Oh, holy hilarity.
We are smack dab in the middle of the political ad season, and we are being bombarded by TV spots from both parties. We are supposed to believe that the candidates are serious and honest, and that they really will make everything better just as soon as they are sworn in.
If you live in Iowa, you may have to check your gullibility at the door. The website IowaStartingLine reports that a whole group of GOP state senate candidates made a big old goof recently as they filmed what were supposed to be inspiring and convincing TV ads.
We start off with GOP candidate Waylon Brown, from northern Iowa. His ad shows him addressing the camera directly, then changes to a view of the candidate standing in what looks like a school hallway. He is flanked by what appear to be a pretty young teacher and three sweet blond girls carrying backpacks.
Obviously, he is talking about how he’ll improve education and he’s talking to real live school folks. Cool.
The problem comes up, though, if you happen to see more than one of those GOP state senate ads. Because Republican candidate Dan Zumbach is running an ad where he stands in the very same school hallway, talking to the same enthusiastic young teacher and the same blondie girls. Wearing the same backpacks.
Candidate Dan Dawson, surprise, surprise, is also running a tv spot taken in the same hallway, with the same teacher and students. The girls are even in the same order in front of each candidate.
GOP candidate Jeff Edler was at that school, too! And, lo and behold, the very same teacher wanted to talk to him! With the very same kids! Mark Lofgren was filmed with them, too. As were Bonnie Sadler and Craig Johnson.
Wow, that school is interesting. Only one teacher, only three kids, and isn’t everybody just so politically engaged.
As a real live teacher with a classroom of up to 27 kids each year, I find it kind of amazing that every single Republican state senate candidate in the important swing state of Iowa happened to film a tv spot with the exact same kids and teacher. I know that at our school, there would have been quite a line up of volunteers to talk to those candidates.
Of course, in our school, the teacher might have looked a bit more worn, and slightly less elated. The kids would probably not have all been lily white and blond either.
Makes you wonder what image the Iowa GOP is trying to portray, doesn’t it?
Here is just one of the ads featuring those enthusiastic young “students”. I hope they got Equity pay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQmCdc-juJI
Featured image via YouTube screengrab.
