but the commercial is truly hilarious.

"you didn't say I could have a real one"

Awsome commercial.