Patterico's Pontifications

3/22/2016

Can’t You Come Up With A Better Idea?

Filed under: General — Dana @ 12:37 pm



[guest post by Dana]

I’ve been wondering when Melania Trump would be targeted by the anti-Trump people:

A group opposing Donald Trump is targeting Mormon voters online with an ad featuring the Republican presidential candidate’s wife posing nude.

The super-PAC Make America Awesome launched a Facebook campaign last week with three ads ahead of GOP contests Tuesday in Utah and Arizona.

The ads are meant to encourage members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to vote in support of Ted Cruz, the GOP candidate closest to the 50 percent winner-take-all threshold in Utah, according to BuzzFeed.

Given that a new survey released this weekend shows Cruz with 53 percent support among likely Republican caucus-goes and if that matches Tuesday’s caucus vote, he’d win all of the state’s 40 GOP delegates, it’s odd they’d spend time on the ad. Further, the survey also revealed that Cruz performed even better among “very likely” caucus attendees, coming in at 57 percent. FiveThirtyEight also projects that Cruz has an excellent chance of winning the Utah caucuses.

The Facebook ad is one of three ads released by the super-PAC founded by Liz Mair, and is designed to increase Mormon voter turnout as well as secure votes for Cruz. However, the Melania Trump ad is specifically targeting Mormon women to stir up misgivings about her as a first lady. It is expected to reach 10,000 Mormons per day. Would these voters really be persuaded by a single ad? It insulting to assume that Mormon women are so simplistic and politically ignorant that they haven’t studied the candidates to know by now where each one stands on the issues and based their voting decisions on that . Are they really that uncertain that it would just take a single photo from nearly 20 years ago to change their minds about who to put in the White House? Let’s give these women some credit. After all, it’s not like there aren’t already 100 glaringly solid reasons to say no to Trump. And if the super-PAC thinks that this ad will send the votes of Mormon women to Cruz, what about Mormon men? If you’re going to use slut-shaming as a campaign strategy on female voters, why not male voters? Why not also assume that Mormon male voters are just as socially conservative and morally upright as their counterparts? (And if you think about it, it’s highly likely that the male voters would actually spend more time studying the issue … )

Anyway, it’s distasteful to me and reminds me of the old “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful” line. Once upon a time, Melania Trump, an undeniably beautiful and successful model, businesswoman, and hands-on mom had a lucrative career as a model. And at times, that job required a lack of clothing.

Instapundit amusingly observes:

pastedImage

Although Liz Mair doesn’t provide any evidence, she claims that the ad is working.

–Dana

101 Responses to “Can’t You Come Up With A Better Idea?”

  1. Hello.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  2. The tackiness of this cannot be overstated. I am pretty sure I am going to agree with hf on this.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  3. Weellll… it’s a bit of a risky proposition making a statement like that in advance, Kevin M.

    Leviticus (efada1)

  4. she torpedoed walker’s campaign, early on, so on who’s behalf in the enemy action,

    narciso (732bc0)

  5. I’m hoping he won’t be too terribly inventive.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  6. she torpedoed walker’s campaign

    With friendly PACs like these….

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  7. The tackiness of this cannot be overstated. I am pretty sure I am going to agree with hf on this.

    Heh. Hadn’t thought of that. You’re right.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  8. If only there were one of Hildabeast – even if only topless while wearing a pantsuit…. oolala

    What is it with Ted and the nude fascination?

    spokanebob (e86321)

  9. dial the neuralizer to eleventy, bob,

    narciso (732bc0)

  10. Liz Mair is no good

    happyfeet (a037ad)

  11. A Harvard economist believes that Utah has the highest rate of porn subscriptions in the country.

    I think cheesecake pictures will be quite mild.

    pinandpuller (928ad9)

  12. Kevin Williamson already called for Melania’s deportation, pointing out that she came in under H1-B: modelling being a job Americans won’t do.

    Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1)

  13. Incidentally Melania Trump is a US citizen, and has been for about ten years–if Trump had said US citizens who originally came in on H1B should all be deported, Williamson would be using that as evidence of Trump’s ignorance and bigotry.

    He is my favorite writer at NRO, but he’s getting TDS.

    Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1)

  14. I’ll say that most ads make assumptions about voters not being very sophisticated and are insults to one’s intelligence,
    but at the same time, more often than not they work.

    I’ve frequently said that my speech teacher as a sophomore in HS would give D’s to most ads, unless the point of the exercise was to give good examples of logical fallacies.

    But I will say it is a tacky idea, and if I was Cruz I would point out that it was done by a group that he has no contact with or influence with, and would look forward to a time when political campaigns focus on important issues and the ability of the candidates to be up to the challenge.

    But then I would also demand that every law made by the US Congress and executive order by the US president would impact all federal workers and elected officials the same as the average citizen.
    ObamaCare not exempted.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (261129)

  15. Trump was doing well among Utah women before?

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  16. I think rock bottom is a long way away.

    mg (31009b)

  17. Blech.

    Mrs. Trump’s decisions regarding posing nude (or not) are hers, not his, and he is not, and should not be held, responsible for them.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  18. Liz Mair’s blog

    She was that one enthusiastic Jon Huntsman supporter. Before that she was an enthusiastic John McCain supporter.

    Unfortunate choice, going with the Stormfront font on the letterhead.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  19. Comic sans Nazi font?

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  20. @13 Gabriel Hanna

    Rush always likes to point out how Fritz Hollings called out Ted Kennedy on his change of heart on offshore drilling.

    (Pictures surfaced of Kennedy and a young lady on a boat).

    pinandpuller (a12946)

  21. What is it with Ted and the nude fascination?

    It’s a PAC. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Political+action+committee

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  22. The only people in the world who suffer from TDS are those that believe that Mr Trump will make America great again.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  23. the people what are fighting Mr. Trump so nastily like our prostitute friend Liz Mair already did so so much to make America suck pig butt Mr. M

    he’s not gonna make this sleazy cowardly brokedick country any worse than Paul Ryan or Meghan’s coward p.o.s. daddy are already aiming to

    I say let’s give him a chance

    happyfeet (831175)

  24. c’mon you know you’re curious

    happyfeet (831175)

  25. ObamaCare not exempted.

    MD–

    Obamacare (at least as far as the exchange plans go) exempts most of the US workforce so it’s not the best example to use regarding laws that don’t cover Congress. And if I worked for the feds, I’d be loathe to give up my $10K annual benefit dental that covered implants, too.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  26. ObamaCare not exempted add me to the broken hearts you’ve collected

    happyfeet (831175)

  27. hf,

    My experience working with alcoholics and addicts informs me that any bad situation can ALWAYS get MUCH worse with very little effort.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  28. She looks great there.

    What were they trying to say anyway?

    Rodney King's Spirit (a089dc)

  29. well maybe you should disregard your past experience and embrace the now

    become one with the healing flow of energy emanating from The Donald

    let it envelop you, let it center you

    The Donald is a part of you

    you are a part of The Donald

    namaste!

    happyfeet (831175)

  30. you know who speaks five languages?

    Melania Trump does!

    she’s the whole package

    happyfeet (831175)

  31. how many languages does our prostitute friend Liz Mair speak i wonder

    happyfeet (831175)

  32. “you know who speaks five languages?

    Melania Trump does!”

    – Leviticus

    Is that before or after we acknowledge that she clearly speaks the language of Love?

    Leviticus (efada1)

  33. well maybe you should disregard your past experience and embrace the now

    Why? Does government differ in some noticeable way from you average collection of addicts and alcoholics? Didn’t O’Rourke describe them as teenage boys with booze and car keys?

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  34. oh my goodness SIX languages

    happyfeet (831175)

  35. Mr. M we have to break from all the toxic governance of these rotten establishment losers we have to roll the dice we have to trip the light fantastic we have to leggo all the eggos

    don’t be scared

    happyfeet (831175)

  36. Too harsh before;

    Comic San Field Marshall

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  37. @ aphrael (#17), who wrote:

    Mrs. Trump’s decisions regarding posing nude (or not) are hers, not his, and he is not, and should not be held, responsible for them.

    I suppose I agree with this as phrased. I don’t hold against Mrs. Trump that she was a model, or that she posed for photos that are overtly sexual. Making those choices was indeed within her legal and moral rights; I’m not personally offended by those choices (although I’m also frankly happy neither of my own daughters has ever chosen to do that in the amateur modeling they’ve done).

    But I don’t think she’s the target of these advertisements; he is. And while he’s not responsible for her choices as to what particular naughty bits she chose to reveal and what she chose to keep concealed, I do think that the current Mrs. Trump and the two previous Mrs. Trumps are indeed relevant to an assessment of his character and fitness — as a man, a husband, and a father, all of which are indirectly relevant to his character and fitness to be president.

    The odd fact is that the man has had three wives: Czech model Ivana Zelníčková; American actress Marla Maples; and now Slovenian-born fashion model Melania Knauss. None of these women would ever be described as a “traditional girl next door.” Each of them made such careers are they’ve had on their own almost entirely on the basis of their looks. And each of them has chosen to marry the man who brags, as he did to Esquire magazine in 1991, that “You know, it really doesn’t matter what they write as long as you’ve got a young and beautiful piece of ass.”

    So this ad can’t possibly make me think worse of the third Mrs. Trump than I already did about her and the first two, which is to say: They have execrable judgment in picking husbands. That’s not nearly as damning as any of my top 1000 most damning observations about their husband.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  38. A Harvard economist believes that Utah has the highest rate of porn subscriptions in the country.

    I think cheesecake pictures will be quite mild.

    pinandpuller (928ad9) — 3/22/2016 @ 1:15 pm

    A contention only a pudpuller would care about…

    Colonel Haiku (0666ef)

  39. (If they weren’t picking a husband, but rather saw themselves as picking someone to make them rich and famous for life, then their common choice was much more defensible one — but that’s a rather more ugly inference that I’ll resist drawing without knowing a great deal more of them than I currently do.)

    Beldar (fa637a)

  40. So the ad is supposed to say Melania Trump equals Anna Nicole Smith.

    Subtle.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  41. You know, a lot has been said on the Right about what Michelle Obama’s job was before she became First Lady, what responsibilities that job entailed, why she was selected for that job, and what happened to that position after her husband assumed office.

    Maybe I missed it, but I don’t think PACs ran any ads on it.

    Kevin M is right to point out that many of Trumps supporters are suffering from what he calls “TDS”. Okay, let’s call that +TDS. -TDS is the kind that Kevin Williamson has–and so have the people who think an ad like this is fair play when it’s against Trump, but would never argue for the equivalent about Michelle Obama.

    Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1)

  42. TDS, is not stayed by any atrocity it seems,

    narciso (732bc0)

  43. eurotrash hookers have feelings too

    our prostitute friend Liz Mair knows that very well

    she just doesn’t give a good goddamn who she hurts

    but mormon jesus cares, and you better believe he’s appalled at this

    happyfeet (831175)

  44. one hasn’t seen this level of autosabotage, since captain tupolev in red october,

    narciso (732bc0)

  45. My issue – the amount of positive mfm coverage for all the candidates except Ted Cruz. Truly astonishing how few words of good are heard about him. Sad I am.

    mg (31009b)

  46. he breaks too many ricebowls, to get positive coverage, mg,

    narciso (732bc0)

  47. Cruz is proposing we reinvade the middle east again. And again

    How you spin that as a good idea?

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  48. Some profoundly dishonest Trumpkin (#47) is once again lying, deliberately and without excuse, about what Ted Cruz has said. Fortunately, he provided a link to expose his own lies: Nowhere in the linked article, nor anywhere else, is Ted Cruz quoted as proposing that we “we reinvade the middle east again. And again.”

    This would, if I recall correctly, be the same lying Trumpkin who posted here over and over again about how Donald Trump is “self-funding” his campaign — notwithstanding the fact that the Trumpkin in question had already, personally, donated to Trump’s campaign, establishing first-hand knowledge of the falsity of his assertion here.

    Don’t trust that guy.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  49. It just goes to show what a vulgar class of hypocrite GOPers are.

    Romney in SC. Nicole Wallace any time of day.

    DNF (ffe548)

  50. During Bush v Gore, the media ran articles about teenager Laura Bush’s car wreck that killed a classmate. Similarly, the media wrote articles about Michele Obama’s Princeton thesis. Politico found it even though Princeton conveniently restricted it from public view during the election.

    DRJ (15874d)

  51. To our host and his co-bloggers: Is it time for an election night post, for posting of comments regarding that? There frankly can’t be very much left for anyone to say about Melania Trump that’s very productive or interesting.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  52. 48. Who cares? The Conservative has lost.

    DNF (ffe548)

  53. A great read: “What’s The Matter With Minnesota”, by Thomas Frank.

    Colonel Haiku (0666ef)

  54. 51. And nothing about the GOPe one cares to hear or defend.

    DNF (ffe548)

  55. well for starters, ben ginsberg, let stuart smalley steal it, carlson was so upset at emmer, that he sponsored a third party candidate that put governor target, in,

    narciso (732bc0)

  56. 53. Or as 57 opines “Loons think themselves clever”.

    To move from belief, the audacity of hope, to plausibility, even certainty, evidence empirically drawn is mandated.

    This crowd loves to jump from the Hail Mary being tossed to signally TouchDown!!! without a touch of the ball.

    Pathetic.

    DNF (755a85)

  57. Kansas, Col?

    mg (31009b)

  58. ot, speaking of former models, who have hit the big time,

    narciso (732bc0)

  59. 55. Emmer is my CongressCritter wholly owned pet of the Chamber. I cannot promise these worms a vote for even one of their number.

    DNF (ffe548)

  60. “… notwithstanding the fact that the Trumpkin in question had already, personally, donated to Trump’s campaign, establishing first-hand knowledge of the falsity of his assertion here.”

    We count lip service?

    Fortunately, he provided a link to expose his own lies: Nowhere in the linked article, nor anywhere else, is Ted Cruz quoted as proposing that we “we reinvade the middle east again. And again.”

    Starting to crack. Beldar’s racket is strung too tight.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  61. 58. Mrs. Sarkozy? Who?

    DNF (ffe548)

  62. close, the only reason to see the batman vs. superman film, gail gadot,

    narciso (732bc0)

  63. No, mg. Minnesota. A little known work by the same author, though. It describes the plethora of irritated misfits and wacked-out conspiracy theorists that the “Square-head State” has a propensity for propagating.

    Colonel Haiku (0666ef)

  64. “It is way past time we have a president who will acknowledge this evil and will call it by it’s name and utilize the full force and fury of the United States to defeat ISIS,”

    Sounds like invading the middle east to me.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  65. the state party, has a penchant for fulfilling vanderleun’s aphorism,

    narciso (732bc0)

  66. that is one interpretation, our history has had long standing military expeditions, like haiti and nicaragua, but that is the exception not the norm,

    narciso (732bc0)

  67. There frankly can’t be very much left for anyone to say about Melania Trump that’s very productive or interesting.

    It was interesting to me, Beldar. And it was less about Melania Trump than it was about a Republican super-PAC pushing votes for Ted Cruz by holding an insulting view of Mormon women and pushing the ad, when, if the polls/surveys are to be believed, it really wasn’t necessary.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  68. 67, Indeed, the airport is right there.

    My millenials will not take the warning gladly.

    DNF (755a85)

  69. My searching is giving me nothing, Col. Any ideas?

    mg (31009b)

  70. Dana, I agree that this was post-worthy. I’m just out of on-topic comments about it. 🙂

    Beldar (fa637a)

  71. @DRJ:During Bush v Gore, the media ran articles about teenager Laura Bush’s car wreck that killed a classmate. Similarly, the media wrote articles about Michele Obama’s Princeton thesis. Politico found it even though Princeton conveniently restricted it from public view during the election.

    There’s Jeri Ryan’s divorce too… and there are people who have commented on all these in a principled way, and people who have not.

    Trump seems to have a gift for bringing out the worst, in his detractors and in his supporters.

    Gabriel Hanna (54dfae)

  72. @Beldar:So this ad can’t possibly make me think worse of the third Mrs. Trump than I already did about her and the first two, which is to say: They have execrable judgment in picking husbands.

    Any sin committed in marrying Donald Trump is more than adequately punished by being married to Donald Trump, I am sure.

    @Dana:And it was less about Melania Trump than it was about a Republican super-PAC pushing votes for Ted Cruz by holding an insulting view of Mormon women and pushing the ad, when, if the polls/surveys are to be believed, it really wasn’t necessary.

    Another Trump-related crime carrying its own Trump-related punishment!

    I’m starting to think Trump is some sort of divinely-instituted just retribution, a Nemesis if you will. The crime of electing Trump President will be expiated by living in a country where Trump was elected President.

    Gabriel Hanna (54dfae)

  73. Far-called our navies melt away;
    On dune and headland sinks the fire:
    Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
    Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
    Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
    Lest we forget—lest we forget!

    If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
    Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
    Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
    Or lesser breeds without the Law—
    Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
    Lest we forget—lest we forget!

    For heathen heart that puts her trust
    In reeking tube and iron shard,
    All valiant dust that builds on dust,
    And guarding calls not Thee to guard,
    For frantic boast and foolish word-
    Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!

    Trump is but the instrument.

    Gabriel Hanna (54dfae)

  74. Was this a case of the GOPe poisoning the well for Cruz?

    That’s the way to spin it.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  75. Trump is but the instrument.

    Gabriel Hanna (54dfae) — 3/22/2016 @ 5:38 pm

    He’s more like a tool.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  76. 77. Tonite he widens his lead.

    DNF (755a85)

  77. if past is prologue, probably,

    narciso (732bc0)

  78. @38 Colonel Pai Mei

    I sent your response to Carnegie Mellon for analysis and it came in at a solid sixth grade level.

    If you would like to bring your work up might I suggest a literary reference?

    I immediatly thought of True Grit:

    This is a dick joke

    Writ for a dick

    And service of same

    pinandpuller (0845e7)

  79. do we know for a fact that Ted has ever actually seen Heidi naked

    happyfeet (831175)

  80. The estimable Don Surber:

    The debates were useless. They were RNC kickbacks to networks. Drawing 12 million to 24 million viewers each, these affairs gifted the networks with a viewership that the networks pay billions to the NFL to show. Until the party and the networks are serious about them, forget presidential primary debates.

    DNF (ffe548)

  81. yes yes yes the debates were crap

    happyfeet (831175)

  82. A MUCH better ad, which should explode all Trumpheads.

    “Piers Morgan Supports Trump!”

    http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/22/piers-morgan-is-trump-so-wrong/

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  83. yes yes yes the debates were crap

    Except the one Trump missed. Funny that.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  84. Yes, definitely, the debate sans Demented Donna was good.

    nk (dbc370)

  85. priebus presided over the hunger games, trump and cruz, made it to the quarter quell,

    narciso (732bc0)

  86. Along those lines, I think we all know who President Coin is.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  87. @ Dana: Okay, I was very wrong. There is indeed more to discuss: Trump just tweeted and then deleted a threat about Ted Cruz’s wife.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  88. Morgan is right about the war Islamists are waging and our flaccid response.
    On the 2nd amendment he is a fool.
    Maybe this is the classic “even a broken clock is right twice a day” but my guess is Morgan is calling for government to step in rather than leave home defense up to the philistines

    steveg (fed1c9)

  89. it’s well known that heidi is a mentally unstable goldy sacky

    but very few know she’s a rabid justin bieber fan

    well, before tonight

    happyfeet (831175)

  90. Beldar,

    We shouldn’t be surprised. Typical Trump. He is assuming that Cruz knew about, and approved of the PAC doing the ad.

    Dana (db5a89)

  91. After Trump re-published the original tweet with “Lyin’ Ted” added, Cruz replied:

    Pic of your wife not from us. Donald, if you try to attack Heidi, you’re more of a coward than I thought. #classless

    Q: What kind of a man picks this opportunity, this particular photograph, to turn his own wife into a campaign issue?

    A: The same kind of man who brags that it doesn’t matter what you say, as long as you have a nice piece of ass next to you. In case you missed it, he shows you her nude photos.

    Did Trump originate this particular topic? I saw TV news coverage that included street protesters on the night of his cancelled Chicago rally, one of whom kept jamming a poster with this same photo of Melania into the camera’s field of view, at which point the cameraman would immediately pan to a crowd shot; this repeated itself about five times, at the end of which I thought to myself, “Is that guy with the sign with Melania’s nudie photo a Trump opponent? Or a Trump supporter? Because this tease with the sign — that’s exactly what you’d do if you were trying to titillate, to exploit, to appeal directly to the reptilian hindbrain.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  92. actually a cruz spokesperson, andrea mcwilliams, made this point a week ago, is it crazy to suspect coordination,

    narciso (732bc0)

  93. all the camps are playing with live ammo, like a race in jamaica in the 70s,

    http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/cruz-supporter-critically-important-that-trumps-wife-posed-nude/article/2585251

    narciso (732bc0)

  94. Happyfeet sez:

    it’s well known that heidi is a mentally unstable goldy sacky

    but very few know she’s a rabid justin bieber fan

    well, before tonight

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/22/2016 @ 7:19 pm

    This kind of stuff needs no response. All you have to do is point it out, and decent people turn away.

    Patterico (fedbee)

  95. Interesting that the Trump tweet to Cruz is back up.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  96. Lyin' Ted Cruz just used a picture of Melania from a G.Q. shoot in his ad. Be careful, Lyin' Ted, or I will spill the beans on your wife!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2016

    Dana (0ee61a)

  97. I hope there’s no more beans spilled. Haven’t we lost enough beans already? How many beans do we have to loose to satisfy your lust for spilled beans?

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  98. There once was a puller of pud
    Weak with disease of the blood
    With pin dick chased the skirt
    Beat down dick in the dirt
    Which his tears by teh morn changed to mud

    Colonel Haiku (8ebd68)

  99. The End

    Colonel Haiku (8ebd68)


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