Video: Ron Paul Is Your New Pickup Truck


Libertarian presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is taking to the airwaves with a “fun and energetic” new ad that’s heavy on graphic animation…and gumption. The spot—titled “Big Dog”—is laden with so much lush, manly word salad that NPR’s calling it one of the “coolest commercials” of the season. “What’s up with these sorry politicians?” the ad’s gravely narrator growls. “Lots of bark, but when it’s showtime? Whimpering like little shih tzus. You want BIG CUTS? Ron Paul’s been screaming it FOR YEARS!”

Take a look:

Original, no? Actually, no. If you’ve watched any football on TV since the middle of 2008 NFL season, you’ve seen something like this:

That’s Denis “No Cure For Cancer” Leary doing a voiceover for Ford pickup trucks. Seems like Paul’s campaign is trying to appeal to the same demographic targeted by Ford when it went after “core truckers” who are into “football, NASCAR, pro bull riding, or country music.” Bloomberg Businessweek ID’d those consumers less flatteringly as “‘image’ buyers…folks who are weekend warriors/Home Depot shoppers who liked the idea of a pickup when gas was $1.50 per gallon.” The political analog for Ford’s “image” buyer, I suppose, are folks who occasionally follow politics and liked the idea of Atlas Shrugged when their college tuition was being covered by government loans. If you’re male, youngish, into proving that you’re male and youngish, and a sucker for ads that suggest you’d never be a sucker for ads, then Ford wants to be your truck, and Ron Paul wants to be your candidate.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate