Politics

Lengel: Best Part About Wednesday -- No More Obnoxious Political Ads

November 05, 2014, 7:15 AM by  Allan Lengel

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Photos from David Trott's misleading commercial.

Every political season, we're forced to watch an avalanche of obnoxious, and in some cases misleading,  political TV commercials. 

Ahhhhhh. Then comes the Wednesday after the election and they're finally gone. It's as if someone just pulled a sliver out of our aching finger. 

Some of the more obnoxious ads included one by attorney David Trott, who won in the 11th Congressional District. 

Trott's ad promoted him as a “businessman” and “job creator.” The ads never once said what he actually did. He’s an attorney whose firm represents financial institutions that forecloses on peoples’ property. Find me attorneys who say “I’m a businessman” when asked what they do for a living. You'd be hard pressed. 

Frankly, I thought one of the very last ones for Gov. Rick Snyder stooped a little too low. It showed opponent Mark Schauer wearing a beanie and looking almost homeless. Then the camera cut to Snyder in a crisp white shirt and tie looking like a can-do businessman.  No candidate should resort to that.

Senate hopeful Terri Lynn Land, who was a disaster as a candidate,  ran her fair share of unimpressive ads bankrolled by the omnipresent Koch brothers.  And I heard moans about the Gary Peters ads in which he shows just how frugal he is, and puts his feet up on a table to expose a hole in the sole of his shoe.

To its credit – though in some cases a little late to the table – some media outlets started vetting the ads for truthfulness, which was very helpful. Media outlets should feel obligated to do that from the onset of these campaigns. Bridge Magazine should get a particularly nice shout for vetting ads for truthfulness during the campaign.

Whatever the case, the greatest part about the Wednesday after the election is the reprieve from obnoxious political ads – at least for now.

But with the presidential election not that far off, brace yourself and get ready to hold your nose. 



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