Saving the Best for Last

Claire McCaskill has so far taken the high road when it comes to Todd Akin's infamous "legitimate rape" comments. She has avoided the subject during the debates and focused her ads on other less-than-stellar Akin qualities. However, with one week left in the election, and after the suspension of her campaign activities after the death of her mother, Betty Anne, the McCaskill campaign has released an ad featuring the actual transcript of the comments, along with subtle negativity that bends the definition of "negative campaigning."

 


The ad begins ominously, and timely with Halloween right around the corner, with a woman calling Todd Akin "scary." Akin responded to the ad according to The Seattle Times, saying the claim was "baseless" and "desperate." The beauty of this ad is that it's neither, and voters know it. The ad is legitimate (no pun intended) and does not strike the viewer as a particularly desperate attempt to defile Akin. Rather, it's the truth, told by Akin himself and female voters (the key constituent in his election).

A few quotes are followed by Akin himself, relaying the legitimate rape quote in the original footage. The comments, spun and pilloried by the media, are given to the viewer unadulterated. The effect is striking. You've heard all the jokes, but as you watch it, you can't believe someone would actually say that. You also can't believe that a potential Senator would say that....

Courtesy of The New Yorker

Next, more female voters express their concerns about his ability in the office. The attacks work and avoid stigmatizing the viewer because the campaign uses surrogates: real people expressing their fears about the opponent. Rather than a deep voice narrating grainy footage and unflattering photographs of a candidate, here average voters tell it like it is. It releases the campaign from blame for negative campaigning (even though they produced it) and still conveys the intended message.

"All women in Missouri need to think what happens to their rights."

The concluding line give female voters a subtle ultimatum: think about your vote or your social rights will disappear. Looking past the specious truth of the statement, female voters suddenly perceive Akin as the enemy, as the man they must keep out of office.

With a week left, that leaves them with Claire. Through striking footage and subtle, surrogate rhetoric, Claire claims a big victory with seven days left.