Video: John Edwards’ awful Christmas ad
posted at 6:12 pm on December 19, 2007 by Bryan
John Edwards and Hillary Clinton are trying to one-up each other on the politics in their Christmas ads, but where Hillary attempted humor (and revealed her statist ways), Edwards goes dour and reveals that he’s just a sourpuss. He is the candidate for angry nutroots, after all, and they tend to be Scrooges 24/7/365.
Dark lighting, a Christmas tree that’s all but invisible, indistinct background music, certainly no crosses or overt references to Christmas to be found anywhere in the ad so he won’t generate any conspiracy theories. When he ticks off the poverty stats and asks “Who will speak for them?” let’s just say that a silky millionaire trial lawyer isn’t the first person to come to my mind. The ad’s about as sterile and lame as a Christmas ad can get. It really isn’t a Christmas ad so much as an ad that happens to air around Christmas. It’s a flop.
Blowback
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Who speaks for those homeless veterans?
Why, filthy rich parasitic trial lawyers like me who live in a mansion that could literally provide shelter to hundreds of homeless people, even though I’d never dare let them onto my property, that’s who!
thirteen28 on December 19, 2007 at 6:17 PM
Could he have placed the Christmas tree, the only visual reference to Christmas, any further out of the frame?
amerpundit on December 19, 2007 at 6:18 PM
It was really dark in there.
Maybe he had company, while his wife was at the doctors office.
TheSitRep on December 19, 2007 at 6:21 PM
JE seems pretty hypocritical for me, but not for his wealth instead for his actions. Same with Gore/global warming.
Just out of curio, Bryan, what do see as necessary for the moral authority to speak that message? Not rich? Not lawyer? More genuine? Who should be the face of that message?
Spirit of 1776 on December 19, 2007 at 6:21 PM
I think his possible love child scandal is much more troublesome for him than this ad…but this was bad too.
Afterimage on December 19, 2007 at 6:22 PM
ugh.
and when Edwards says “speak for you,” he means like those fetuses he channeled in those OB-GYN lawsuits that made him so much dough. It’s easier to “speak for” those who cannot contradict him.
sulla on December 19, 2007 at 6:22 PM
I’m sure he’s got a few old cardboard boxes he could give to the homeless.
Kini on December 19, 2007 at 6:23 PM
Surprised all the Dem’s haven’t done spanish versions.
JiangxiDad on December 19, 2007 at 6:23 PM
As a recovering liberal of about 15 years, I still haven’t figured out WHY liberals are so miserable. I just remember BEING miserable about everything! I wasted so much time, and John Edwards is just a waste.
SouthernGent on December 19, 2007 at 6:23 PM
I asked in the thread about Stalinary’s Christmas ad, but no one answered, so I’ll ask again…
Did presidential candidates always do Christmas ads, or was Huckaschmuck the first, and now they’re all playing catch-up?
Frozen Tex on December 19, 2007 at 6:24 PM
As bad as the ad is … it’s exactly what liberals tend to fall in love with.
Gregor on December 19, 2007 at 6:25 PM
He had to make sure that that he didnt offend the nutroots by pandering to the “Crazy Evangelicals” and get that Christmas Tree in the shot.
broker1 on December 19, 2007 at 6:26 PM
Speaking of Christmas cards, is the HA crew planning another video Christmas greeting this year? I’m thinking maybe a living nativity scene that morphs into a rockin’ rendition of “Felice Navidad.”
RedWinged Blackbird on December 19, 2007 at 6:28 PM
Nearly anyone but Edwards. I wouldn’t hit that message in a Christmas ad, personally, but that’s just me. It doesn’t do anything useful for him. It just reminds people that he’s a millionaire with a sound file in his head about poverty.
As to the Christmas ads themselves, I suspect that it has less to do with Huck than with the caucus being so close to Christmas. They have to get these ads out now because no one will be paying much attention next week.
Bryan on December 19, 2007 at 6:37 PM
Wait…wasn’t that just an old advertisement for his law firm?
“Any problem you have will be rectified immediately by the government if you elect me. And even if that turns out to be totally unrealistic, unfeasible, and unfordable – At least I can help you make up an excuse to get bloody rich suing someones *ss off. I’m John Edwards and I approve this message.”
What a freaking tool.
whatthecrap on December 19, 2007 at 6:38 PM
Won’t that Alberta commission thingy get you for calling him Huckaschmuck?
JiangxiDad on December 19, 2007 at 6:38 PM
Heh. True. Thanks, I thought he was just playing on the ‘giving season’. Kind of surprised though, considering last debate was all about middle class, middle class, middle class that he would pick back up his poverty theme.
Spirit of 1776 on December 19, 2007 at 6:39 PM
HUCKASCHMUCK! HUCKASCHMUCK! HUCKASCMUCK!
Frozen Tex on December 19, 2007 at 6:40 PM
So Fred still has Thursday, and half of Friday to catch on fire.
JiangxiDad on December 19, 2007 at 6:41 PM
First off, he doesn’t look like a real presidential candidate as much as someone playing the part of a presidential candidate, like an actor in an insurance commercial or something. And by directly addressing a topic like the homeless (veterans or not) right off the top, he automatically seems to exclude those who aren’t from his Christmas (er, holiday) greeting. He might as well have said, “Some people don’t like egg nog at this time of year. We speak for you…You will not be forgotten.” His attempt at being all-inclusive ends up (as is usually the case with efforts like this from the left) rather exclusionary. And wearing that dark suit in what looks like a funeral home with a Christmas tree (barely) in it? It’s like a weatherman wearing green in front of a ChromaKey weather map.
Captain Scarlet on December 19, 2007 at 6:43 PM
Wait… Is that supposed to be a Christmas Tree in the back or is he in a steakhouse or some sort of nice restaurant?
Skywise on December 19, 2007 at 6:43 PM
Pretty sure it’s in the English pub he had transported from the Cotswolds and installed in his country home.
JiangxiDad on December 19, 2007 at 6:48 PM
Who speaks for those homeless veterans?
Why, filthy rich parasitic trial lawyers like me who live in a mansion that could literally provide shelter to hundreds of homeless people, even though I’d never dare let them onto my property, that’s who!
thirteen28 on December 19, 2007 at 6:17 PM
This illustrates it perfectly. Edwards is worth millions and millions. If he had funded a homeless shelter out of his money, or set up trust funds for college for fatherless youths in the inner city, then I would believe him.
But he lives the life of a limo liberal, who I have no respect for. Practice what you preach brother. Not with other people’s money, but your own.
Rightwingsparkle on December 19, 2007 at 6:52 PM
Ugh. Can’t believe I used to fall for this liberal “we speak for you” and “we’ll take care of all your needs (at the taxpayers’ expense)” load o’ cr*p.
Bad Penny on December 19, 2007 at 6:53 PM
Hmmm…. nothing yet. Of course, I’m not in Alberta.
Frozen Tex on December 19, 2007 at 7:06 PM
So, all you homeless people head over to John’s estate for Christmas…with 28,000-square-feet of house, he’s got plenty of room!
CP on December 19, 2007 at 7:07 PM
That’s actually a really good idea. The NYT should send some grimey homeless people with a hidden camera to knock on their door on Christmas eve.
Bad Penny on December 19, 2007 at 7:17 PM
“John.. I served under Santa and … your no Santa.”
amend2 on December 19, 2007 at 7:18 PM
If he had his family with him in this ad he would have had to choose which one. Which one would garner more sympathy? Cancer wife or preggo girlfriend?
mattshu on December 19, 2007 at 7:18 PM
Best Idea Of The Day! Someone organize it, quick!
Frozen Tex on December 19, 2007 at 7:26 PM
I’m not entirely convinced that was even a Christmas tree!
Looked a lot like the lit up greenery I hang around the archway near the mistletoe. Come to think of it, it looks kind of dark just like the archway where I hang the mistletoe. Maybe he DID have company…
JEFF_IN_NC on December 19, 2007 at 7:46 PM
This is pure reindeer manure. This guy and his party hate the military and all the heroes that serve in it. He lives on a huge personal compound across the street from a trailer park and has the nerve to wish the homeless all the best.
We won the war for Christmas so the Dems can use it to peddle their hypocritical election rhetoric?
Hening on December 19, 2007 at 8:11 PM
Feliz Navidad…
d1carter on December 19, 2007 at 8:34 PM
To be a bit contrary, to say that a rich man cannot address the problems of the poor seems to me like a version of the “chickenhawk” argument we so disdain.
mikeyboss on December 19, 2007 at 10:04 PM
HOLIDAY tree.
Holiday. Tree.
greggriffith on December 19, 2007 at 10:55 PM
I laughed out loud.
MrC_5150 on December 19, 2007 at 11:15 PM
What a putz.
D2Boston on December 20, 2007 at 1:00 AM
I wonder what John Edwards is getting his former campaign worker cum mistress and his illegimate child for Chrsitmas.
I bet she wants money… lots and lots of money.
SilverStar830 on December 20, 2007 at 1:14 AM
Why is he wearing an “O” pin?
Brat on December 20, 2007 at 8:51 AM
Do you think John Edwards wrote that message or a clandestine Hillary supporter on his staff wrote it?
Referencing Bryan’s Scrooge comment 24/7/365. I agree 100% but I always thought 24/7/365 should be 24/7/52.
Guest1.1 on December 20, 2007 at 9:19 AM
Hey, didn’t Jesus hate poverty? If anything, Edwards’ Christmas ad is following Christ’s example. Blessed be the meek, etc.
Enrique on December 20, 2007 at 10:29 AM