As Americans returned to work yesterday, one of the biggest topics of discussion was naturally the Super Bowl, including the commercials. As there often is, one specific ad seemed to be generating the most amount of discussion at workplaces, online, and even in the media.
If you haven't yet seen the ad, we highly recommend that you do. The ad was for the Dodge & Chrysler family of products and featured scenes of Detroit and Michigan - as well as the talents of the iconic Clint Eastwood. The ad was a stroke of genius, and reportedly, Eastwood even wrote some parts of the script himself. It didn't even mention Chrysler by name - but everyone seems to remember which company the ad was for.
The ad also made it clear, without ever mentioning the auto bailout, that it took everyone coming together - our government included - to rally around and find a way to save one of America's last great industries, and that the same thing is now needed for our nation to take the next big step back.
The message of the ad was a powerful one, one of hope and rebirth - but one that also matches the empirical data about what has been happening in our economy. Already this year, Chrysler announced they had returned to profitability for the first time since 1997. Jobs are starting to come back to Detroit too, and to many places in the Midwest and Ohio Valley that were so decimated by the recession.
These facts about the economy, coupled with the powerful ad, had many people asking if this ad was an ad for Chrysler - or for the Obama reelection campaign. That the ad was voiced over, acted in, and partially written by Clint Eastwood - a man that George H.W. Bush had once considered asking to be his Presidential running mate - seemed to shock those who derided the ad as Obama's, especially those on the right.
The man with the most responsibility for our political system's current hostile temperament, Karl Rove, said the Chrysler ad offended him. Other talking heads on the extremist right followed in lockstep with Rove, denouncing the ad as propaganda, and heavily implying that Eastwood must have sold out.
The truth is, Eastwood did not sell out - either his principles or his politics, a claim supported by Eastwood's own comments on Monday that he is "not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama." In fact, Eastwood has been historically very centrist, with a bit of a libertarian streak. When he was mayor of Carmel, California he was registered non-partisan. He's supported candidates from both major parties in the past, too. And while Eastwood said he voted for John McCain in 2008, he's also noted he has yet to decide who he'll support for President this year.
The claim that the ad is propaganda is also untrue. Even if some Republicans are in denial about it, the economy finally appears set to strengthen its recovery this year - much to the dismay of some very partisan Republicans running for office. Jobs are already coming back to the American automobile industry - and GM finished 2011 as the world's top automaker.
We'll admit - the economy isn't fixed yet, and we're all going to have to work together if we want to get things rolling again, past the starting point into a full-blown recovery. That was exactly Mr. Eastwood's message in that ad - one we believe is good for every American, regardless of their political affiliation.
The fact is, while the Chrysler ad may not have been meant to be political, its honesty and message being delivered at this time in American history make it somewhat naturally political - and to us, that's actually a very good thing.
As Mr. Eastwood says in the ad, "This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines."
The ad finishes with this line: "It’s halftime America. And, our second half is about to begin."
To that, we heartily agree, and simply say, "Game on."
