Wilson Ad = Slo-Mo-Mudslinging, Madrid Ad = Strong & Clever

So have you seen the new ad by Heather Wilson? No, not the first one where she's telling everyone she's "independent," despite grabbing all that dough Bush raised for her on a recent Albuquerque visit with Karl Rove. This one travels to the cliched dark side, with gobs of that slo-mo, grainy, blurry, black and white photography that aims to make the person they're slo-mo-ing look like a nasty villain out to do dastardly deeds.

You know the genre. I call it canned politico noir. Politicians who listen to entrenched strategists and media consultants use it all the time. Can anyone forget the voices of the two or three hired hands who seem to do ALL the poisonous-toned talkovers on those?

Anyway, this one shows Dem challenger Patricia Madrid moving her head back and forth, hair swinging slowly, while snidely (wickedly!) laughing (at a snail's pace) as nasty innuendos about corruption are entoned in the background. Besides being a rather odd topic to bring up, given Wilson's acceptance of "donations" from the likes of Tom DeLay, Abramoff cronies, Duke Cunningham and just about every Big Pharma and oil corp in the world, I think the ad is hokey as hell. If this is going to be the level of artistry we'll be seeing from Heather and company from now until November, it's gonna be a long haul for anyone who watches TV.

Aren't you sick of all the "conventional" political advertising aired these days? Generally, there are two types of equally ineffective and trite approaches. The first kind is all sugary and "warm," with lots of American flags, smiling people, happy dogs and hugs. Oh, ain't this candidate sweet? And so patriotic and American as apple pie! The second kind is like Heather's new one, all dark and dangerous about the opponent, in the way old radio shows stirred up mystery. The Shadow knows! Well, you can excuse a lack of sophistication back in the early media days, but this type of tripe should be long gone from the airwaves by now. No wonder so few people vote. Watching the juvenile and puerile ads of candidates is enough to drive off even political junkies. Take it from me.

New Madrid Ad
Meanwhile, the Madrid campaign has put up its first TV ad, a positive one you can see here. She's looking sharp, emphasizing her accomplishments as Attorney General and explaining her support for the needs of ordinary people versus selfish special interests. I especially like the play with the usual signoff line of all political ads:

I'm Patricia Madrid and I approved this message, but the special interests won't approve of me.

Lets hope the campaign continues to use clarity, cleverness, creativity, humor, sophistication and wit to get its message across. We want more Ned Lamont-type ads and less creepy crawlie Beltway been there done that ads, now don't we? Are you listening out there in Madridland? Chuck the insider DC Dem media consultants and look up Bill Hillsman or somebody like him who understands what works in the media climate of the 21st century. Break out of the box and try something new!