Friday, July 26, 2024

Sixty years ago...

When I said Democrats wanted another 1964, that included a desire for the kind campaign that LBJ ran, unapologetically aggressive and most of all, willing to call a spade a spade. That's one reason why this...

... is a reliable laugh/applause line.

Sixty years ago these ads were playing over broadcast TV and radio at a time when almost everyone was tuned in to these two media. I doubt that any political advertising has had the same cultural impact before or since, particularly this:

"Daisy", sometimes referred to as "Daisy Girl" or "Peace, Little Girl", is an American political advertisement that aired on television as part of Lyndon B. Johnson's 1964 presidential campaign. Though aired only once, it is considered one of the most important factors in Johnson's landslide victory over the Republican Party's candidate, Barry Goldwater, and a turning point in political and advertising history. A partnership between the Doyle Dane Bernbach agency and Tony Schwartz, the "Daisy" advertisement was designed to broadcast Johnson's anti-war and anti-nuclear positions. Goldwater was against the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and suggested the use of nuclear weapons in the Vietnam War, if necessary. The Johnson campaign used Goldwater's speeches to imply he would wage a nuclear war. 

...

The ad was pulled after its initial broadcast but it continued to be replayed and analyzed by media, including the nightly news, talk shows, and news broadcasting agencies. The Johnson campaign was widely criticized for using the prospect of nuclear war, and implying that Goldwater would start one, to frighten voters. Several other Johnson campaign commercials would attack Goldwater without referring to him by name. Other campaigns have adopted and used the "Daisy" commercial since 1964. 

"Daisy" Ad  September 7, 1964



Telephone Hotline Ad



Which Barry Goldwater?



Ice Cream Ad



Social Security

 

 



Medicare



"Confessions of a Republican"



After Daisy, the most disturbing ad featured images of of a Klan rally and a quote from Robert Creel, grand dragon of the Alabama KKK, listing the targets of his bigotry and ending with his statement of support for Goldwater. Because of the language, it's been pulled from YouTube, but you can watch it here.

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