Stop, Hammertime

The web is aflutter with speculation over who created a pro-Obama, or Probama spoof of the famous Apple, "1984" commercial in which old time Clintonianism gets smashed by the message to vote different.

On the creator: [One web site editor] says that suggests [the creator is] "someone who is definitely -- at a minimum -- a political junkie ... and someone who is quite astute, if not a professional, on how to do message work."

That line made me smirk. Anyone else?

And of course, this predictable reaction:

Chris Finnie, a Santa Cruz-based Democratic operative, said the widespread coverage given to the mashup in GOP circles suggests the ad could have come from a Republican operative and smacks of "Swift Boat" tactics used in 2004 against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

"It killed two birds with one stone," she said, by sharply attacking Clinton as being a political drone and smudging "Obama's positioning as the 'Mr. Clean' of politics. This is politics as usual, and by running a smear ad that is associated with him, it puts a dent in that image."

Sigh. Because it never really matters what anyone says or what is actually meant. It only matters what someone, somewhere, can convince you was REALLY going on. We call that "spin" for short, you see.

Anyway - here's the video. And hey, when did that hammertossing gal get an iPod?

btw: To my tastes, that ad is the equivalent of Citizen Kane; lauded as a peerless advertising accomplishment but really kinda not that great. But, a political ad that builds off the common understanding of both the commercial's conventionally understood wisdom and the cultural artifact that it is - that is genius, no argument here.

btw again: The article comments on whether Apple is likely to sue over copyright infringement. Hmmm. Perhaps not. But if they didn't, I'd count it as an in-kind to Obama's camp because that comany may Think Different, but it Sues Same.