Television viewers in Illinois have been bored for over a year with ads for the 2018 governor’s race. The latest ad from Governor Rauner is as milquetoast as our governor.
The ad plays excerpts from former governor Rod Blagojevich’s FBI wiretaps, where he talks to current Democractic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker.
This ad is ineffective in several regards. First, Pritzker mainly says “uh-huh” or things in the affirmative. While saying things in the affirmative while Blagojevich is free-style scheming may seem bad, to me, a voter, it gives me a case of what I call “big whoop.” Blagojevich talked to a bunch of people. If you want something juicy, see the transcript of his profane call with the current mayor of Chicago. Big whoop. The tape in this ad wouldn’t make Lincoln roll over in his grave, because he’s already dead from boredom.
The conversation between Pritzker and Blagojevich is like listening to the prison phone calls in Making a Murderer.
Above: An edit of all the “Yeahs” on Making a Murderer.
This new ad is barely an ad. It’s a boring 60 second documentary that airs at least once every 30 minutes.
Plus, television is such a visual medium. The presentation of the ad looks like something out of the video game Metal Gear Solid.
I found Rauner’s previous ad to be effective. Having governors from Illinois’ neighbors talk about how they’re fleecing jobs and growth from Illinois was good.
The ad may seem like Pritzker is consenting to pay-to-play politics, but it’s my opinion that it’s Rod doing all the dirty work and it’s nowhere near as damaging, or criminal, as what ultimately put Blagojevich behind bars. Illinois’ Democratic Party is full of sycophants, and this ad only illustrates that Pritzker is one of them.
Illinoisians need to hear about the issues. Yes, there’s a corrupt system in Springfield and yes, it needs to be fixed. However, digging up wiretaps from Illinois’ darkest hour in recent memory doesn’t do anything to persuade me, a voter. Candidates’ ads are prime spots to talk about and bring awareness to the state’s issues, not replay a bunch of grunts uttered over the phone.