Intentional.
The word "HANG" in the McCain ad was clearly intentional, and it should be obvious to any but the most partisan viewer that the selective fading in the corners of the Obama image, which turned the word CHANGE into HANG, have been added for subliminal effect. Most commercials work at the subliminal level, and political ads are no exception. In fact, they employ subliminal messages most of all.
Ad Agencies Rely on Subliminal Messages
Manipulating the Obama clip, CHANGE becomes HANG. This shadow cropping is no accident. Practically all ads on television are subliminal. Science Daily has an informative article on the reality of subliminal learning.
Did you know subliminal advertising is illegal in the UK? Why do you think that is so, if not for its inherent capacity for harming viewers, and getting them to act against their best interests or even safety?
Unfortunately, subliminal advertising is still legal here in America, and most prevalent in political ads. The "RATS" ad used in 2000 where GOP used "Bureaucrats Decide" to flash RATS in an ad attacking Al Gore employed the same subliminal techniques McCain is using now. And then, like now, Karl Rove was playing a pivotal role.
As far as attack ads go, the message in McCain's ad is rather amateurish and stupid, and assumes the voter is stupid as well. The argument is that Obama is a celebrity as opposed to politician, and therefore out of touch and a danger to the economy. His mere candidacy, subliminally framed, warrants a hanging. The ad is offensive and patently malicious, but harmless to anyone but McCain.
Why is the ad a failure? because it it has already drawn fierce and well-deserved criticism for its subliminal message of "HANG" in the backdrop of a black man, and consequently any redeeming message (had there been one) is lost. What part of the subconscious mind, if not the basest and most hateful, irrational and vile instincts, does the ad appeal to?
John McCain really sank to the gutter with this one; lower than a sewer rat's balls. He may as well superimpose a noose over Obama on his next ad while he and his surrogates feign indignation at any charge of hate-mongering or mind-fucking. You're a sick puppy John, sick. It's bad enough to subliminally frame your opponent as a rat, but to subliminally imply he should be hanged is stunningly repulsive.
No wonder they called you McNasty in the navy.
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