Oct 242008
Interesting to see that the attack ad that the McCain campaign released today includes an image of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. The ad picks up on Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden’s speculation over the weekend that rogue foreign leaders would seek to “test” an Obama administration by generating an early crisis.
The ad plays Biden’s words over a montage of dangerous-looking foreign threats. We see footage of masked Islamic militiamen, warships, tanks, and fist-waving crowds.
They are interspersed with only two images of menacing foreign leaders: Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hugo Chávez.
October 24th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I hope they are keeping Biden in Delaware and/or assigning several people with tasers to tase him anytime he speaks off the cuff!
In any event, I wonder if Chavez’s inclusion is because he simply represents a more imposing figure visually for a more effective ad, I would think most of the U.S. is on board with his 2006 characterization of Bush as the “devil”…to suggest that Chavez is as big a threat to U.S. interests/security as Al Qaeda is absurd, I can’t believe that conservatives (outside of Illeana Ros-Letinen and Mack in Florida) genuinely believe this.
Best,
Will
October 24th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Finally! says Hugo, who after failing to get more than the most passing of references during the debates had been wondering if he was going to actually have to invade Colombia to get the attention he craves.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Chavez is not a big threat to the US. He is a threat to the peace in the Americas. Remember his socialism of the XXI century and his oil weapon.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Edwin,
His “oil weapon”? Is he going to drop barrels of oil from planes upon unsuspecting villages in Latin America? : )
His socialism shouldn’t be a threat to anyone, Colombia and Peru have clearly demonstrated that neoliberal/market oriented models have been maintained/pursued throughout the era of Chavismo.
Best,
Will
October 24th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
When I was a child I kept wondering why it was that all the time there had to be at a least a couple of wars going on over the world. Now that I am much older I clearly understand, for which I am ashamed to be a human being. A greedy, abject, unmanly, envious, loathsome, couchant, contemptible human being.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Chavez’ been part of the axis since -like- 2002 at least. This is old news. Pass me the vodka.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Come to think about it , you are right Mont. Maybe he graduated again but this time he obtained a master’s degree.
October 25th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Hi Will,
No he is not going to bonb villages with barrels of oil, but he is buying too many arms. The excuse is that he needs them to defend himself against the US. Let me laugh. Reallly I don’t know what he wants but for me one thing is certain he is a destablizing factor in the region.
October 27th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Edwin -
“The excuse is that he needs them to defend himself against the US. Let me laugh.”
Who do you think is on the list of petro-nations to topple after Iraq? I would guess Venezuela appears at either number 2 or 3, after Iran and possibly Syria.
November 1st, 2008 at 12:36 am
The McCain ad featuring Chavez is typical Republican fear-&-hate- mongering; they try to play to the Freudian “Id” of the USA; hopefully this time it won’t work. I loved it when Chavez said “Comrade Bush is now Left of me, nationalizing banks..” Actually, the Bolivarian Revolution might serve as an template for us gringos, as we pick up the pieces of our self-inflicted financial melt-down… Soy Chavista yo