The Republican Party will begin airing a hard-hitting ad this weekend that warns of more cataclysmic terror attacks against the U.S. homeland.
The ad portrays Osama bin Laden and quotes his threats against America dating to February 1998. "These are the stakes," the ad concludes. "Vote November 7."
Brian Jones, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said the ad would run on national cable beginning Sunday, but he declined to discuss specifics of the buy.
The commercial tracks with Republican Party strategy to make the war on terrorism a central theme of this election. It will air as recent polls show Republicans losing ground as the party best able to combat terrorism.
Last month, President Bush made the war against terrorism a recurrent topic in public appearances. But his message was drowned out by the e- mail sex scandal involving former Republican Rep. Mark Foley of Florida and by increasing fatalities in Iraq.
The ad displays an array of quotes from bin Laden and his top lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahiri, that include bin Laden's Dec. 26, 2001 vow that "what is yet to come will be even greater."
The ad also cites al-Zawahri's claim to have obtained "some suitcase bombs," followed by a scene that appears to show a nuclear explosion. ...
[Read on.]
These Are The Stakes
SeeDubya
At least Marketing got the memo...though it's a shame it hasn't circulated more widely in-house. But the RNC's message is dead-on here. I think this ad is devastating, in the same way that the Lyndon Johnson Daisy ad is devastating:
[video link]
Just like the Daisy ad, the most interesting part is how little it has to say in order to communicate so much. You get little idea of what the ad is trying to get you to do until the end, when you see, below a message telling you to vote November 7th, www.gop.com fade up in tiny letters.
In fact, having watched both of them now, you'll find a lot of similarity between them. Note LBJ's first words: "These are the stakes". Heh.
Very clever. This one should go on TV ASAP. ...
