John Cornyn's New Ad: "The Cow Whisperer"

Cow With An Annoying Whisper (0.00 / 0)

Aww hell.  I can only be annoyed by one annoying politician's annoying voice and annoying demeanor at a time, and today I'm prepared only to be annoyed by Sarah Palin.  Why'd Dean Rindy have to point out precisely how annoying Cornyn sounds?

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by: jamescanup @ Thu Oct 02, 2008 at 18:15:03 PM CDT

The Messenger without a Message (0.00 / 0)

Both ads really have no message. He seems to be not only attacking Democrats but Republicans. In a whiney way.

It is almost a Rodney King thing. "Why can't we all get along?"

If that is the question, the answer is "because of John Cornyn." Hard to get along with a lapdog who bites if you get too close. And that is what he is. A lapdog for Bush.  Which perhaps is why his message is missing. The message is that he will continue to be a lapdog for Bush even after Bush has left office.  

On a subliminal level, the ads may be stirring up memories of John Connally. By design.  

Everyone loved John Connally. Even his enemies. He was just the epitome of Texas values. Well, the Edna Ferber version of Texas values anyway.  He was straight out of Giant. The original and the sequel she never got around to writing.

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by: Baby Snooks @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 at 08:24:17 AM CDT

What am I missing? (0.00 / 0)

Does this sappy crap really still work? I thought politics today was all about being more "genuine."  If John Cornyn were a farmer or rancher, I could understand this approach, but the guy was a lawyer in one of the largest cities in America before going on the government teet. So why is he trying to fool everyone now by playing cowboy?  This ad just screams "I'm full of shit - catch me if you can."

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by: politicsforjim @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 at 08:33:57 AM CDT

i'm thinking here (0.00 / 0)

that they have some thematic in their polling that indicates undecideds want to see a lot of "genuine".  in the absence of ANY Noriega presence, he unfortunately has the time to soft-roll messages out.

the messages are non-threatening, make simple points that almost no one would disagree with, and the stark black and white stands out among traditional commercial tv fare.

clearly cornyn learned not to take himself too seriously and went with something where he is much more comfortable--not talking on camera, not the BS politician waving, smiling and waving flags.

look what he says:

It shouldn't have happened.

Washington only got to work when the answer was too late and too expensive.

We need to hold the guilty parties responsible.

It's time to stop the waste and the backroom deals and bring some Texas common sense to Washington.

With no challenge from our side, Cornyn has plenty of latitude to slow-roll out simple messages, try and hold his base and pick up undecideds.

His ability to hang on and get by with this weak-ass campaign is our fault.  Not one of these ads looks like they are for a guy in a fight.

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by: colin @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 at 10:19:49 AM CDT

But he IS genuine... (0.00 / 0)

He's right out of Giant. How much more genuine can you get?

Some of the camera angles are deliberate. Look closely. Who knows. They may have spliced a profile of John Connally in there. Only takes a thousandth of a second for the image to register with the brain. And the imbed creates an imbed. Even without the imbed, well, ask a Republican if his ads don't remind them of John Connally.

Why John Connally? Well, we all know Texas Republicans aren't really that happy with the Bushes at this point. And just who went flying off to Baghdad with Oscar Wyatt? And who questioned the Bush policy? And just who, it turns out, was right all along? Why, John Connally of course.

John Connally for US Senate. Subliminal advertising is a alive and well. And it's not just for selling booze and cigarettes anymore.  

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by: Baby Snooks @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 at 11:07:15 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

curious (0.00 / 0)

What are your thoughts on the lack of textual message on the ad? Not a lot to pick up on if you're in a place where you can't hear the yellow rose playing with Cornyn speaking.

Please read the Community Guidelines and How to Rate Comments.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 at 11:56:41 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

pure image communication (0.00 / 0)

they clearly feel that they just need to hold with white voters and independents so they're just trying to communicate a feeling.

"here's this nice, harmless-looking guy who isn't blazing any new ground but says a few simple things that we all agree on"

not having to defend his record or go on the offensive give him such a wide range of motion, messaging-wise.

they are clearly uninterested in sending out a lot of message(and therefore have polling numbers to show it is unnecessary).  they seem content to show this good 'ol guy in iconic Texas settings with his name plastered everywhere.

looks like they are just trying to shore up name ID and bump his favorables by no saying or doing anything that could even be remotely considered taking a position or staking out an agenda.

not the typical incumbent ads. my gut is that noriega continues to be such an unknown quantity that they feel comfortable just reminding people that he IS the senator.

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by: colin @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 at 13:19:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's all visual (0.00 / 0)

It's all in what you see but don't see. Find some photos or footage of John Connally around 1990. If that doesn't convince you, nothing will.  Political ads that have little verbal or visual text are subliminal and some are quite effective.  The famous Daisy ad. The flower dissolving into the nuclear blast.  That is subliminal but the imbedding is on a conscious level because the association or perception is on a conscious level. But some ads are designed to achieve completely unconscious imbedding as a result of perception that is unconscious.  Subliminal is quite effective because there is little to intellectualize which is what you are picking up on. There is no message to dissect and discuss.  That is exactly the point of subliminal advertising.  Nothing is left to the intellect let alone the imagination. It is merely imbedded into the unconscious of the viewer. Everyone would have to undergo psychoanalysis to have them understand that John Cornyn is not John Connally. Big Bad John indeed.

I could be wrong. But I don't think I am.  It may work. It may not. We will know on election day. If it worked, Cornyn will probably win in a landslide. Not because everyone loves him.  Simply because everyone loved John Connally. Even his enemies. It was "better times" back then.  And he was and is sort of a hero. Even to his enemies.

Should prove interesting to see the next ad by Big Bad Silent John.  

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by: Baby Snooks @ Fri Oct 03, 2008 at 13:50:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

John Connally or John Cornyn (0.00 / 0)

That is an interesting analogy -
he does seem to be copying John Connally

however - Connally's ranch in Floresville - prettier
than that ranch in Beeville with John Cornyn filmed his commercial.  Those cattle in that commercial must be planted there - notice that the background looks fuzzy - it is because ain't no ranch in Beeville look that good.

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by: klop56 @ Thu Oct 09, 2008 at 22:45:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]