Where is the Beef?

It leaves me somewhat dumbfounded in a way, and yet it’s thoroughly normal and predictable.  What leaves me dumbfounded is that fact that it is so normal and predictable.

“Where’s Waldo” was one title that occurred to me, but there is no Waldo.

I have a challenge for you.  Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find one thing that Rick Perry actually said in this ad;

Just one meaningful statement– one example of what he’s done to further some goal or other in the past, one guiding principle, one thing that would suggest what he actually wants to do as president.  Anything.  I only watched it twice, but I don’t think you can do it.  Right now as far as I can tell, this ad is recycled from an old Obama ad.  As I said in comments over on Uncle’s blog, it was probably produced by the same people, who did Bush’s and Clinton’s ads.

And yet there are people who really love this ad, and that is the rub.  Are we as a society capable of thinking critically anymore, or is it simply over and done for us?

We need to able to watch something like this, looking, probing, asking ourselves; “Where’s the meaning.  Where’s the substance?  What’s actually being said here?  Anything?”  It should be automatic – you’re waiting for something to be said.

Now I don’t want to hear about Perry.  For all I know he’s the greatest defender of liberty the world has ever seen, but if so he would tell us in his very own words.  However, there is nothing here that would tell us one way or the other, and the fact that he can’t actually say something in his own ad already tells me he’s not my man.  Don’t defend him.  If he were the leader we need, he would never allow an ad like this to be produced in his name.  If he comes out tomorrow and tells us it was done against his wishes, and that those responsible for it have been fired, I might change my mind, but not before.  When ads like this one are soundly ridiculed in the public arena, by all sides, that’s when I’ll know we’ve made progress, yet we are nowhere near that now.

He did say that the greatest deeds are reserved for future generations, but like all the other statements, that one has no substance.  No indication of what he thinks is a great deed, but the strangest part about that statement is that it makes no reference to current generations.  What about us?  Why can’t we be doing any of the greatest deeds?  Why are they reserved for someone else, and who is in charge of reserving deeds these days, and why?  Who appointed this new “Deed Tsar”?  See; you can go crazy trying to infer meaning where there is none.

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12 thoughts on “Where is the Beef?

  1. For technical reasons I can’t see the ad right now, but I would have to agree with the sentiments, at least somewhat. Politicians shouldn’t be wasting our time with platitudes, they should be telling us what they are going to do to further freedom.

    I’m reminded of the last Presidential campaign: it was really depressing. McCain would have an ad that came down hard on Obama, and I couldn’t help but think “Right on! That ad is fantastic!” and then, just moments later, McCain comes up with an ad telling us why we should vote for him, and I’m left thinking “I don’t want to vote for him now”. I voted for him, though, because I couldn’t stomach the idea of Obama winning Utah, but I felt I was throwing my vote away. From there, I decided that if a politician can’t convince me to vote for him, I should vote for someone who *can* convince me to vote for him–even if I’m left to choose between “Libertarian” and “Constitution” parties. Even if it means that the greater of two evils ends up winning.

    But then, chances are, if the greater of two evils wins, it’s because the lesser of two evils couldn’t convince enough people to vote for him–so I doubt he deserved to win anyway, even if the country will be worse off because of it!

  2. Looks more like a movie trailer.

    “I believe in America.”

    Well I do too Rick, its right here under my feet.

  3. I couldn’t agree with you more. I think Rick Perry has no substance whatsoever. To be honest (and I’m shocked I’m saying this), I think Ron Paul promotes liberty more than any of the candidates up there. I was reading up about him, and he really has stood the same position for his entire career despite political pressure from both parties. I just started learning more about him, but I went from a Romney supporter to a Paul support just from a little critical thinking, like you said. You’re right though, it’s a shame how people are influenced by ads like these – somewhat depressing actually. Anyway, check out my 2nd Amendment site (linked) if you get a chance. We have CCW reciprocity maps and the whole 9. Were gonna start having giveaways soon too, so bookmark us! Great blog, keep up the great work.

    Matt D.

  4. So you decline to vote for the s**t sandwich, and yet find the giant douche unappealing as well?

    Perhaps we can find you a bit of rotting roadkill more to your liking. Or a can of insanity. Or a reality show celebrity.

    When you voted against Obama, you knew what he was, even though his ads and his entire campaign were made of unicorn farts.

    When you vote for or against any of the candidates this year, I suspect you will also know pretty accurately just what they are, too, despite the bright lights and loud music employed to make you look their way, without seeing anything too specific.

    Choices – they make America great!

  5. I am starting to see Perry as Romney with a cowboy hat. Different programs, same underlying Progressive ‘tude.

  6. A “none of the above” choice sounds good, but the mechanics might be ugly.

    I don’t really like any of them, though each one has a good point or two. I’m leaning toward Cain just to watch the heads explode among the media, democrats (but I repeat myself), minorities, liberal beltway pundits and race-baiter’s. The popcorn factor and hypocrisy would be priceless.

  7. Advertising is really good with emotion, not so much with reason. (Thank you Leni Riefenstahl…)
    “none of the above” please. If NOTA wins, we simply re stage the election in a reasonable time, not reasonable for marketers but for -voters-. Say a new election in 3 months. We can do that until they get the idea that marketing isn’t what we’re looking for.

  8. It’s a simple message: “Vote for me because I’m not Obama!”

    The accomplishment he’s trying to highlight is that he’s managed, through hard work and perseverance, to not be Obama.

    I know it’s not really what you mean, but I don’t think you’re going to find what you’re really looking for, because it just isn’t there.

    There is no substance, there is only Zuul.

  9. So Perry is a sleazy politician, ( but I repeat myself) I’m so shocked. Anyone who has a chance to win a presidential election is going to be that type. And don’t give me Reagan, he gave us bigger government, more gun control and Iran-Contra, how did that compare to is rhetoric? The Founding Fathers had it right, design a government that puts spokes in the wheels of any ambitious Yahoo, and limit what the government can do. None of them can be trusted. The only reason I would support Perry at all is he’s better on gun control and might not totally screw up a Supreme Court appointment. My cynical take is that he might be the best of a real pack of hyenas.

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