The Candidates’ Christmas Ads

It’s a mark of the insanity of this primary season that candidates are juggling campaigning and celebrating Christmas — and in many cases, combining the two. Several candidates have Christmas advertisements running and the content of each says a lot about the field, the promises and the character of the candidates.

The ad for Sen. Barack Obama features his very attractive family and the dialogue hews carefully to his campaign theme of uniting the American people, not dividing them. It’s an uplifting message designed to make voters feel good about the candidate during this most festive of seasons, and he succeeds for the most part. Grade: B.

His main competitor for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton, stars alone in her ad. She is wrapping presents in her living room and inserting cards in each present. One says “Universal Health Care.” Another says “Alternative Energy.” After a search, she finds the final one, “Universal Pre K (Kindergarten).” The ad is well done, but normally presents are paid for by the giver. In Hillary’s case (and in the view of liberals), TAXPAYERS should pay for gifts that THEY then “give” to the American people. Grade: presentation, B-plus; content, D-minus.

John Edwards’s ad features his unsmiling face talking again about the poor and less fortunate. Doesn’t this guy ever smile? Grade: C.

Like Hillary’s ad, Rudy Giuliani’s effort focuses on “gifts” to the public as he talks about policies that he will implement if elected. At least Rudy doesn’t plan to bilk the taxpayers for new social welfare programs. His attempts at humor are welcome for someone who is not exactly “Mr. Warmth.” Grade: B.

Mike Huckabee’s fairly sedate “peace and good wishes” message is overshadowed by the controversy as to whether there is a cross in the background or whether, according to Huckabee, it is just the edges of the bookcase behind him. Who knows? Who cares? Grade: B-minus.

Sen. John McCain’s ad is one of the shortest but says the most. It is based on his real-world experience that gives his candidacy a gravitas that dwarfs all of the others. McCain focuses on his time as a POW in North Vietnam where he was held for six years and tortured frequently. “On Christmas,” says McCain, who narrates the commercial, a guard “drew a cross in the sand. We stood wordlessly looking at the cross, remembering the true light of Christmas. I will never forget that no matter where you are, no matter how difficult the circumstances, there will always be someone who will pick you up.” Grade A.

That’s a message worth hearing from the one candidate in this campaign who has something important to say.

Merry Christmas.