Karl Rove's super-PAC American Crossroads released a new ad today called "Build," featuring "small business owners" outraged over President Obama's comments supposedly putting down small business owners.
Along with the actual small business owners featured in the ad, at the :38 in the ad (screengrabbed above) we see one guy helping a customer and her son. Turns out he also works as a stock photo model! These folks are featured heavily in the iStockphoto video section.
A few examples:
"Mother and child in Grocery shop paying with credit card"
"Father and son in Grocery shop paying with credit card"
"Portrait of Family business owners in organic shop" (Everybody gets an apron now!)
If "small business owner" also means "actor," then maybe this isn't such a big deal after all.
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I never cease to be astounded at the stupidity of the Romney campaign.
I look forward to this being all over the MSM @ 6:30 /snark
Fake Obama to run against , now fake constituents .
What will they think of next.?
Actually, this was Karl Rove showing sociopathic contempt for the intelligence of the American people. Totally not the same thing as Romney's sociopathic disregard for the ingelligence of the Amercian people.
Fake Twitter followers.
Is it contemptuous if he's right?
Fake African-American supporters.
It's as if they don't realize the Internet exists.
It's not stupidity, and in a certain sense, it's not fake (sort of not fake). The Big Lie is a propaganda technique with an established record of success. Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda minister (the Teutonic Rove) was a master of it, and swayed the opinions/emotions of an entire nation. Using it, as the Romney campaign does, is cunning and callous, but not stupid.
Republicans don't like Romney all that much, so to marshall his base, he has to get people to hate the President. If his Big Lies work, their effect is real, and his use of the technique isn't stupid. Right wingers need ostensibly valid reasons to dislike the President. "Death Panels" were a classic example of this. If people didn't know why they hated the ACA, but knew they should, Death Panels offered a seemingly legitimate reason. "You didn't build that" and the film editing that attributed McCain's words to the President himself, are other examples. Thing is, people who are looking for ostensibly valid reasons to hate the President aren't going to look at research that exposes the lies.They want and need these lies to be true. And if a few independent minds are changed, all the better. There's nod down side to any of it; no punishment.
Are prostitutes small business owners? They even need pimps to help them too.
That could make an awesome YouTube video.
XTube
Look in the bright side the created job for American actors. :)
Yeah 3 actors when they could have employeed 12
Sadly, does not matter to many. You could prove Mitt was the Antichrist, and people would still vote because he is not Obama. Keep up the good work Rachel, love the show. :)
I dunno, I watched the ad, and didn't see anything wrong with the way it was used. I'm sure msnbc uses similar footage to get various points across as well...
In fact, I hope Rachel isn't attempting to insinuate that each of the people featured in this ad are actors, because (unless I'm wrong) I don't think that's true...And therefore, the shadiness shoe would be on the other foot.
Those are blatantly actors. Every single one.
The problem is that these aren't small business owners. All three, including the child, are actors playing a role in footage shot by a company to sell to anyone who wants to use it. You know they are actors because they have switched rolls in the other versions.
Karl Rove purchased the stock footage from iStockVideo.
Karl Rove / Romney campaign should have found a REAL small business owner to illustrate their ad. It is disingenuous to use actors.
The point is its a lie , just like the douchebag who took government loans and had the temerity to campaign with Willard saying "I built this business with no help"
They can't find people because it is a lie on it's face . Everyone got help from the collective society.
Yeah, they're too happy to be business owners.
The point is - couldn't theyfind real small business owners to showcase? Anyone reading between the lines can see through the lies and misprepresentation of the whole anti-small business bandwagon the GOP is on, so the answer is probably "NO, they couldn't find real small business owners to jump on the bandwagon so they hired actors."
did rove have them shoot multiple families of race,color or creed? ive seen this same family all over the web. i had to do a double take. they can poll all they want hell swing around on it, but the very patient are in the middle listening and watching. THEN IS WHEN WE STRIKE AND NO CORPORATIONS WILL SWAY US!
CAROLPACK
/
Actors! Oh man, they think the voters are stupid, they will just take their word for it. Well, there should be some questioning of these ads. I guess that is too hard, but we can say… don't be a gullible person… ask questions.
You know with all the big bucks they have you would think that they could afford to spend some time and look around and find some real small business owners to use in there ad. Maybe the did and couldn't find any that supported them. I think they are are just Bat Crap Crazy.
Look, I'm a fan, but this is dumb. The video is 1:06 long and you found 1 second of stock video footage. If all the other people on that video are real small business owners, then you're doing the same thing as Romney and company. That is, you are pulling something out of context. Just as taking Obama out of context is wrong, this is too, so I call this bs.
I agree. Hope they don't waste air-time on tonights show on this crap.
You know, there are times when you REALLY OUGHT to just go check on things for yourself! Took me less than a second on google to find this and I didn't even follow the link in the article - I just typed in "stock videos- mother and child in a grocery store":
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-video-20523456-mother-and-child-in-grocery-shop-paying-with-credit-card.php
BTW, Istock isn't the only company that sells small videos to be used in ads. Google "stock videos".
These people aren't small business owners - they are ACTORS!!! The POINT is KARL ROVE is trying to PRETEND they are small business owners!!! When YOU accept the "premise" that they "might" be small business owners, YOU are falling for the propaganda, just like all the other people who will see this and believe that this guy really IS a "small business owner"!
When you start "accepting" their premises instead of checking them out independently, you've lost the battle!!
I also agree. And even if they did use actors....it is an ad. And to me at least it is not one of those stupid negative ads. Secondly, it is NOT from Romney's campaign and even if it was, is this really what should be talked about in this all important election. I mean really, critiquing political ads???
Ah, Skip, you REALLY need to be more subtle to accomplish your "goal". Your bias is REALLY showing these days!!!
Yeah once, you're right...I cannot hid my bias against political TV ads....all of them. I don't give a rat's ass if they use robots for these ads. If TV ads and bumper stickers and the dreaded lawn signs are what gets people to vote for someone....that is depressing and really makes our election process look stupid. That is what I am against....the average American voter that will believe ANYTHING and EVERYTHING in polical ads. THAT is dumb. If you see me leaning towards one candidate or another based on my comment above, I would like to know how. :)
"the average American voter that will believe ANYTHING and EVERYTHING in polical ads. THAT is dumb."
Thats the point in spotting lies in political ads.
Mislead the public because you think they are all brainless followers.
They are...and they shouldn't vote if they are - and it crosses all political parties. I am just stating the obvious. There should be no need for ads like this - truthful or not. And if there is no need for this crap...then Citizens United is a moot point.
You guys should have been around in the 50s and 60s, there was a take no prisoners approach back then. noone was off limits. there were battles in the isles! reds wanted war blues wanted peace , equallity and education,social security,healthcare and helping men and women finding jobs after the 2nd war.plus helping the rampid poor feed thier babies and desent homes. sound familier?
You're right. If Bob the Builder was running against Barrak Obama in 2008, Bob would've won on name recognition from the soccer-mom crowd. Instead they went with the feel-good first black president over the Viet-nam POW and his crazy-bitch VP.
You'd like to think their choice was on issues (some did) but I know alot where that was NOT the case.
Yes , there was absolutely no issues on the table in 2008 , next joke please , Hillary and barack battled it out till what seemed like aug. the fact that mccain and dig bat were idiots does not mean there where no issues for voters
Here's a good one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbX5EwSp_W8&feature=player_embedded
Actually, if they had really "hired" "real" actors they would at least be putting some actors to work! Instead, they have used models who probably didn't get paid much, didn't have to eat lunch or take any breaks, or comply with any sort of employee laws. Its just another kind of "outsourcing" that the Romney campaign continues to favor...and the "faux" aspect of the entire campaign speaks for itself. No real "small business owners" in sight, here.
This is not from the Romney campaign.
"sure" its not.
I see no problem with using stock photos and videos, 80% of websites today use them ans BOTH candidates use them on teir respective sites. Many videographers and photographers supplement their line of business with submissions.
Now, if they used them without paying for the rights, that would be a story.
They've got about a bazzillion dollars to spend and still they can't be bothered to pay for real small business owners in their ads. Or is it because they can't find any who would agree with what they want them to say?
You're right! I am not going to vote for Karl Rove.....wait a minute.....
but many may vote for his talking puppet.
Yes...and that is the problem like I stated above at #9.5. If you vote based on ANY TV ad you are an idiot. Think about that...if everyone did their own intelligent research on candidates for ANY office, there would be NO need for millions of dollars to spend on ads like this. I do not vote based a TV commercial or a bumper sticker and I bet everyone here doesn't either. BUT the sad fact is that most people do. THAT is the real problem.
iStockPhoto, really? No freaking wonder they have so much money to spend -- and their ads are so amateurishly awful. They've probably got student interns putting them together on a shoestring budget.
Well, think of it like this. Some small cinematographer probably just made his small-businesses revenue target for the year by gigging Rove for big bucks for 90 seconds of stock video and a voice-over.
I too am astounded by the Romney campaign stupidity, BUT this was American Crossroads, NOT the Romney campaign. Karl Rove can give a rat's ass about using "stock" video. Besides, the ignorance and complacency of so much of the electorate makes the use of purchased photo/video stock models a non-issue. The campaigns will be getting only uglier as the weeks progress. Looking at current polling is frightening when Romney is up 7 points on Obama on the economy. The voters are being FOOLED by the Romney and outside PAC ads. Share the FACTS with those that are deceived.
OMG this is hilarious . . . Karl Rove "proving" that small businesses that have "built-it-themselves" with "stock-agency-videos" . . . Karl . . you're a liar . . . LoL!!
It's a corporate thing. I remember Madge(?) and her hubby sitting at the breakfast nook agonizing about the government takeover of healthcare back in '94.
Propaganda is whatever works. The end justifies the means.
Depends on what "THAT" is! (Remember Clinton's "depends on what 'IS' is?"). Put the words "road or bridge" after Obama's phrase: "You didn't build that...", then listen to the whole paragraph again to hear the context. It's clear that this is precisely what Obama was referring to by his "THAT".
Rove and the republicans are purposely distorting what Elizabeth Warren and Obama have said. It takes our whole society to provide the infrastructure so businesses can succeed. It's really pathetic what they are doing.
With all that money you'd think they'd hire more actors!
Hey American Crossroads. About you logo: You didn't build that. Bank of America made that happen.
I suggest Karl Rove keep his small business in his pants
the person that says it's ok to use stock photos - if they are trying to make the voters believe that small business owners are saying a certain thing (that the candidate wants the voters to believe), but those aren't really small business owners, they are out and out lying to the voters. Why can't they find small business owners that DO feel as the candidate says they do, who are willing to do an ad for them? If there are so many small business owners who feel as they say they do, let's hear it from THEM.
It gets even funnier / more disturbing.
Marc Kiekenapp "Small Business Owner" (first appearing at 0:17 sec) is in fact, a specialist in franchise development. Before he branched out into assisting small companies with branding their franchises better - he was "Vice President of Development for Service Brands, Inc. whose brands include Molly Maid, Mr. Handyman and 1-800 DryClean."
Here's one link to a bio on him (with beard!): http://www.weewatchfranchise.com/meet-our-team-wee-watch.php
John Heinrich (0:21 sec) runs a website called The Solutions Forum, for small businesses www.thesolutionsforum.com He also publishes a newsletter, "which is distributed electronically to 650 of Arizona’s most influential political and business leaders." as well as co-creating and mentoring at a small business school. In other words, his business is (much like Marc K.'s) making money from small business owners. He may of genuine assistance to them, but his "small business" is yours.
More information lauding him can be found here: http://www.nfib.com/nfib-in-my-state/nfib-in-my-state-content?cmsid=54452
Gloria Burkhardt (0:25) is a hard woman to find unless she's the brunette real estate agent "done down" for the ad. Otherwise she's a ghost for now.
Michael Schafer looks like he's President / Owner at Michael Schafer Custom Homes. They specialize in building custom homes that range from 3000 to 9000 square ft. He also works as a home inspector. In other words, he's a major real estate (emphasis on "estate") developer, who happens to own his own companies.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-schafer/31/103/634
http://www.michaelschafercustomhomes.com/site/splash.htm
They also do renovations. Kudzu lists the average price of one of their projects at $10K.
http://www.kudzu.com/m/Michael-Schafer-Custom-Homes-and-Remodel-30005231
Ginger Gillespie may be a doctor. I can't find any photos of her to confirm if that's the right "Ginger". Even the page for the university she teaches at as a clinical instructor lists "photo not available".
http://www.einstein.yu.edu/faculty/profile.asp?id=12129
So.
Those are the "small" business people included in the ad.
GOOD WORK!!!!!
Who cares Christine? It is all good and fine to disect this silly TV ad, but for the average voter that does very little research when it comes to elections, they will not see your comments. I would imagine everyone here knows who they are going to vote for and this ad will not make a difference...whether or not they used actors or real small business owners. And you know what? It shouldn't matter, because if you are voting, you should not be basing you vote on TV ads.
Bur hey, I guess we can make fun of it and other stupid ads from any candidate or party, but the real problem is that they are needed at all.
Skip. Clearly you care, or you wouldn't be trying so hard to dissuade people from bringing these issues to light. Here's why it matters:
It's thanks to Citizen's United and the unprecedented amount of funding that it allows from hidden sources that this election needs grassroots campaign support, and word-of-mouth education more than even before. The only way we have to drown out those with seemingly endless coffers is to find a new venue.
The internet happens to be one option - and based on your behavior, I'd guess you're already well aware of that fact. Where ever we choose to speak, we should do so intelligently, and discuss topics thoroughly. This discussion isn't just about the candidate, but about the behavior of those who paid for and promoted this ad.
If you'll go back and read what I wrote, you'll note that I didn't make fun of the ad at all. What I did was point out the duplicity of representing wealthy individuals who own very profitable "small" companies (and those who make their money off of small business owners) under the label "Small Business Owner". The description (and intentional dressing down to appear more neighborly) was used to deliberately make those people seem to be struggling business owners.
They're not. In fact, the people named in the ad were probably all Romney donators.
By finding that out - and telling people here - I've started a network of people correcting the story. Lots of people will never see my comments directly, but several people WILL hear about who those people really are. If I never bothered to post, they'd never know at all.
So.
Take your trollish ways elsewhere. They don't fly here. I won't respond to another comment from you, each troll only gets one answer from me.
OK Christine, but my point was the vast vast majority of voters do not go to small blogs like this and will not even think of the election until November so your education will fall on blind eyes so to speak.
I have been called troll here before because I point out other angles of the topics and usually get called that... if you are not in unison with everyone here that's the title. And I have no problem with it. You can feel that you put me in my place if you like :)
You do not point out other angles , you expose your own gop distorted views , you are not in unison with everyone because you are presenting gop fact less garbage , so that does make you a troll
I always enjoy it when people posting on the internet , claim people posting on the internet are just wasting time , yet another classic gop troll move , keep up the good troll work skip
Political ads are definitely to be held under scrutiny. Like never before. They have always used distortions, but we knew who was doing it. Does the public even know when the email sent out making claims to look up on Snopes to see the facts or who American Crossroads is?
The point is, people here Julia Nutter and Christine Fisher are to be commended for researching and bring this to our attention. You know when you go to lunch some day a coworker or fellow student or whatever someone might bring up how Obama said that (stripped down to distort what he said). Now we know more of the truth about this. Is that really so wrong? Knowing something about the (ridiculously inaccurate) political ads and debating it?
The trouble is a whole lot of people believe that phony baloney. I have been trying to encourage people to stop being so gullible for years.
This is a lie and should be called out for the lie and show the depth of the lie. AND people should be advised to stop accepting such ads as truth, even if they have a name plate of "warm and fuzzy American values" slapped on it.
Shirley Sherrod. Shirley Sherrod. Shirley Sherrod. That was the SAME kind of lie told on her. For the same reason, to sully her for political reasons.
Never let me get curious with time to spare.
Commendable. I wish more people would be so inclined.
Inept would be an understatement. But no problem. Rove will just come up with another BS ad.
And the sheeple will accept it uncritically, and the weasel trolls will try to pretend it's no big deal.
They don't know any small business people, only great big ones that give a lot of money to scam the American people!!!!!!!!Lying little troll!!!!!!