"Won't Get Fooled Again" -- New Obama Message

It is clear that Obama is frustrated with how the media and his rivals are focusing efforts on things unrelated to the plight of the American people.

It is vital that Obama and his surrogates reset his message. That message should be simple and repeated ad nauseum.

Every time Obama or a surrogate is asked to comment on Wright, or Ayers, or flag pins, or whatever distraction the media or Clinton/McCain can find, the answer must simply be: "We Won't Get Fooled Again."

As the Swiftboat controversy taught us, if you repeat something enough, it becomes a "truth" (or an election motto), irrespective of the verity of the assertion. Obama needs to utilize this strategy and get back on message, wiping away all these distractions in two short weeks.

To do this, the Obama folks need to exploit the fast, visual nature of current media. I recommend anchoring on the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who.

The song should be used at every rally, and if possible, in his political videos, much like Cadillac commercials inject Led Zeppelin or The Smashing Pumpkins. There is no denying that every time I hear the phrase, "Dont stop, thinking about tomorrow" in Fleetwood Mac's song, "Don't Stop," I recall the Clinton's celebrating on that stage.

Good advertisers understand the emotional connection that humans have with music.

I would be interested in finding someone who could piece together a viral video that could be put onto Youtube and the link passed around via email. I am not video savvy enough to do it, but I don't think it would be particularly difficult given the technology today.

The video could start with all these "controversy phrases" flashing: Bitter-gate, Reverand Wright, Flag Pins, Weather Underground (Perhaps even intermixed with images of Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, Kerry windsurfing on the water, and so on)

Then <BOOM> this mosaic of words is cracked like a mirror, as The Who kicks in with "Won't Get Fooled Again!!!!"

During the voiceover, the background music should go into that strange synth groove from the beginning of the song. The voiceover needs to say something like, "Last election, the media tricked the American people into believing that something like this (image of Kerry windsurfing) was important. Look what that got us: a war based on lies, 40 million uninsured Americans, and tax cuts for millionaires.... No matter what anyone tries to tell you, this election is about ending the war in Iraq, fixing the health care system, and creating new American jobs."

Then it ends with The Who shout, "We Won't Get Fooled Again!!!!"

Surrogates needs to POUND THIS ISSUE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

Going one step further, both Obama and his surrogates and Obama need to use the phrasing "trick" or "were tricked" to frame the current presidency. Not only will that provocative language draw media attention to the language, it will give Obama a chance to direct attention to the issues he is raising.

Thoughts?

•  Tips jar

  by TheOpinionGuy on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 08:47:20 PM PDT

•  The Who rocks

  but Won't Get Fooled Again ends with "meet the new boss / same as the old boss". Tragic irony is not what we're striving for here.

  by differance on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:02:20 AM PDT

  •  exactly

    It's a cautionary, if not cynical, song.  It's great but not for a political campaign!

    by wvhillrunner on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:05:55 AM PDT

  •  oops

    I skipped over your comment in the rush to point out my concerns because it looked like there wasn't a "but" in there. I agree completely.

    by Krinkle on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:25:29 AM PDT

•  Fun idea,

  although the call for revolution might be a little too extreme for the general public.  

  Would love to see some video magic in which Roger Daultry's scream in the song is dubbed over footage of Howard Dean's infamous scream. Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaah!

  by Shesk on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:08:26 AM PDT

•  Other interpretations

  of the phrase "Won't Get Fooled Again":

  1. Obama was "fooled" by Rev. Wright (can be taken as bad judge of character)

  2. We are "fooled" by Obama and his message of Hope (plays into the kool-aid thing)

  3. Obama/his campaign have been "fooled" into allowing the TM to frame the issues. (disorganization and a lack of strength to control the message)

  I love the idea of "never again" when it comes to anything remotely resembling Bush, but I don't want the rallying cry to bite us in the bum! Anyone else nervous about this or is it time for a dark-chocolate-breathe-relax break for me?

  by mamamorgaine on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:14:43 AM PDT

•  Rev Wanted Revenge?

  According to NYMag http://nymag.com/...

  by ibtz on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:20:06 AM PDT

•  I have been thinking about that song for a while

  and it's really a song that would tell people NOT to vote for Obama.

  A change came, the slogans were swapped, and NOTHING CHANGED. Everyone got fooled. Again. They helped that revolution hoping that they weren't going to get fooled but they did.

  I think it would be counterproductive or make people cynical.

  by Krinkle on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:23:02 AM PDT

  •  It works

    for CSI.

    by dlcampbe on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 08:42:20 AM PDT

    •  isn't that the other who song?

      who are you?
      who who
      who who

      by Krinkle on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 11:56:26 AM PDT

      •  All 3 CSI

        programs use songs by The Who.

        Baba O'Riley
        Who Are You
        Won't Get Fooled Again

        by dlcampbe on Thu May 01, 2008 at 08:53:37 AM PDT

•  Right idea, but I'd use "The Power and the Glory"

  ... instead. Yes, I know the late Phil Ochs may be something of a controversial figure, but that song is both incredibly patriotic and yet challenging because it also points out how far we have to go to achieve lasting peace and justice in this country.

  Just a few of my favorite lines:

  "Come and take a walk with me thru this green and growing land,
  Walk thru the meadows and the mountains and the sand,
  Walk thru the valleys and the rivers and the plains,
  Walk thru the sun and walk thru the rain.

  Here is a land full of power and glory,
  Beauty that words cannot recall.
  Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom,
  Her glory shall rest on us all. ...

  Yet she's only as rich as the poorest of her poor,
  Only as free as the padlocked prison door,
  Only as strong as our love for this land,
  Only as tall as we stand."

  And then there's even this last verse that I've never heard before:

  "But our land is still troubled by men who have to hate,
  They twist away our freedom & they twist away our fate,
  Fear is their weapon and treason is their cry,
  We can stop them if we try."

  So how about it? Would that tie into the Obama campaign theme or not?

  by philimus on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:54:16 AM PDT