What is it with the Republicans these days? You would think with their connectivity to "Real America" (you know, the demographic that Sarah Palin was harping on back in 2008), they'd have no problem finding regular folks, oozing with authenticity, to advocate on their behalf on the airwaves.
Apparently, it is a little tougher than one might think:
A Republican ad that shows a couple of regular-looking guys commiserating in a diner about West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) turns out to have been shot with actors, from a script, in Philadelphia.
But not just any actors: “We are going for a ‘Hicky’ Blue Collar look,” read the casting call for the ad, being aired by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “These characters are from West Virginia so think coal miner/trucker looks.”
So, how does the Republican Party's ad masters envision a son of the West Virginia soil to look? Well, as any good American knows, nothing runs like a Deere Deer...
“Clothing Suggestions” included jeans, work boots, flannel shirt, denim shirt, “Dickie’s type jacket with t-shirt underneath,” down-filled vest, “John Deer [sic] hats (not brand new, preferably beat up),” “trucker hats (not brand new, preferably beat up).”
The uproar throughout the morning over the NRSC's assessment of folks in the Mountain State has led to an inevitable move by the NRSC, which has announced that it is pulling the West Virginia ad.
Alas, that horrific casting call will be with them forever. And while they will try to pawn off this as an error by the ad agency, it is useful to remember that the ad agency was picked for their Republican-ness, not their West Virginia ties. It is going to be quite a leap of logic to suggest that those descriptions didn't come straight from GOP HQ.
For his part, the Democratic nominee, Governor Joe Manchin, is calling for apologies from the NRSC for its boorish stereotyping of West Virginians. In so doing, he takes a shot at the bi-state residency of his Republican opponent:
"Not only have they been spending millions to try and buy this election with lies and distortions, we can now see once and for all what he and his friends really think of West Virginia and our people. It's offensive and it only proves that John Raese has spent too much time in the state of Florida, living in his Palm Beach mansion, and doesn't know, understand or respect the great people of this state, and what we stand for."
The GOP's inability to land regular people to do their bidding isn't limited to West Virginia.
Apparently, Wall Street veteran and Fox News best bud John Kasich had a similar problem in Ohio recruiting a steelworker to bash Governor Ted Strickland. Unfortunately, Kasich got caught by the Ohio Democratic Party, who had their fun with it:
Good grief, is there nothing these GOPers aren't willing to outsource?