The dog is on the roof
March 20, 2012 10:44 AM   Subscribe

 
Wow. This is really, really well done.

Thanks for posting... I enjoyed that. A lot.
posted by kinnakeet at 10:50 AM on March 20, 2012 [3 favorites]


That was amazing. At the beginning, before the true awesomeness was apparent, I thought of this.

Near the end, is that a real clip of Romney shooting some kind of massive gun in a Santorum ad?
posted by DU at 10:50 AM on March 20, 2012


I hate stuff like this but I liked this.
posted by escabeche at 10:51 AM on March 20, 2012


This is truly awesome.

Eminem's original, just for the record.
posted by wikipedia brown boy detective at 10:52 AM on March 20, 2012


Wow. Bravo.
posted by Artw at 10:52 AM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


That's a Romney lookalike, "Rombo", in the Santorum ad.
posted by wikipedia brown boy detective at 10:53 AM on March 20, 2012


Great idea, but poor execution. It does nothing to educate and only serves to educate people on Romney's flipfloping. It's liberal masturbation, with great production values.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:54 AM on March 20, 2012 [3 favorites]


It also fails to cure cancer.
posted by Artw at 10:55 AM on March 20, 2012 [74 favorites]


Metafilter: It does nothing to educate and only serves to educate.
posted by cmoj at 10:56 AM on March 20, 2012 [142 favorites]


That was awesome. :clap: :clap: :clap:
posted by mosk at 10:57 AM on March 20, 2012


Masturbation.
posted by Artw at 11:00 AM on March 20, 2012


MetaFilter: liberal masturbation, with great production values.
posted by briank at 11:00 AM on March 20, 2012 [59 favorites]


MetaFilter: also fails to cure cancer.
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:01 AM on March 20, 2012 [12 favorites]


Look, when you're running multiple units the AIs are going to diverge based on different experiences, it's just what happens you don't use a simple IF-THEN tree like in the Sanatoratron, but that whole line is plagued with exhaust malfunctions.
posted by The Whelk at 11:01 AM on March 20, 2012 [31 favorites]


This is great!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:02 AM on March 20, 2012


Metafilter: Metafilter: .
posted by FirstMateKate at 11:02 AM on March 20, 2012 [7 favorites]


Puts a quarter in the jar.
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:02 AM on March 20, 2012 [4 favorites]


I wonder how this was edited. I suppose there must be consumer software that can isolate video content according to certain words or phrases.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:03 AM on March 20, 2012


By the end I was imagining him smashing all the other Mitts ala David at the end of AI

"I'M MITT ROMNEY! I'M MITT ROMNEY!"
posted by The Whelk at 11:05 AM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


That was a lot better than I expected.
posted by codacorolla at 11:05 AM on March 20, 2012


Wow, that must have taken some time to put together.
posted by bongo_x at 11:07 AM on March 20, 2012


Wow--two things I dislike made kinda fun.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:08 AM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


I think the digs at Mormons and "underwear" border on offensive, though.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:09 AM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


I wonder how this was edited. I suppose there must be consumer software that can isolate video content according to certain words or phrases.

Editing is not difficult. And getting one word from a speech would be the least of it. Getting the timing right is the tricky part.
posted by Sys Rq at 11:09 AM on March 20, 2012


(That said, I'll bet the guy had some transcripts to aid his word-finding. At least, I hope he did, because actually watching all those speeches would be hell.)
posted by Sys Rq at 11:11 AM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


Editing is not difficult. And getting one word from a speech would be the least of it. Getting the timing right is the tricky part.

Well, yeah, I agree, but that's a massive amount of video content to have to pore through.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:12 AM on March 20, 2012


Who let the dogs out?
posted by Golden Eternity at 11:15 AM on March 20, 2012


It does nothing to educate and only serves to educate people on Romney's flipfloping.

"Experts are predicting kind of a tough fight between Romney and his biggest ideological opponent: Mitt Romney from four years ago. Those guys don't agree on anything." *

Mitt vs. Mitt.

Mitt Romney Flip-Flops.

Mitt Romney Flip Flops Inside A Speech.

Mitt Flop Romney vs Mitt Flop Romney.

See Mitt Romney Flip-Flop.
posted by ericb at 11:15 AM on March 20, 2012 [6 favorites]


Yeah, I'm thinking you get a combination of transcripts plus closed-captioning files and dump all the text into a searchable document. You can then write the lyrics by searching to see what words you have available. Hopefully you've indexed that well, so that you can then pull out all these little fraction-of-a-second clips from Youtube and other sources. Then you use time stretch to give it the right rhythm.

Easy, really! I might just whip up a few of these this afternoon if I've got a few minutes!
posted by echo target at 11:17 AM on March 20, 2012


Dang. I just saw this on Facebook and thought "wow, that was a lot better than I expected - I wonder if it would be too thin of a post for MetaFilter?"
posted by Curious Artificer at 11:21 AM on March 20, 2012


I wrote to Bain Capital to confirm Mitt Romney's employment there. I figured if he wants to work for me it's only the responsible thing to do. I fully expect them to ignore me. Then I will be able to start up a liberal conspiracy site about how he never worked there and his employment records are fake!
posted by cjorgensen at 11:25 AM on March 20, 2012 [17 favorites]


Metafilter : Romney :: Star Trek : Leisure Suits
posted by adamrice at 11:26 AM on March 20, 2012


This demo shows making a super cut in a few minutes. The software is called Soundbite, and it does a voice to text transcription of movie files for you, so you can find the exact words really fast.
posted by mrzarquon at 11:30 AM on March 20, 2012 [31 favorites]


Is this where we can talk about how Eminem's music has aged surprisingly well? Did anybody honestly expect him to walk out of the 2000s as a still-relevant artist with a good reputation and back-catalog that's aged well?*

Also, if you want to feel old, he turns 40 this year.

*The same could be said of Newt and the 90s, except that nobody considered him relevant or reputable at the end of the 90s or 00s until he somehow suddenly became a frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination.
posted by schmod at 11:40 AM on March 20, 2012 [12 favorites]


This demo shows making a super cut in a few minutes . The software is called Soundbite, and it does a voice to text transcription of movie files for you, so you can find the exact words really fast.

That’s pretty amazing. I had no idea that existed.
posted by bongo_x at 11:43 AM on March 20, 2012


Despite the title, I don't think this song was supposed to be about Mitt Romney's flip-flopping in the first place. I think it's just trying to show that he's an asshole. You don't have to take the complete lyrics at face value; the individual clips tell enough of the story.

Even if he doesn't "get his lawn cut by illegals," he still thinks corporations are people, drives a couple of Cadillacs, panders "Who Let the Dogs Out" to Black people, and is willing to wager 10,000 bucks on the spot like it were chump change.

Chump change we can believe in.
posted by Johann Georg Faust at 11:44 AM on March 20, 2012 [5 favorites]


MetaFilter: At the beginning, before the true awesomeness was apparent, I thought of this.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:46 AM on March 20, 2012


That was fucking awesome.

The only thing better would have been if we had enough video of Jessamyn and Cortex that they could have tag teamed the Obama part.
posted by bukvich at 11:48 AM on March 20, 2012


Wow--two things I dislike made kinda fun.

Television and masturbation?
posted by grog at 11:51 AM on March 20, 2012


NO ONE can dislike those grog. Well not anyone on the internets, that is.
posted by ciderwoman at 11:53 AM on March 20, 2012


I don't even OWN a television.
posted by Saxon Kane at 11:57 AM on March 20, 2012


Wow. Awesome.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 11:59 AM on March 20, 2012


Is this something I'd have to be a chronic masturbator to understand?

Because... I really liked this video...
posted by hincandenza at 12:03 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


It does nothing to educate and only serves to educate people on Romney's flipfloping.

I guess you and I were watching different videos. The one I saw didn't highlight his flip-flopping at all. It was just a song made of mashed-up comments, pretty much non-political overall. I liked it more than I expected.
posted by alms at 12:03 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


I want to see The Real Mitt Romney throw down against Dan Rather.
posted by usonian at 12:10 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


Incredible? Really compared to something like this, or this -- way better has been done with remixed politician clips. Muscly, this sucked. No one would ever listen to it as anything other then a joke.

As a joke? Meh. It was boring, pretty obvious, and went on way to long. There weren't really even any jokes other, other then taking a bunch of his 'gaffes' and stringing them together. Doesn't even really make the point that he's a flip-flopper, you have to kind of know that already to even get the joke.
posted by delmoi at 12:22 PM on March 20, 2012 [5 favorites]


I don't even OWN a television.

Kill it with FIRE.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 12:22 PM on March 20, 2012


That Christine O'Donnell clip is pretty much just one speech which is autotuned. I think the most impressive part is matching the 'lyrics' to the beat, which is a lot harder with "The Real Slim Shady" than "Sunday Bloody Sunday".
posted by wikipedia brown boy detective at 12:26 PM on March 20, 2012


I think it's just trying to show that he's an asshole... and is willing to wager 10,000 bucks on the spot like it were chump change

This is not so much the mark of an asshole as the mark of a super rich person. Not that there isn't a large overlap, but if we're being careful it deserves a distinction. Pretty much anyone you've ever voted for at the national level is wealthy.
posted by grog at 12:28 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


Despite the title, I don't think this song was supposed to be about Mitt Romney's flip-flopping in the first place. I think it's just trying to show that he's an asshole. You don't have to take the complete lyrics at face value; the individual clips tell enough of the story.
I think you have to be familiar with the context of all of these clips in order to get it. At one point they show the "ten thousand dollars?" thing, but I don't even think it includes the "I'll bet you..." prefix. So you just hear him say $10k with no context for why that's a problem.

You hear him say "Pro life" and then "Pro choice" with no information that indicates he was once pro choice, and is now pro life.

The video just reinforces people's negative perception of Romney, to the extent they are aware of them.

And honestly, I don't even get it. He's a typical republican - but he doesn't really ever say anything horrible like Gingrich and Romney. It seems like a lot of democrats are really going out of their way to work up a 2 minute hate over a guy is who is as milquetoast as a republican could possibly be.

Really, the Romney hate is kind of embarrassing. He's boring, and I don't agree with his policies, but is he really worthy of hate, at this point? If he ever became president, and instituted horrible policies, he would be hateworthy. But there is nothing horrible in his record as MA governor -- he instituted Universal Healthcare!
That Christine O'Donnell clip is pretty much just one speech which is autotuned.
That was from the "auto tune the news" guys, I pretty much just grabbed a clip off there at random.
posted by delmoi at 12:29 PM on March 20, 2012




Yes, Romney doesn't say as-awful stuff, but his ideological malleability makes him just as dangerous as Gingrich or Santorum. Put it to you this way: do you think that a Republican House will feel more pressure to pass moderate legislation preferred by a President Romney? or will Romney feel more pressure to sign extreme legislation passed by a Republican House? I'm going with the latter.
posted by wikipedia brown boy detective at 12:36 PM on March 20, 2012 [5 favorites]


The Cadillacs line got me.
posted by cashman at 12:50 PM on March 20, 2012


He's the Dead Zone candidate - he'll totally do the crazy stuff, but he keeps a lid on it for the public.
posted by Artw at 12:52 PM on March 20, 2012 [3 favorites]


I think the digs at Mormons and "underwear" border on offensive, though.

Only as offensive as digs at any religion's ridiculous shit. Which is to say, tough.
posted by FatherDagon at 12:57 PM on March 20, 2012 [16 favorites]


Bonus points for not using auto tune!
posted by benbenson at 1:06 PM on March 20, 2012 [5 favorites]


Mormons do not officially believe in plate tectonics. Also a bunch of other crazy stuff besides the underwear. Also hate gay people and will use political influence to swing legislation against gay people. So I am not sure religion is completely off the table here... on the other hand on the surface he appears way less crazy than the other candidates.
posted by Artw at 1:16 PM on March 20, 2012 [3 favorites]


Mormons do not officially believe in plate tectonics.

Neither do I, officially. Is there some sort of oath a person's supposed to swear? An affidavit to sign?
posted by Sys Rq at 1:25 PM on March 20, 2012 [5 favorites]


It started out quite well, but after the singing voice part the rapping got weak.
posted by wierdo at 1:27 PM on March 20, 2012


Mitt Romney: He even flip flops on catfish


seriously who flip flops on catfish
posted by myelin sheath at 1:30 PM on March 20, 2012 [5 favorites]


I hated this before I loved this.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:32 PM on March 20, 2012


I liked it better when George Bush sang it. (myspace mashup song by rx, the person delmoi linked to.)
posted by straight at 1:38 PM on March 20, 2012


Incredible? Really compared to something like ...

Uh, yes. It is a lot better than the garbage you linked to.
posted by fleacircus at 1:54 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


I hope he does "Ass Like That" next.
posted by crunchland at 2:06 PM on March 20, 2012


In a decade or so it's going to be possible to create seamless HD animations that will be indistinguishable, at least superficially, from "reality", using just videos and soundbites.
posted by KokuRyu at 2:11 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


In a decade or so it's going to be possible to create seamless HD animations that will be indistinguishable, at least superficially, from "reality", using just videos and soundbites.

Yeah, but does that make you pro or anti this video?
posted by grog at 2:13 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


You know, I didn't really see it until I watched this, and I can't really explain how the video brought it out, but I'm suddenly thinking there's more than a little bit of Michael Scott in the guy.

Other than this likely subjective effect, I can't see how the video makes any case against Romney, though. It's fun for people who already don't like the guy, but it's mostly "Look at the funny people/puppets! Especially the Romney Puppet!" and by and large I think it's probably less helpful than just playing unmanipulated clips of Romney saying things.
posted by weston at 2:20 PM on March 20, 2012


Obligatory Steinski. The audio collage "It's Up to You" was created in 1992 with all-analog technology. Still gives me chills. (Not sure about the video, which Some Guy posted to YouTube a couple of years ago, but it's not too bad.)
posted by Joey Bagels at 2:25 PM on March 20, 2012 [3 favorites]


For me, DJ Steve Porter is still the high-water mark for these kinds of things. (his latest video "Rise Up" is one of his first forays into politics, I think)
posted by ShutterBun at 2:34 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


You know, I didn't really see it until I watched this, and I can't really explain how the video brought it out, but I'm suddenly thinking there's more than a little bit of Michael Scott in the guy.

Holyshitwestonyouareagenius.
posted by Diablevert at 2:39 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


seriously who flip flops on catfish

Other catfish on the floor of your boat.
posted by spitbull at 2:40 PM on March 20, 2012 [6 favorites]


I haven't seen any real examples of full on Romney hate out there. Maybe I'm missing something. Seems to me that from the left it's mostly mockery of how stiff, inauthentic and out of touch he is. He really is the living embodiment of Eddie Murphy's stiff white guy caricature. If anything the real Romney hate is coming from the 'anyone but Mitt" wing of his own party. It worries me that this might cause Dems to not take him seriously as a viable candidate, which would be a mistake. I think Mitt has a nasty side that hasn't really reared it's head yet.

This election is do or die for Mitt's political career, and like the quote says, "desperation is a stinky cologne". I would not be surprised to see this election get even weirder and uglier than 2008.
posted by billyfleetwood at 3:01 PM on March 20, 2012


Oh can we get gigantic robotic ants then?
posted by The Whelk at 3:03 PM on March 20, 2012


I pretty much always love this sort of thing; they tend to become my earworm of the week. I have tons favorited on YouTube. Here's one with the evil Courtney from this season's The Bachelor. Tim Tebow. Charlie Sheen.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:07 PM on March 20, 2012


Mormons do not officially believe in plate tectonics.

Um, no. There are Mormons who disbelieve plate tectonics (and evolution, among other scientific topics). There are even historic and current members of Mormon leadership who hold such views. However, there are also historic and current members of Mormon leadership who are very much on board with the scientific consensus in geology and biology, though, so unless what you mean is that the church hasn't officially issued a statement supporting plate tectonics, your statement isn't really accurate.

Anybody interested in a deeper read about this rather than a drive-by could do worse than this history of various creationist vs scientific viewpoints among Mormons (and some other sects).

Also a bunch of other crazy stuff besides the underwear.

While it's hard to comment on generic "other crazy stuff", the underwear isn't any more crazy than any other piece of religious dress worn by the observant, though arguably less obtrusive than some.

Also hate gay people and will use political influence to swing legislation against gay people.

It's inarguable that the Mormon church has supported legislation and initiatives opposing gay marriage among other potential legally recognized domestic arrangements, but it's arguable that those who spearheaded and supported it did so because they "hate gay people" or that it's safe to assume any individual Mormon actually supported it.

My observation is that most of those who supported it were significantly driven by a worldview in which gay marriage is spiritually destructive to the parties involved, and opposition to it isn't any more about hate than opposition to legalized drugs is about hating drug users.

And while the number of Mormons who didn't support (or actively opposed) such political initiatives may be a minority, they certainly exist, and as far as I know, they don't suffer any official repercussions. If Romney or any other Mormon candidate for public office were among them, it's overwhelmingly likely they'd be in trouble with the Republican party itself long before they'd be in trouble with anybody in Salt Lake City (if ever).

So... like just about any other candidate, rather than *assuming* their religious affiliation means they hold a specific position (not to mention motivations), it's probably better to either *ask* them how their faith informs their positions or look at what they've gone on record with.

In Romney's case, this may or may not make him look any better, depending on which statement you pick.
posted by weston at 3:23 PM on March 20, 2012 [7 favorites]


Now I want to see this guy do 'Any Man.'

Santorum, Gingrich and Paul could each get a verse, and then Biden could do the chorus.
posted by box at 3:49 PM on March 20, 2012


I haven't seen any real examples of full on Romney hate out there. Maybe I'm missing something. Seems to me that from the left it's mostly mockery of how stiff, inauthentic and out of touch he is.
I dunno. It just seems like piling on the guy simply for being republican. Like "here's the chosen enemy, let's mock him and deride him" I agree he does give off a 'fake' vibe, I guess. Maybe that's just how he talks? But he hasn't done anything terrible.

I mean, had this been done about Obama, would it have been posted? Or Joe Biden? I don't even, honestly, think this is very good at all. There have been better political soundbite remixes, and I thought the Charlie sheen slim shady remix linked upthread was better too. If this was just about some random celebrity, would anyone care?

In another thread, I was defending people using the word "Stantorum" and mocking the guy. But you know what? I don't like Rick Santorum, I find him creepy and obsessed with people's sex lives in a totally inappropriate way.

But the whole tribalism "let's hate/mock anyone not a D" goes along with the whole "let's totally defend Obama no matter what he does" thing. It's the same kind of tribalism, which is why it's annoying.

And like I said, I just don't think it's any good. If it was really good, then there might be a point to it.
posted by delmoi at 4:50 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


'Stantorum' is a great typo in an Eminem-meets-Republicans post. Dear Rick...
posted by box at 6:00 PM on March 20, 2012


Rick Stantorum, do you stand for 'im?
posted by Saxon Kane at 6:10 PM on March 20, 2012


I dunno. It just seems like piling on the guy simply for being republican.

* "Corporations are people too"
* Is a millionaire from firing people. Smug and clueless about it.
* General creepy robotitude.
posted by Artw at 6:21 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


What the hell is going on at 1:35 in that video? I most emphatically do not approve that message.
posted by Guy Smiley at 6:21 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


* "Corporations are people too"
* Is a millionaire from firing people. Smug and clueless about it.
* General creepy robotitude.


I agree he does come off as fake. The problem with the other stuff, though, is that the democrats are just as bad as the republicans when it comes to doing what corporations want. Why is actually being a corporate guy worse then being a dog on their leash? It's not like the democrats are proposing a massive reining in of corporate personhood or real reform of wallstreet, compared to the somewhat toothless financial reform bill that did pass. I mean, Obama named Jeffrey Immelt to be his the chair of his jobs council While GE was moving jobs over to China. Goldman Sachs was Obama's top corporate contributor in 2008.

Why is it worse to be the guy who makes money by putting people out of work, then to take money from the guy who does so? Either way, they get what they want.

The "Corporations are people" is interesting, but the problem isn't that 'corporations are people' but that they are bribing politicians and spending billions on lobbying. If tommorow there was an amendment that stripped corporate personhood, it wouldn't specifically change anything right away. On the other hand, you can place restrictions on lobbying without getting rid of corporate personhood.

Plus, the worst super-pacs are actually funded by private billionares, like the Koch brothers, Sheldon Adelson, etc.
posted by delmoi at 7:05 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


Romney has already adopted the rhetoric of a child-molester or tax cheat by accusing Obama of going after our freedom, so he's got their vote locked. But Obama must worry about the middle, where Romney plays so well (they're flip floppers too). I would encourage Obama to do something bold and risky, but in good faith, which is to rightly accuse Romney of being a Christian in name only, as Republicans generally are. Romney will knee-jerk his disagreement at a base religious level, and millions may end up voting against Romney to disagree with him. America may never be the same. But Gingrich may run as a third party anyway, hopefully, because you can't dissuade the deluded once they decided to make a comeback and almost succeeded.
posted by Brian B. at 7:32 PM on March 20, 2012


Mormon underwear off limits? Does that mean we can't talk about the Pope's silly hat, either?
posted by Brocktoon at 8:04 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


I dunno. It just seems like piling on the guy simply for being republican. Like "here's the chosen enemy, let's mock him and deride him" I agree he does give off a 'fake' vibe, I guess. Maybe that's just how he talks? But he hasn't done anything terrible.

Wait a minute, corporatist plutocrats somehow deserve our sympathy?
posted by KokuRyu at 8:12 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]


But McNulty’s problem was that dangerous coupling of his belief that he could change the world with the idea that he should.

This is basically the plot of The Quiet American.
posted by KokuRyu at 8:13 PM on March 20, 2012


Wait a minute, corporatist plutocrats somehow deserve our sympathy?

Mittens just want to be loved. Just like a real human. Is that too much?

Mitt Romney and the Infinite Sadness

posted by hangashore at 9:42 PM on March 20, 2012 [4 favorites]


Mitt Romney and the Infinite Sadness

That was too awkward to watch.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:16 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]


According to this other video I saw on YouTube, "Will The Real Mitt Romney Please Stand Up" is not a viral video at all, but rather a plot by NBC and General Electric to force a brokered Republican convention. Wake up sheeple!

Also, you Metafilter libs should stop trying to make that video a viral video, because you are only helping Jeb Bush get elected. If you don't understand that then you are dellusional.
posted by twoleftfeet at 12:15 AM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


It does nothing to educate and only serves to educate people on Romney's flipfloping.

Thank you, Brandon Blatcher, for summing up one of the greatest common weaknesses among US conservative voters.

Also, in case there are kids in this thread: it's spelled "flipflopping".
posted by IAmBroom at 1:36 AM on March 21, 2012


I found this piece in New Yorker quite insightful as a peek into Romney's economic policy leanings, but also for this insight into the management consulting business:
As McKenna also explains, how and why companies hire consultants tend to be functions of the regulatory environment. If you run a hospital or a car company or an Ivy League university, antitrust law restricts the information you can share with other firms in your industry. For the Ivies to share certain kinds of financial-aid information, for example, would be unfair to all non-Ivies that are competing for the same students. Consulting companies must observe the law, too, but a company that has consulted with many firms in an industry, or in similar industries, can be presumed to have a knowledge of “best practices” that will inform its advice. This knowledge is worth paying for, since there may often be no other legal way to get it.

It was Bain’s unusual idea to flip this model on its head. He created a consulting company that would work for only one firm in an industry, or “competitive set”—the group of companies against which a firm measures its own performance. Bain & Company would have a long-term relationship with that firm, and it would work on a retainer, rather than for a fee. The advice it sold would be confidential and exclusive to the client—proprietary knowledge.
My 2 second takeaway from the piece (and I invite discussion as to whether this is a fair reading) was that Romney will be a bit like Cameron, in wanting to swing a sledgehammer, much like he did in his previous avatar as Bain Capital's top honcho. In that respect, Obama versus Romney does indeed seem like a class thing, dare I say even a 99% vs 1% thing (although I have no idea as to whether Obama would belong to the 1%).
posted by the cydonian at 1:40 AM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Very cool, I have a soft spot for speech samples chopped up and matched to a beat; someone mentioned Rx upthread, I still have "Who's The Nigga?" on my running playlist, even though W hasn't been president in a while.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 6:33 AM on March 21, 2012


Romney has already adopted the rhetoric of a child-molester or tax cheat by accusing Obama of going after our freedom
Only child molesters and tax cheats care about "freedom"? I think you left out terrorist sympathizers like Glenn Greenwald and the ACLU. They must make up a huge chunk of the people who like freedom.
Wait a minute, corporatist plutocrats somehow deserve our sympathy?
No, but it's a bit hypocritical when the democrats get most of their campaign funding from the same people.
Mitt Romney and the Infinite Sadness
Okay, that was pretty funny.

One clip, though, that I thought was fascinating was during a 2008 debate, he really struggled with questions about the bible and Jesus. It's one of the only times his political 'shell' ever seemed to come off. You would think any politician in this day and age would be delighted to say "Yes, I believe in the bible, and Jesus is my personal savior! Hallaluja!". If you remember the 2000 debates where W. said Jesus was his favorite philosopher, all the candidates after him added Jesus to the mix. Romney really stumbled over it, looked really stressed and awkward about saying it.

Thought it was interesting.
posted by delmoi at 8:02 AM on March 21, 2012


"Editing is not difficult."

Neither is slopping paint on a canvas.
posted by bz at 8:30 AM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


It's interesting to see, now that the delegate math is apparently and inexorably on his side, all of the right-wing holdouts falling in line to endorse him today. Dick Armey and his "grass roots" tea-party organization, Freedomworks is supposed to endorse Mittens today, and Jeb Bush has already done it.
posted by crunchland at 8:51 AM on March 21, 2012


Romney Communications Director Eric Fehrnstrom:
HOST: Is there a concern that Santorum and Gingrich might force the governor to tack so far to the right it would hurt him with moderate voters in the general election.

FEHRNSTROM: Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes. It’s almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and restart all of over again.
posted by octothorpe at 8:56 AM on March 21, 2012


Original-flavor Eminem political commentary: 2004's "Mosh."

I totally have an Official Black Voting Hoodie.
posted by nicebookrack at 9:02 AM on March 21, 2012


Dick Armey and his "grass roots" tea-party organization, Freedomworks is supposed to endorse Mittens today ... although now they are spreading denials about it on their twitter feed.
posted by crunchland at 9:03 AM on March 21, 2012


confusion
posted by crunchland at 9:06 AM on March 21, 2012


Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes. It’s almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and restart all of over again.

Obama staffers seize on 'Etch-a-Sketch' quip.
posted by ericb at 10:29 AM on March 21, 2012


>Wait a minute, corporatist plutocrats somehow deserve our sympathy?

No, but it's a bit hypocritical when the democrats get most of their campaign funding from the same people.


Nothing's stopping you from creating a video that mocks Obama. I don't think it would be quite as easy, though.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:18 AM on March 21, 2012




I find the idea that Obama gets a free ride around these parts somewhat laughable.
posted by Artw at 11:21 AM on March 21, 2012


@RickSantorum studying up on @MittRomney policy positions yfrog.com/odl78wmj
posted by crunchland at 11:46 AM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Nothing's stopping you from creating a video that mocks Obama. I don't think it would be quite as easy, though.

Why would I want too? I just said I thought videos like this are stupid.

That said, seriously though: are you telling me that over the thousands of hours of video of Obama talking that have been put out over the years there isn't one or two flubs that you could string together and loop over and over again to make a video?

Do a search on youtube for "obama gaffes" here's one result, here's another, there's plenty of annoying rightwing nonsense in them but the flubs are real. The right wing passes these around, liberals pass around stuff like this Mitt Romney video. They're both kind of stupid in my opinion. Here's one titled "Obama stumped by 7 year old girl", he's tired and he's trying to tell a joke. But, if you're pre-disposed to not liking him - it would look bad.

Another problem is that it makes it seem like a big game like two groups of kinder-gardeners hurling taunts at each-other over nothing. It fits into the whole concept of an election being about nothing more then how you feel about the stage presence that a candidate displays. Not even their real personality, but rather the fake personality that the other side is able to construct from re-cut footage.

I mean, this is a country with 300 million people, with military all over the world, mass unemployment, lots of people with no health insurance, and what should we be discussing? Mitt Romney's personality? Whether or not a campaign strategist made a poor word choice "Etch-a-sketch" or not? Obama has flip-flopped on tons of stuff since his election. John Kerry got the reputation of being a "flip flopper" in 2004. Do you think the country is better off for having him lose to the "straight from the gut" George W?

Please. It's ridiculous. All of this nonsense. It's like we're deciding who runs the country the same way second graders decide who's coolest: based on who can come up with the best insults.
posted by delmoi at 12:28 PM on March 21, 2012


I find the idea that Obama gets a free ride around these parts somewhat laughable.

I said he got a free ride from a lot of democrats. But while you have people criticizing his policies, something like this video criticize Obama would never get posted and lauded by most people in the thread - Especially since, as I said it's not even any good.
posted by delmoi at 12:33 PM on March 21, 2012


Especially since, as I said it's not even any good.

Yes, you did say that. We still don't care.

Besides, alms nailed it upthread: This video doesn't read as particularly political anyway. It's an exercise in editing more than anything else. The desired reaction appears to be, "Hey, this video is neat," not, "YES! FUCK THAT GUY!"

What are you even hoping to accomplish with your LEAVE ROMNEY ALONE ranting? This is the Republican Primary. It's shit versus shit, and neither shit has a snowball's chance in hell of becoming president. Anything to do with Romney is not worth giving nearly so much of a fuck about--especially not some harmless Eminem mashup on YouTube. Mitt's a big boy. He'll live. Really.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:13 PM on March 21, 2012




Oh god his face is collapsing itself itself like a dying star!
posted by The Whelk at 1:26 PM on March 21, 2012


Besides, alms nailed it upthread: This video doesn't read as particularly political anyway. It's an exercise in editing more than anything else.
Pretty amateur exercise. As other people have pointed out, there are tools out there that let you search for words and phrases in long video segments.
The desired reaction appears to be, "Hey, this video is neat," not, "YES! FUCK THAT GUY!"
Yeah, no. The point is to Mock Romney. Maybe not "Fuck Romney" but at least "Lol, Romney". If someone put this together with, say, Brian Williams with the same level of execution would it have been posted? Would anyone care? I mean, come on the entire video is designed to highlight negative aspects of Mitt, how can you say it wasn't meant to mock him?
posted by delmoi at 2:24 PM on March 21, 2012


I think the goal of this video was not to primarily mock Romney, but to go viral, and so Romney was chosen because the target audience -- 18 to 32 year old internet junkies -- would be more predisposed to seeing something that made a republican leader look funny, than say, Brian Williams or Jon Stewart, or Stephen Colbert. But I think those other people would be good alternate choices.
posted by crunchland at 2:31 PM on March 21, 2012


Etch-a-sketch politics: How small things become big things : "A video mashup of things Romney has said on the campaign trail set to the tune of Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” had 300 views on You Tube when we saw it on Tuesday morning. It has more than 900,000 hits now."
posted by crunchland at 2:48 PM on March 21, 2012


Man, that etch a sketch thing is going to stick, isn't it? They might as well have stuck him in a tank with a comically oversized helmet.
posted by Artw at 2:52 PM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Too soon to tell, but I have a feeling, unless his opponents hammer him to death with it, it'll probably be forgotten by this time next month, replaced with 10 new gaffes by then.
posted by crunchland at 3:44 PM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


One could almost admire how the notRomney supporters are able to keep him from finalizing the nom despite his huge piles of money, through the simple power of utter lunacy.
posted by Artw at 3:48 PM on March 21, 2012


Etch-a-sketch politics: How small things become big things : "A video mashup of things Romney has said on the campaign trail set to the tune of Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” had 300 views on You Tube when we saw it on Tuesday morning. It has more than 900,000 hits now."
They don't realize that popular videos tend to get stuck at '300' views once they start getting a lot of views? That seems to be the threshold for some change in the counting algorithm.
Man, that etch a sketch thing is going to stick, isn't it? They might as well have stuck him in a tank with a comically oversized helmet.
I bet I'm going to hear about it more then his stance on immigration!
posted by delmoi at 4:17 PM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


That's the brilliance of it really - you can say his stance on immigration is more important, and the reply will be a query as to what it's going to be next week or the week after. Fair not, tyhis may end up being his thing.
posted by Artw at 4:25 PM on March 21, 2012


They don't realize that popular videos tend to get stuck at '300' views once they start getting a lot of views? That seems to be the threshold for some change in the counting algorithm. -- Why is that even relevant in this case? The video was published on Monday, it had "300 views" yesterday morning, and now it has 922,000. Who cares if it hovered artificially at 300 views for 12 hours?
posted by crunchland at 4:33 PM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


They seem to think they 'discovered' it before a lot of people saw it.

Anyway, this video, the 'firestorm' over the etch-a-sketch comment. they just epitomizes the vapid nonsense that counts as "political coverage" in this country. I understand that people who follow politics are going to want to make jokes and pass around funny videos about it. I'm sure football fans pass around lame-ass amateur hour videos about the rival teams' QB and think it's the greatest thing ever.

But the sideshow has become what "political journalists" spend most of their time talking about. Okay, the etch-e-sketch comment. Fine, everyone knows campaigns change from primaries to generals. Was it poor word choice? I suppose. Does it matter? Clearly not. Is it 'news' that Rick Santorum was photographed playing with an etch-e-sketch in his car? Not at all.

How many people died in the past few years due to a lack of health insurance? How many families lost loved ones? How many times did that not happen in Massachusetts due to the reforms Romney passed as governor? What would happen if Romeny gets elected and repeals HCR as he says he's going to do?

Maybe journalists could actually research these things and find out?

Or, maybe they could sit on twitter all day and just talk about whatever random bullshit vaguely relates to politics and 'trends'.

Seriously guys, it's "hurting America"
posted by delmoi at 5:52 PM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


I dunno about this being much of a partisan piece. Sure there are some flubs that are milked in the video but most of it is pretty clever and funny. e.g.


.....
I'm not concerned about the very poor.
Got it wrong. Sorry. That's not what I meant.
I want every American to be in the top one percent.
I'm really named Willard. That's my first name.
I'm not looking for a colony on the moon. Just for someone to blame.
I like being able to fire people.
"I'm Newt Gingrich." You're fired.
"I'm Rick Santorum and I'm...." Fired
Boom. Boom. Boom.

Gold!

( Y'know this actually makes Romney cooler than he actually is).
posted by storybored at 9:35 PM on March 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


"Rachel Maddow documents Mitt Romney's long history of lying casually and as a matter of routine whenever it is convenient and even, at times, when it is totally unnecessary."
posted by ericb at 6:37 AM on March 22, 2012


Only child molesters and tax cheats care about "freedom"? I think you left out terrorist sympathizers like Glenn Greenwald and the ACLU. They must make up a huge chunk of the people who like freedom.

I don't think Romney adopted the rhetoric of either the ACLU or Greenwald, nor would he risk doing so. Maybe to you though.
posted by Brian B. at 7:22 AM on March 22, 2012


I mean, this is a country with 300 million people, with military all over the world, mass unemployment, lots of people with no health insurance, and what should we be discussing? Mitt Romney's personality? Whether or not a campaign strategist made a poor word choice "Etch-a-sketch" or not? Obama has flip-flopped on tons of stuff since his election. John Kerry got the reputation of being a "flip flopper" in 2004. Do you think the country is better off for having him lose to the "straight from the gut" George W?

Fundamentally, American presidential contenders have to have charisma. Bill Clinton has charisma, so does W., so does Obama, so does Palin. Romney doesn't.
posted by KokuRyu at 8:52 AM on March 22, 2012 [1 favorite]


Well he dumped all his stats into Hair, Fecundity, and Staring.
posted by The Whelk at 8:56 AM on March 22, 2012 [1 favorite]


Romney doesn't. -- Well, he does, but just not enough to sail by without a majority of voters pulling the lever regardless of where he stands on issues. Palin, Cheney, Dubya, Clinton, Obama ... they all had enough charisma for people to overlook their glaring faults.
posted by crunchland at 8:59 AM on March 22, 2012 [2 favorites]


Yes, Romney doesn't say as-awful stuff, but his ideological malleability makes him just as dangerous as Gingrich or Santorum.

Or Obama. You forgot Obama.
posted by pjaust at 10:09 AM on March 22, 2012






The Economist: Mormonism and the Etch-A-Sketch.
posted by ericb at 1:39 PM on March 22, 2012 [1 favorite]


The Economist: Mormonism and the Etch-A-Sketch.

I like the fact that the Economist pointed out the similarities between Romney's flip-flops and Mormonism, but it probably goes deeper. In a religious environment that radically changes, also known as failed prophecy, many adherents do anything but leave. Rather, they tend to go door to door to prove how right they are, by enlisting social support. In this mindset, they tend to agree to way too much in just to want people tell them how right they are.
posted by Brian B. at 4:54 PM on March 22, 2012


Phony (SLYT, Jay Smooth): a voter's rap song on Mitt Romney.
posted by Kamereon at 8:28 AM on April 7, 2012


Mitt Romney and Benjamin Netanyahu: A Friendship Dating to 1976 Resonates in 2012
posted by homunculus at 4:13 PM on April 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


« Older Jiro Ono, sushi master   |   What's up, Doc? Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments