The 1992 Presidential election pitted incumbent President George Bush against the Democratic party’s candidate Bill Clinton and Independent Ross Perot in a contentious campaign. Bush had garnered the votes of the American people in the 1988 election under the pretense that taxes during his presidency under no uncertain terms, or as he famously stated “Read my lips. No new taxes”, would rise. Bush soon breaks this oath to deal with the rising deficit, this action resulting in a lasting effect on his popularity and perceived trustworthiness. Clinton ran his campaign almost primarily focusing on this pitfall of the president, using his abundant airtime to discuss the state of the economy. Both candidates, as many others do in this situation, used
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The primary position in much of George Bush’s campaign commercials was to attack the financial decisions made by Bill Clinton during his governance. In such commercials, as “Federal Taxes” and “Arkansas 2”, Clinton’s supposed failures are presented to the public. Bush’s commercial’s take on a very negative tone, especially in “Arkansas 2” in which there is overwhelmingly dark imagery with ominous music playing behind the narrator who speaks of the terrible things Clinton has done for Arkansas (Arkansas 2). “Federal Taxes” similarly has a dark tone, as interspersed between lines of the narrator appear images of the everyday American who, coupled with the troubling music, give the impression that Clinton’s economic plans will devastate them financially. There is also a credibility issue of the behalf of the president who, while he criticizes Clinton’s tax positions, raised taxes even though he said he wouldn’t. This is one major fallacy appears, relating to “Federal Taxes” in addition to a response commercial from the Clinton campaign entitled “Scary”. There is a clear red herring situation within “Federal Taxes”. As Bush gathers the “everyday American” to demonstrate the thousands of …show more content…
In such commercials, as “Second”, Clinton directly attacks Bush’s famous sentiment “Read my lips. No new taxes.” calling out the fact that this oath was indeed broken. He, as in most of his commercials, addresses this failure and the resulting repercussions felt by the American people, even going as far as using “it’s the economy, stupid!” as a key slogan for the campaign to attack to economic downfall Bush was responsible for (Second). He is demonstrating that Bush did not do right by the people and another four years would be detrimental to the nation. While the messages of some of the commercials are quite negative towards Bush there are others that work to promote Clinton and his work done as governor of Arkansas. This can be seen directly in “Rebuild America” in which Clinton clearly and distinctly lays out his plan to “bring this country back” and bring it to the 21st century. Clinton provides distinct facts and figures to persuade the viewers to move away from Bush, who he lays out as someone who shouldn’t run the nation for a second term (Rebuild America). These commercials work to push against the current administration while building up Clinton to the role of president. He does this not only with his explicit messages but with the tone and production of the advertisements. Even within the attack commercials, they are not nearly as dark as Bush’s commercials,
The primary position in much of George Bush’s campaign commercials was to attack the financial decisions made by Bill Clinton during his governance. In such commercials, as “Federal Taxes” and “Arkansas 2”, Clinton’s supposed failures are presented to the public. Bush’s commercial’s take on a very negative tone, especially in “Arkansas 2” in which there is overwhelmingly dark imagery with ominous music playing behind the narrator who speaks of the terrible things Clinton has done for Arkansas (Arkansas 2). “Federal Taxes” similarly has a dark tone, as interspersed between lines of the narrator appear images of the everyday American who, coupled with the troubling music, give the impression that Clinton’s economic plans will devastate them financially. There is also a credibility issue of the behalf of the president who, while he criticizes Clinton’s tax positions, raised taxes even though he said he wouldn’t. This is one major fallacy appears, relating to “Federal Taxes” in addition to a response commercial from the Clinton campaign entitled “Scary”. There is a clear red herring situation within “Federal Taxes”. As Bush gathers the “everyday American” to demonstrate the thousands of …show more content…
In such commercials, as “Second”, Clinton directly attacks Bush’s famous sentiment “Read my lips. No new taxes.” calling out the fact that this oath was indeed broken. He, as in most of his commercials, addresses this failure and the resulting repercussions felt by the American people, even going as far as using “it’s the economy, stupid!” as a key slogan for the campaign to attack to economic downfall Bush was responsible for (Second). He is demonstrating that Bush did not do right by the people and another four years would be detrimental to the nation. While the messages of some of the commercials are quite negative towards Bush there are others that work to promote Clinton and his work done as governor of Arkansas. This can be seen directly in “Rebuild America” in which Clinton clearly and distinctly lays out his plan to “bring this country back” and bring it to the 21st century. Clinton provides distinct facts and figures to persuade the viewers to move away from Bush, who he lays out as someone who shouldn’t run the nation for a second term (Rebuild America). These commercials work to push against the current administration while building up Clinton to the role of president. He does this not only with his explicit messages but with the tone and production of the advertisements. Even within the attack commercials, they are not nearly as dark as Bush’s commercials,