Commenter Keith Berry asks what the difference is between the Bush ad and this Kucinich ad. After Mr. Berry and I came to an understanding, I judged it to be a legitimate question. Calm down, my more Hot-Headed Readers, and bear with me while I lay out the comparison.
Let’s see. The part of the Bush ad that has causes the dust-up is about three seconds long. The Kucinich ad is minutes long.
The Bush ad shows the body of one anonymous firefighter, covered by the flag, being carried away by his comrades. (It was so quick, I missed it the first time I saw it.) The Kucinich ad shows casket after casket, funeral after funeral, name after name after name.
And here’s the starkest contrast. The Bush ad reminds of what we’ve fought for and of how we have not let men like that fallen firefighter perish in vain. It reminds us that we have taken steps—the only kind of steps that terrorists understand—to reduce the probability of a repeat performance of September 11, 2001.
The Kucinich ad is a monument to forgetfulness, conspiracy theories and dishonor. It uses those who gave their all for our safety as bludgeon against the president. It actually castigates him for doing what needed to be done to reduce the threat of terror in this world--for standing up to evil. It insults the same president by attributing base motives for the perpetration of the wars of this century—as if 9/11 never occurred. And, lastly, it insults the honor of the military men and women—both living and dead--who voluntarily submit themselves for a period of years for the defense of this country.
You see, Keith, it’s not just the bare bones (no pun intended) of what’s shown, it’s what the images represent, that inform my differing opinions of the two ads. With the voice-over of the Bush ad and the words on the screen of the Kucinich ad, it isn't that difficult to figure out either message. Sometimes you don't need a watch to know what time it is.
I stand by my original opinion of both and loath the Kucinich ad all the more.
