www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4449053,00.html

Celebrities Appear in New Anti-Bush Ads


Wednesday August 25, 2004 1:01 AM

By BETH FOUHY
Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Young blacks walk to a city polling place, only to be blocked by a menacing white cop. Businessmen unwillingly parachute into Iraq. When Americans begin disappearing from their jobs, actor Matt Damon says, ``George Bush - it's his job, or yours.''

Each scenario is part of a new series of anti-Bush ads created for MoveOn.org, an upstart political group that uses the Internet and other media to skewer the president and his policies.

The release Tuesday of 10 ads coincides with the final 10 weeks of the presidential campaign. The spots draw on the talents of A-list directors like John Sayles, Rob Reiner and Doug Liman and stars that include Scarlett Johansson and Kevin Bacon.

Many of the spots likely will remain on the Internet, circling among activists, rather than appearing on television. MoveOn says that while it has committed to a multimillion-dollar ad campaign throughout the fall, it will test market the ads and commit to airing only those that have a discernible impact on voters.

``We let creative people be creative, then throw it at testing and see what sticks,'' said MoveOn political director Eli Pariser.

Benny Boom, a leading hip-hop video director, produced the first ad in the series MoveOn will release. The group has committed to airing it next week on cable channels that target urban voters.

``We've got to get George W. Bush out of office, and it's very important that kids understand what a serious condition the world is in with this madman,'' Boom said.

With a throbbing bass line and wailing sirens in the background, Boon's ad shows a white police officer confronting young blacks out to vote. ``Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's the problem?'' the officer asks. ``No problem - we're here to vote,'' a young man says, and those in the group raise their voting cards.

In a playful animated spot voiced by Bacon, Johansson and longtime actor-activist Ed Asner, a flight attendant straps parachutes to businessmen chortling over war profits and then pushes them out over Iraq. Bacon asks, ``What if the same men who profited from the war were asked to fight it?''

The ad featuring Damon reunites him with Liman, who directed their 2002 hit ``The Bourne Identity.'' In that spot, various working people - doctors, firefighters, auto factory workers and teachers - disappear as they do their jobs. ``Since George W. Bush has been in power, he has lost over 1 million jobs. That's more than any president has lost since the Great Depression. George Bush - it's his job, or yours,'' Damon says.

Jonathan Wilcox, a Republican strategist who teaches a course on politics and celebrity at the University of Southern California, said MoveOn's ads are not likely to resonate outside the group's core audience.

``These ads are artistic portrayals, cool and interesting, that play to only themselves,'' Wilcox said. ``They don't intend to turn a single undecided voter.''

[Homer]Celebrities . . . is there anything they don't know?[Homer]

That's one thing I don't get.  The Dems always claim that blacks are blocked from polling places and denied their vote.  Are there any proven cases of this in recent elections?  It seems like typical Democrat race-baiting.

I've heard about people mistakenly being on felon lists and such as that, but they can cast a provisional ballot that will be counted if they get their records straightened out (at least, that's my understanding).

These people refuse to be confused by the facts.

Quoted: That's one thing I don't get.  The Dems always claim that blacks are blocked from polling places and denied their vote.  Are there any proven cases of this in recent elections?  It seems like typical Democrat race-baiting. I've heard about people mistakenly being on felon lists and such as that, but they can cast a provisional ballot that will be counted if they get their records straightened out (at least, that's my understanding).

Dammit, I liked Scarlett Johansssen.

The best reason to vote for Bush is because "celebrities" are against him.

Benny Boom, a leading hip-hop video director, produced the first ad in the series MoveOn will release. The group has committed to airing it next week on cable channels that target urban voters.

So I guess the commercial will be a bunch of chunky girls in g-strings ass-clapping to anti Bush messages. Meanwhile, $200,000 sports cars drive up with license plates reading "NOBUSH" and "GOPSUX". Neat.

I bet the people who own MoveOn.dot.org are praying for Bush to win otherwise they will lose a 'gravytrain'!

BigDozer66

Quoted: That's one thing I don't get.  The Dems always claim that blacks are blocked from polling places and denied their vote.  Are there any proven cases of this in recent elections?  It seems like typical Democrat race-baiting. I've heard about people mistakenly being on felon lists and such as that, but they can cast a provisional ballot that will be counted if they get their records straightened out (at least, that's my understanding).

It's a get out the vote tactic, nothing more.