Political Experts React to Hilarious Ads Against Republicans
00:00Your goal is to go viral, but it's got to be so clearly laddered up to a specific campaign objective.And this one very clearly is.This shows like what Democrats can do when they have room to run.Welcome to political experts react where you break down political ads and media explain what the people behind them are trying to accomplish and decide whether or not they did a good job.I'm Dan Pfeiffer, former communications director for Barack Obama and co-host of Pod Save America.Joining me today is my old friend and the co-host of the amazing Long Play podcast, Jennifer Palmieri.Jennifer Palmieri, how are you?I'm great. It's nice to see you.
00:31I love talking about political ads with you.I know.There's so, like, the ads are real.I mean, there's so much money being spent.Ads are everywhere.There's some actually really interesting ads this cycle,even some interesting ads from Democrats,which is unique in the last cycle.
00:44Yeah.Well, they have a lot of route.Like, when you're, when, when the political wins are in your favor,I feel like you have more,you have a lot more room to be creative and take risks.Yes.Offence is easier than defense in politics.Okay.
00:57Let's start with an ad.from Sherrod Brown that went up last week.Listen to this shit.People living in poverty are just not very,they're not very experienced at navigating the real world, right?I remember talking to one young lady who said,well, I don't really know how money works at a grocery storebecause she grew up and has lived all of her adult life
01:21using snap cards to buy groceries.And so you literally have to teach people how to budget.Fuck that.I'm Sherrod Brown and I approve this message.What do you think of this ad?I mean, I think it's great.Like, the best part of it is it's how people talk,and then it's how, and the most powerful parts of the ad, though,
01:43are people's, you know, like small facial reactions, right?That can pay so much, like, when it's, like, she's, you know,she's never been to, she doesn't know how to, because she doesn't, you know,she's used food stamps, whatever.She doesn't know how to do this.So I thought, I don't like this swearing, I feel is good if it's what the person does normally.And we know Sherrod Brown is a swearer himself.Like, I assume, where's this running?
02:11Because like it can't be on television.I think you beep it in the TV version.Yeah, yeah, yeah.And it's right.And that's fine.We don't have to beep it.So.Yeah.
02:20Yeah.What did you think?I think it's, this is such a fascinating race because you have a situation wherethe challenger is much better known than the incumbent.And so it's so rare that the challenger is trying to define the incumbent.But Houston said, so people know, replaced J.D. Vance.He's a state one official in Ohio.But no one really knew who he was.
02:42So he's just sort of this generic Republican.And being a generic Republican, even in Ohio is not really what you want to be right now.And so Sherrod Brown is just like filling in the gaps.And so this, so originally they've been hammering him as the guy who broughtdata centers to Ohio because he worked really hard.hard in his previous job to bring tax credits, to bring all these data centers to Ohio.And now he's going at this fact that he does not care about people. This is a incrediblydamning quote in the way in which they do it, I think is well done because they play it in
03:08its full context as opposed, because I think when you cut those up, then voters are prettyskeptical of it. But this is like the Mitt Romney 47 percent remarks where it, when you hearthe whole thing, it's quite bad. Also kind of like the Kamala Harris, they then clip.thing.They, them clap, yeah.Very bad in itself.So you just let the clip play and then let the voters judge.When you have, you know, sort of political opposition,
03:34oppo, gold like that, you just let it run on the zone.Because I think sometimes, the temptation in the past is to clip,just let's clip the worst part because the other stuff is hard to,it's not that interesting to watch, but it's, he's just so awkward.And then you just get the sense that he really has no idea what people's livesare actually like, but to have it and have it played like that where people are just reacting toit is great. Yeah, it's very, very well done. The midterm elections are just about a month away.The single best way to track what's happening is to subscribe to my newsletter, the message box
04:10where I break down the polls, explain what's happening on the trail and help you understandwhat matters and what doesn't. If you sign up today at the link in the description, you can get20% off for a year. The next ad we're going to watch is a video from the Abdul El-Sayed campaign.in Michigan.Someone drove a hot dog-shaped car through the window.Whose car is this?Here in Michigan, the same prescription for a Michigan family costs $800.That's four times what the Canadians pay.
04:37We're all trying to find the guy who did this.The pharmaceutical companies are ripping American families off.Yeah, come on, whoever did this, just confess.We promise we won't be mad.What?We have to bring prices down.down. The war with Iran needs to end. You know what's driving me nuts? It could literally be any one of us.In the Senate, he'll make AI safety a top priority. Sir, that's clearly your car. Wrong.
05:16You're dressed like a hot dog. It's obviously this guy right. Yes.In case you don't know, this is based on a sketch from Tim Robinson's incredibly funny show. I think youyou leave. It's as Tim Robinson is from Michigan, which is why it makes sense here. Even if you'renot familiar with the sketch, you may be familiar with the hot dog guy meme, which is like,who did this, right? And obviously, the guy who drove the hot dog shaped car through the windowis the guy in the hot dog suit. I think this is incredibly clever, but what do you think?I think it is incredible clever. First, when the first of my saw it, I was like, the only thingthat I was not certain of it was like, oh God, we were like complaining about pharmaceutical
05:51companies again, you know, like that, that, that, um, that, um, that, um, um, um, um, you know,just because I feel like people have, there's just, you know, people hear a lot of complaints about that, not a lot of solutions about that is that. But when, you know, he's that club, but like when the connection is that real and people are that concerned about it and he's making claims that are not true about it, then I was like, no, like that, that's not, you know, because you expect these, the people who are actually really good campaigners like El Sayed is to, to not fall in the trap of doing like blah, blah, blah, poll tested stuff. But I mean, then.But the meme, it's just, and I love how long they let it go, too.You know, they don't just do the clip of it.They do the whole thing.And like, what does that tell you?That just gives you a sense of, like, who he is, right?That he's, like, funny and cool and has, you know, and is going to approach politics
06:42a different way, right?Like, it conveys a lot of things at once.The, the, I agree with you on the idea of prescription drugs, although I think it is uniquein Michigan because it's on the Canadian theater.It is.And there is a, but it's just like you can do it is.But it's just.like, oh.
06:56Yeah, no, I know.It's like eliminating task.Yeah.Well, because going back to, you know, in the 2004 Senate race, Debbie Stabenow's like takingpeople across the border, you right?You know, that was a classic Michigan move was to get, you know, was to get a bus, invite areporter, take people across, have them film how much cheaper the description drugs were andthen bring them back.
07:19So it has like a little more.Wasn't that like sister Simone and nuns on the bus?They did that.That's in the post.But back in the day, in the late 90s and 2000s, particularly before Medicare Part D.This was a classic Democratic campaign move.But I think that this is, we have done a few weeks ago, I had Liz Smith on the show, and we looked at a video that Abdul did that's been come up for much mockery.That was where he like plays the character.
07:48It's like based on the TV show, Blues Clues about voting, about mail voting.This was for the mail ballots before the primary.And I think these two videos are, those videos are like great examples of what to do and not to do when you're doing content creation as a candidate, which is ultimately, you know, you should be very, you should take lots of risks.You should do lots of interesting things.Your goal is to go viral.But it's got to be so clearly laddered up to a specific campaign objective.Right.And this one very clearly is.
08:15It is finding a way to make the same argument they're making in their more traditional linear television ads in a way that has a chance to go viral on TikTok and Instagram and reach a bunch of.bunch of people. Like the way the algorithms work, like people who are interested insketch comedy might see this ad in their reels or TikTok or YouTube shorts feed, which iswhat you're trying to get at. So I think it's very, very smart.Pod Save America breaking news is brought to you by ZipRecruiter. Let's be honest,ZipRecruiter is everywhere. Why? Because top talent is everywhere too. Just like you,your ideal candidates are tuning into business, sports and podcasts just like this one.When these candidates hear all these ads, it increases the chances of them going to ZipRecruiter
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09:22Oh, and if you forget where to go, don't worry, you'll hear another ZipRecruiter.recruiter ad soon enough.The third out we're going to watch is one that's very dear to your heart because it is.Yes, it is.It's a very, very important campaign taking place in the South with a candidate that I believe youinterviewed for Long Play.So I want you to take a look at the ad that tells a little about this race.This is an ad from Jamie Agar, who's running in the second district in North Carolina.
09:44Do you know what we need more of in Washington, D.C.?Barn dances.I'm Jamie Ager, and Amy and I host these every month.Politicians just dance with the lobbyists, but I'll take a good mountain ho down any day.In Congress, I'll invest in Western North Carolina again by taking on corporate greed that raises our costs.And I'll fight for our Haleen recovery funds.I approve this message because it's time we turn things around.I know you've got to love this ad.
10:15So good.So good.Well, first of all, like, I remember when I went there, I went to that bar and I interviewed him in that bar.And his farm is called Higree Nut Gap.We did not dance, but like, it's called Hickory Nut Gap Farms.And I'm like, Dan Pfeiffer would be like, is this like Appalachian Madlibs?Like, what is the name of this farm?But it actually has been in his family for a very long time.
10:40And so this is great because like, first of all, this shows, there's a lot of things thatshowed how smart Jamie Acre is.So this shows like what Democrats can do when they have room to run, right?Like he is not, you know, he is, all he's trying to do basically is show you.He is one of you, even though he's a Democrat and this is a conservative area.He is a Western North Carolina guy that, you know, has bar and dances.The thing, but like, here's some smart things that he did in there.I happen to know he also plays guitar.
11:15And he will perform, he performs in his barn and he performs like for fundraisers and stuff like that.but he's smart enough to know not to have himself, you know, playing guitar and like being, you know, been and like having a cringe moment like that.So, and the dance scene is like he's making fun of himself.So that's all, that's all good.And then this is, and then he manages to get message in there.You know, his whole thing is he is basically running against Michael Watley because Michael Watley was in charge of Helena recovery.So that is a huge issue.And he was at his.
11:47And so, and because Wadley is the Senate candidate, it is very.very prominent as an issue in addition to the fact that people are still suffering fromHelene there.So that is a huge issue for him.And then his opponent had to drop out.It would come up remember Congress for sexually harassed.Oh, wait for it.Shocking.
12:03Sexfully harassing his staff.And then the new candidate, have you seen her ad?Jennifer Belcon?Oh, wait.I think I have seen this ad.Tell me about it.This is the one where she says, she's like, here's my mom.Oh, she shot the person.
12:20And she's tough and I'm tough.And my mom shot an intruder because that's what we do.We protect our families.And it's like the whole point of the ad is that her mom,not even her, but her mother shot an intruder.So when you see like which one of these ads is, you know,they're both going viral, which one of these ads is like conveying western North Carolina?Like Jamie does a good job.
12:42And the other thing with Jamie is he's able to run as an outsider as a true farmer,25 years, multi-generations.But he does come from a political family.His grandfather was a member of Congress.His brother is in the state legislature.This is a big political family in Western North Carolina.But he's smart enough to like not, he's close enough to know what not to do and far enough away to be authentic.Yeah.
13:08This is, this is like no notes.It's basically perfect.It is like it, it conveys he's not a typical Democrat, a Washington Democrat,conveys he's not a politician.It conveys that he is from what.North Carolina in every sense of the phrase.And it has a anti-corruption anti-Washington message in it.And then you just add on the Helene Recovery stuff at the end.
13:32It's like we're just really, really, really, really well done.It's an ad that will stick with people when they see it on TV.Because the people's TVs are filled with ads in North Carolina.Oh, my God.It's true at all.And the Senate race is spent, in Senate races, they're not spending as much as you're gettinglike in Ohio or Texas, but there is a lot, a lot of money is being spent in, uh,You're seeing, I mean, it's actually, you're seeing a fair amount of Democratic ads because Cooper's raised so much money.
13:54But it's like Senate ad, Senate ad, Senate ad, congressional ad, congressional ad.There's a bunch of hacks playing here.And so your ad really has to stick out.And this one really sticks out in a clever way.Yeah.And he just, he's a very appealing guy, too.So they know how to just, you know, they know how to present him in a way that he's standing out from others in his awshucks kind of way.Yeah.
14:18Jennifer Palmary.Thank you for joining us.Everyone go check out Longplay.It is an incredible series.You can tell people where they can get it and what's coming on with Longplay.So it's a crooked audio podcast.And then also it's at the YouTube.com slash at Longplay series.We're interviewing Haley Schaffer this week, the Arkansas Senate candidate, which would be cool.
14:41And then we're getting ready to go back out in the road in the middle of October and do Bochap, you know, figure out to go, I think we'll probably, I mean, we're figuring that out now.I think we need to go to Florida now, right?Like Angie Nixon and David Jolly, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, all the places to go back to.Yeah.So long play, as I should have said, to the outset is a series of the politics of the South.You went all around the country.You met lots of people.If you want to go deep on a lot of the races that I know people are watching like Georgia and Texas, check out long play.
15:11Yeah.And the, when we made a decision to do this, it was, you know, it's called long play because we think winning the South is a long play.Got it.Got it.Got it.Got it. Did you get that, Dan? Also, we like music. But it turns out it is like the hotbed. I thought the Midwest was going to be the most competitive hotbed spot for the midterms. And it turns out that it is in fact the South. So you have like all of those races. Now Florida, this like Arkansas Senate race is interesting. Annie Andrews is, you know, we've talked about her. That's still, that's an interesting race in South Carolina. So we're going to go. We'll continue with a weekly podcast, but then go back out in the road in two weeks and be on the road and through the outlook.Yeah.All right.
15:50Everyone check it out.Jennifer Pomerary, always great to talk to you.And I'll see you again soon.Pleasure.Thanks.
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