Video: Barack Obama’s Christmas ad
posted at 6:46 pm on December 19, 2007 by Bryan
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Obama’s team knows how to produce a Christmas ad. He has his whole family around him and they all look beautiful, there’s a fire in the fireplace, gifts under the tree and it looks as if they were all just rasslin’ around and looked up, saw the camera and started thanking everyone for being so gosh darn nice to the Obama family. Having the cute as can be daughters deliver the last lines is gold. This ad takes a solid second place behind the Huckabee ad, but it won’t generate any useful controversy.
There’s one badly written line, when Obama says “We all have a stake in each other.” Ouch. Is Hillary’s stake six inches deep in Obama’s back or sticking out of Edwards’ forehead? Both, most likely.
The serene scene doesn’t turn suddenly into a mad slasher flick, but it’s a clanger of a line in an otherwise very good ad. It’s head and shoulders above both Hillary’s and Edwards’ ads.
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Hmm… of all of the Christmas spots, I think this one was the most… “real”
(and dear GOD somebody put the caucuses back to February because I NEVER want to see these ads again…)
Skywise on December 19, 2007 at 6:49 PM
That would make for an interesting and entertaining ad…
Silky: “NOT THE HAIR! NOT THE HAIR!“
Frozen Tex on December 19, 2007 at 6:50 PM
I won’t vote for him, but this one clearly was better than any of the others. All the others seem forced to one degree or another, give BO credit for coming across as genuine.
thirteen28 on December 19, 2007 at 6:51 PM
Best in show. I don’t like his politics, but still charming at times.
Spirit of 1776 on December 19, 2007 at 6:52 PM
None, not one of these ads, does anything for me. I don’t want personal greetings from people I don’t know. It’s insincere. I know I’m in the minority but when my insurance agent sends me a birthday card I want to hurl.
Leave me alone with my family at PRIVATE holiday times.
JiangxiDad on December 19, 2007 at 6:53 PM
Near-perfection.
After your intro, Bryan, I was prepared for the stake part, but I still couldn’t help laughing out loud when I heard it.
Otherwise, smooth as can be.
aero on December 19, 2007 at 6:54 PM
Yep, much better than Silky’s or Hill’s.
Mr. Bingley on December 19, 2007 at 6:55 PM
It is a good one.
Bradky on December 19, 2007 at 6:56 PM
Best Christmas ad yet by far.
muyoso on December 19, 2007 at 6:57 PM
My favorites are the ones from my dentist. “HAPPY HOLIDAYS! AND DON’T FORGET TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SOME VERY EXPENSIVE AND PAINFUL DENTAL WORK SOON!” (or at least that’s how I read them) With the obligatory happy tooth character wearing a Santa hat, of course.
aero on December 19, 2007 at 6:57 PM
I didn’t take the Transylvanian intpretation of stake, but it bothered me that yet another liberal is claiming a stake in my money.
pedestrian on December 19, 2007 at 6:57 PM
Only 100x better than Huck’s
Constant Parrhesia on December 19, 2007 at 6:59 PM
And he gets points for saying “Merry Christmas” before the obligatory “Happy Holidays” crap.
Mr. Bingley on December 19, 2007 at 6:59 PM
Cheesy, hackneyed, insipid…perfect.
Just what the couch-monkey mouth-breathers want to lap up at this time of year.
Good job Obama!
Ochlan on December 19, 2007 at 7:00 PM
I think you guys are get snookered by the Cute Kids rule; a corollary of that Pretty Girl rule that AP keeps going on about. ;-)
This one was okay, not great. It’s just that the others are so bad in comparison.
baldilocks on December 19, 2007 at 7:00 PM
I cannot take this wife. Not at all. I am looking forward to First Lady Jeri Thompson. In a fire helmet.
CrimsonFisted on December 19, 2007 at 7:04 PM
Cute kids. Good ad. They’d make a really nice first family. His socialist policies would trash the economy, but at least he’d be able to give moving speeches to encourage us in our times of trouble.
I wonder why Huckleberry didn’t include his kids in his Xmas ad?
Bad Penny on December 19, 2007 at 7:04 PM
You mean the dog-hanger?
Frozen Tex on December 19, 2007 at 7:07 PM
Ok…that was just nasty.
ChrisM on December 19, 2007 at 7:08 PM
Bryan, you’re right about that line, it seems kind of odd, but otherwise, a nice and well-done ad.
CP on December 19, 2007 at 7:09 PM
Bryan, you’re a bit trigger happy with these Christmas ads, calm down.
Nonfactor on December 19, 2007 at 7:11 PM
Yeah, the dog hanger. They could have had him in the ad hanging a dog ornament on the tree.
Bad Penny on December 19, 2007 at 7:13 PM
Well that’s a non-substantive criticism. I’m doing this thing called my job.
Bryan on December 19, 2007 at 7:14 PM
In his case not appreciably different than an ice cream cone.
Speakup on December 19, 2007 at 7:15 PM
You’re so mean. :-D
baldilocks on December 19, 2007 at 7:17 PM
Geez, HA is a blog not 48hours a story doesn’t have to drone on forever here.
Speakup on December 19, 2007 at 7:19 PM
hm.. Well keeps hitting the “uniter” out of the park.
amend2 on December 19, 2007 at 7:20 PM
When all the candidates release their Christmas ads, can HA set up a poll for the one we like the most? This one was a good one, as I thought was Huckabee’s. The Clinton and Edwards ones were bad, and Rudy’s was just average.
IMHO, of course.
asc85 on December 19, 2007 at 7:20 PM
Huck just brings it out in me. Which makes me think it must really be killing John Stewart to be off the air during the Huck surge. So many Deliverance jokes going un-told!
Bad Penny on December 19, 2007 at 7:20 PM
Ha! Ha! Ha! Good one Oprah, uh…I mean Harpo!
And god bless us eveeeryone!
Ching ching ching…ching ching ching…Ching ching all the way…
RMR on December 19, 2007 at 7:28 PM
My best laugh of the day!
Frozen Tex on December 19, 2007 at 7:30 PM
The wife was ok in this but I still think she’s a nut. Kids are adorable, good job overall. Simple and effective.
Dash on December 19, 2007 at 7:49 PM
Man…those are some cute kids. Not as cute as my daughter, but that goes without saying, really.
Good ad. Unlike Hillary, his charm is effortless.
Slublog on December 19, 2007 at 7:58 PM
Happy Gestalt from Osama.
What the heck is he talking about? Star Wars has a better system of epiphenomenalism
Is that Oprah theology?
Hening on December 19, 2007 at 8:06 PM
OMG!
Look over Mrs. Obama’s shoulder! There is the distinct shape of a . . . .
A CROSS!!!!!!!!!!!
Alert the media!!!
What a scandal. This will surely sink is campaign.
JoeRed on December 19, 2007 at 8:13 PM
Thanks for the ads Bryan. It’s like one stop shopping. Now Barry… get that dam stake out of me or else…
Griz on December 19, 2007 at 8:28 PM
Maybe she’s a Christian.
JiangxiDad on December 19, 2007 at 8:33 PM
yep, that’s better
tlynch001 on December 19, 2007 at 8:42 PM
Mmmmmmm, steak!
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on December 19, 2007 at 8:59 PM
As I watched this kept playing in my head.
Alden Pyle on December 19, 2007 at 9:30 PM
Alden Pyle:
Way to play the race card. It’s good to know that you wear your idiocy on your sleeve!
congsan on December 19, 2007 at 11:01 PM
Good ad for a single malt.
Or term life.
Prez?
Nah.
profitsbeard on December 19, 2007 at 11:15 PM
Great stuff Alden pyle! Acting all clean and articulate. Trying to be civilize and all. Must think they are white-or something.
RMR on December 19, 2007 at 11:33 PM
the stake line didn’t bug me as much (he inflected it pretty well) as that cheesy chuckle he let out at the very end
urbancenturion on December 19, 2007 at 11:50 PM
Very well done — the guy may be a political lightweight in terms of experience, but he’s by far the most affable on the Dem side.
D2Boston on December 20, 2007 at 12:58 AM
Whomever wears the pants in the family should speak first when delivering that message. Of course, She speaks first; with all the vim and vigor of a 21st Century infomercial millionaire selling her deepest most closely guarded get-rich-quick scheme.
…I really loathe that woman
SilverStar830 on December 20, 2007 at 1:05 AM
I strongly disagree with his political views, but damn if that wasn’t a good Xmas ad.
Good show, Barack.
JG2K6 on December 20, 2007 at 1:44 AM
Agree with you, Bryan. When Hillary asked where she put the universal pre-K, I wanted to reach through the TV and strangle her. Edwards is just an ideological teenager.
Connie on December 20, 2007 at 2:29 AM
The abortionites wish you a Merry Christmas.
saved on December 20, 2007 at 6:04 AM
This was nice, I must say. Everybody is following the Huck! They actually used the words Merry Christmas!
JellyToast on December 20, 2007 at 7:30 AM
This went right over my head. Is there a link to this missing?
Hening on December 20, 2007 at 7:53 AM
There’s a link in Pyle’s message, Hening.
congsan on December 20, 2007 at 12:05 PM
Interesting, but I think you are reading your own biases into my post.
As a longtime fan of The Jeffersons, I was making the overtly obvious link that both are nouveau riche, African-American families who move into a predominantly white dominated demographic, (in both business and social cicles) and then struggle to develop ties into this alien world which brings to life occasionally fractious and/or comedic, relationships and social intercourse due to the tightrope they walk between the two worlds.
Not sure what you were thinking… but maybe you should analyze your own self rightous pontification before you designate yourself the didact of the Barak Hussein Obama cause.
That said, I do believe both he and his wife are socialists and his support of affirmative action policies are, prima facia evidence (making promotional and hiring decisions based on race rather than skills, accomplishments and education), that he is a racist.
Alden Pyle on December 20, 2007 at 1:08 PM
I’m not a supporter, let alone the substantively incorrect use of the word “didact” that you claim I am, of Obama. It just does little good to the conservative cause to relate his campaign to the Jefferson’s.
I assume that most people don’t have such a generous reading of the Jefferson’s, nor would they be keen to compare them to the highly achieved senator.
Oh, and good use of a thesaurus.
congsan on December 20, 2007 at 4:20 PM
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