Barrett Releases New Ad
Sorry, but this is trashy.
Barrett does not speak in his new minute-long ad titled “Stand Up.” Instead, his wife Kris describes getting the phone call from her sister-in-law that night in August 2009 telling her of the attack.
Barrett, 56, suffered injuries to his head, mouth, face and hand in last year’s attack. He was trying to help a screaming woman who was struggling to protect her 1-year-old granddaughter from being taken by the child’s drunk, belligerent father.
The ad also features news footage from the night of the beating as well as clips of the West Allis police chief describing how Barrett was “viciously attacked by a desperate individual.” A picture of Barrett’s bloodied face appears on the screen for about five seconds.
“I know and our kids know that their dad will always stand up for them,” Kris Barrett says at the end of the ad as Barrett is shown walking down the street with her, their four children and their dog. “And he will always stand up for Wisconsin.”
We all know what Barrett did and I think he has rightfully garnered universal praise for his actions that day. But to use that in a campaign ad as a reason to vote for him is trashy. It’s like the guy who brags at the bar about manhandling a purse snatcher. Yeah, it’s a good thing, but nobody likes a braggart.
So since Barrett brought this issue up as a campaign issue, is it fair game for campaign fodder? Or is it still off-limits?
First, I think it’s entirely presumptive for you to say “we all know what Barrett did” and I suspect you know that very well. The “we” that we are a part of (those who pay attention to politics) is a pretty small group. I’m guessing there are a lot of people in Wisconsin who have no real idea of the details regarding this event, if they even know of it at all.
Furthermore, is this any better or worse than Rebecca Kleefisch wrapping herself in Jesus lit, which similarly is nothing more than an effort to get people to vote for her based on a character trait (in that case, her faith)?
Politicians do this all the time. If Candidate X is on his third wife or suffered a messy divorce, Candidate Y is out there with pretty pictures of his family and kids. Everyone knows what the message is, even if he’s not saying it.
To the extent that some voters believe that character matters more than accomplishment, we’re always going to have to endure ads like this. But would you be so critical if the shoe were on the other foot and it was Walker running an ad like this? Or is this another one-way street whereby you’ll criticize a Democrat for something you’d give a Republican a free pass over?
People can’t say that character matters and then whine when the guy they don’t like just happens to have a lot of it. Unless they’re hypocrites, of course, in which case anything goes.
Posted by Recess Supervisor on September 09, 2010 at 1942 hrs
Character does matter, and there is no doubt that Mayor Barrett acted heroically. But for him to do this ad himself is kinda like a bride throwing her own bridal shower. People might still go, but they’ll think it’s shitty.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 09, 2010 at 1948 hrs
By the way, we were on vacation when the attack happened. We saw the story on TV in three different states. Anyone who cares at all knows this happened.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 09, 2010 at 1956 hrs
This ad has NOTHING to do with introducing Tom and his heroism to the world.
It has everything to do with evoking an emotional reaction from the viewer, so that when the political “punches” start flying, said viewer will react something to the effect of, “Well, how nasty of that GOP to attack…, Tom Barrett has suffered enough.” or something along those lines.
Kids, this is ACT 2. Act 1 was feigning outrage over Scott Walker’s boxing gloves.
This is a phony ad in poor taste and transparency. I hope voters see the manipulation and the condescension in the ad. Owen is right, if Barrett introduces his beating into the political fight, then his opponents get to call this ad what it is… emotional manipulation of the worst kind.
Why not just print T-Shirts and bumper stickers with a picture of Barrett’s beaten and bloodied face? How would that be different. Team Barrett has whatever mockery of his beating coming after playing this card.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 09, 2010 at 2037 hrs
Let’s see, Walker runs an ad showing him with boxing gloves, and immediately the high-ranking douche bags at the DPW jump up and down like little babies that somehow Walker is mocking Barrett. I don’t think he was, but the babies threw a temper tantrum all the same.
And now, Barrett runs this “pat on back” ad. I say, it’s time for Walker to take the gloves off. Barrett has now made it fair game.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 09, 2010 at 2052 hrs
I have to be honest….defending against that thug is about the only thing positive Tom Barrett has accomplished for the City in his years in office.
Can’t blame him for playing it up.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 09, 2010 at 2056 hrs
I’m not surprised he did an ad like this…what else does he have to run on? Now, I am surprised he pulled out the “I’m a beat up hero” card so soon.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 09, 2010 at 2109 hrs
I would like to see an ad that responds somewhat like this:
“You may have seen my opponents ad on TV recently. Well if my opponent was tough on crime, he might not have had this problem. My opponent also endorsed Governor Doyle’s plan to release some criminals from prisons. Do you want someone to run your state that is soft on crime?”
Or something like that.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 09, 2010 at 2152 hrs
Damn, Publius. You’re even more cynical than I am.
Of course, that doesn’t change the fact you nailed it.
Posted by steveegg on September 10, 2010 at 0556 hrs
I particularly like the part where she says “There are certain types of people…they just respond. And I don’t think he ever thought about it.”
So, he doesn’t think? He just acts? Uses his gut, just like G.W. Bush?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 10, 2010 at 0731 hrs
And just like GW Bush, Barrett uses misfortune as a reason to vote for him. I think we’d all heard about 9/11 prior to the 2002 election, but GW acted like everyone was out of town that day.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 10, 2010 at 0746 hrs
Please provide a link to your post calling Scott Walker “trashy” for waving around boxing gloves in an ad in which he promised to “fight” Tom Barrett.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 10, 2010 at 1039 hrs
I think it’s a bad move on Barrett’s part. It highlights (at least to me) that no matter what he steps into, he ends up being on the wrong end of the stick.
He’s been ineffectual in all of the offices he’s held to this point, and he’s going to carry that legacy to any others he may get elected to. Good thing for him, Wisconsin is full of stupid people who vote for candidates solely on name recognition rather than record.Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 10, 2010 at 1144 hrs
He tried to stop an attack and will lose most of the use of his hand
(That rarely happens at a bridal shower, even one called by the bride.)in today’s world, where folks talk gamely and then try not to be involved-that shows character and if you don"t agree, you’re an dope .
It doesn"t mean he should be governor,but it means he’s different than most of us.
They call Scott Walker “courageous” because he wanted to close some pools in underpriveleged neighborhoods.
That word comes pretty cheap these days
If I were running the Barett campaign - the ad would say
Voiceover“some folks go to school and finsh,
a smaller # of folks get their post graduate degree’s
a much ,much smaller number step in when others are threatened physically
many of us do none of these things and that’s OK
Tom Barret -check, check and check- for Governor
PS- ANY democratic candidate whips Scott walker in a fight.(man or woman)
Now Walker against our Glen G- that I would pay to see.Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 10, 2010 at 1323 hrs
There are plenty of folks who would step in to stop an attack. Kudos to Tom for being one of them.
... however, this does not imply in any way that Tom would make a good Governor. I’d say that the state of his own city might be a better barometer of what sort of governor he’d be. Milwaukee is out of jobs and out of money. City services are on the decline. The school system is a train wreck. Tom’s friends get sweetheart deals to build condos and coffee shops while real businesses take up residence in New Berlin and Kentucky rather than Milwaukee.
If you were getting mugged in the Capitol by one of the criminals who got early release, I’m sure you’d be glad to have Governor Tom come to your aid.
If you are unemployed, or a business owner, or a farmer, or a resident on a limited budget, or a tax payer, then I’m thinking that you won’t be quite as happy to see Tom the Taxer coming around the corner to “help” you.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 10, 2010 at 1341 hrs
is it fair game for campaign fodder?
It’s politics, not checkers. If the voters don’t gag, it’s fair.
Posted by Brian Dunbar on September 10, 2010 at 1512 hrs
The add is fine. All candidates are throwing their own bridal shower, that is kind of the idea.
Barrett absolutely acted heroically. Very few people would have acted the way he did in that situation. He has EVERY right in the world to play it up, and he should.
Still doesn’t change the fact that Barrett hasn’t put out an add bragging about what he has done for Milwaukee, or what he did in congress….
This add is not the point, the point is that Barrett literally has nothing else to run on.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 10, 2010 at 1544 hrs
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