Her new campaign video (http://www.jodyforva.com/tv) highlights Lt. Governor Bill Bolling's high number of absences, and does so in a funny manner. A single camera focuses on an empty office chair, and several prominent Republicans "call in" to remonstrate the incumbent for not being there.
The video is brilliant for several reasons.
1) It's simple. Some candidates like to throw as much as possible at the voter in hopes that something will stick. In a full-frontal assault, a poorly-run campaign will try to overwhelm the opponent by pushing as many arguments at once. But this rarely works. The viewer might forget all of the barbs, and without a concise message, the ad will lose its power. In an age of quick-attention spans and lots of entertainment to watch, the good candidate knows that any attack must be short, sweet, and succinct.
2) It's easy to understand. When trying to tar your opponent, it's generally a bad idea to use murky and complicated assaults. Remember the details of Obama's real-estate deal with Tony Rezko, which McCain tried to use against him? Neither does anyone else. The best attacks can be summed up in one or two sentences, and are universal. Not everyone can explain Bolling's record in office. But every Virginian knows what it means to not show up to work.
3) It's funny. Parodying Republicans like Dick Cheney, Mark Sanford, and Bob Mcdonnell, this video manages to draw a laugh. And that's a good thing. So many people switch off their brains when they see boring footage of a candidate talking into a camera. LAME. Using humor, on the other hand, always brings people back for more. And a candidate that can crack a smile is much more likable. The perfect example is Bill Richardson's hilarious presidential campaign commercials from 2008, which showed the governor in awkward job interviews (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjOuL5qwNIc).
The point? Jody Wagner's campaign commercials will attract good coverage, and should spread like wildfire across the internet. Will they move voters to the polls? Only time can tell.
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