I'm sure we'll see bits and bobs from this ad in different markets (since it's 2 minutes long), but a few things worth noting:<\/p>\n
1. Aside from a few classic Trump tropes (immigrants! Mexico!), this could easily be a Bernie Sanders ad, hitting on the populist ideas of taking back power from the big economic forces that are trying to dominate the world and our country.[1] That's no mistake.<\/p>\n
2. At the same time, through its imagery, TPM suggests[2] the ad uses a number of anti-Semitic tropes. That's probably no mistake, either<\/p>\n
3. The ad also flashes a number of headlines at various points, but it's fascinating to me to actually pick them apart. <\/p>\n
They're all about Clinton or the Clinton Foundation, but while the Trump voice-over asserts a number of things, the headlines are all vague ("New Clinton email investigations" and "Questions about the Clinton Foundation"). That's largely because, despite repeated, incessant, ongoing investigations for the last twenty-plus years — let along the last two — there haven't been any real conclusions that have led to indictments, let alone convictions. But a voice-over with neutral headlines helps push forward the desired conclusion ("Look, what Donald says is proved by the newspapers!").<\/p>\n
It's also interesting because, in condemning all the International Monied Interests[3], there's a sense of attack on international relationships in general. Those aren't just creepy global bankers up there, but (as far as I can tell) politicians as well. It's part of a theme, not just of populism, but of isolationism,<\/i> in Trump's campaign, an US (in both senses) against Them, part of why he's willing to abrogate alliances, pull back military support (even while building up the military), and build walls. <\/p>\n
All that said, it's an effective, well-crafted advert, and, honestly, if Trump had managed to talk in such careful, earnest, controlled tones throughout this election, he probably would have walked away with it (rightly or wrongly). Hopefully folk still making up their minds will remember the other Trumps we've seen.<\/p>\n
——<\/p>\n
[1] It's also highly ironic coming from a claimed multi-billionaire real estate investor and reality TV celebrity, but that's been true all along.<\/p>\n