Retro Political Ads: Nixon Now (1972)
By Richard K. Barry
Maybe because I'm reading Rick Perlstein's fabulous book Nixonland, but I've got the old trickster on the brain. Knocking around the internet this evening I came across this gem. It's a 2 minute and 15 second campaign ad from 1972 called "Nixon Now." Wonder what it cost in 1972 to air a spot that long?
And what a catchy little ditty it is, sort of. At least in an Up With People kind of way. Then again, in an evil Bob Roberts kind of way, it actually scares the crap out of me.
CBS News says this about the ad:
Maybe because I'm reading Rick Perlstein's fabulous book Nixonland, but I've got the old trickster on the brain. Knocking around the internet this evening I came across this gem. It's a 2 minute and 15 second campaign ad from 1972 called "Nixon Now." Wonder what it cost in 1972 to air a spot that long?
And what a catchy little ditty it is, sort of. At least in an Up With People kind of way. Then again, in an evil Bob Roberts kind of way, it actually scares the crap out of me.
CBS News says this about the ad:
The 1972 "Nixon Now" advertisement is memorable for its uncharacteristic nature. Not many would associate Nixon, a firm Cold Warrior who excelled at fierce anti-liberal attack ads, with a spot that scrolls from stills of young people frolicking in the sun to clips of a smiling Nixon shaking hands with constituents. All the while, a festive song hails Nixon for "reaching out to find a way to make tomorrow a brighter day, making dreams reality. More than ever - Nixon now for you and me."
Labels: Retro Political Ads
posted by Richard K. Barry at
8:07 PM
2 Comments:
Having seen so many unflattering shots of Nixon during the Watergate scandal, it`s interesting to see an ad where he actually comes off as quite charming and likable. I have this memory of looking for something in the back of a drawer when I was a teen and coming across by dad`s Nixon Now pin, years after the scandal broke.
By
Karlo, at 9:24 PM
I realize it's a controversial and uncomfortable viewpoint. But I agree with Michael Moore that, for all his faults, Nixon was the last Liberal president America ever had.
On domestic issues, Nixon was way, way to the left of the likes of Bill Clinton and Obama.
The North American nation that existed in Nixon's day may have had the same name (the United States) as today. But it was a completely different nation. (If you doubt that, try to imagine an America with no wingnut talk radio, no Fox News, no TeaBaggers, no crazy extremist Republicans).
I don't want to overly romanticize the past. But frankly, the America of Nixon's day was way, way more fair to ordinary working people than today's America. It was a better place to live. You didn't have CEOs making 400 times what the rank and file made, like today's Third World America.
It may seem hard to fathom these days. But back then, workers could actually join a union if they so chose. In fact, it wasn't even particularly controversial. It was a far cry from today, where workers are routinely threatened and intimidated if they dare organize (I know, this happened to me).
I recall when the postal workers went on strike. Nixon went out of his way to avoid confrontation with them. It was a million miles from what Reagan did to PATCO.
Unions actually did pretty well under Nixon. And as a result, America back then actually had a reasonably prosperous middle class.
These days, the middle class is all but dead.
Yes, I know: Nixon was an asshole. But in at least SOME respects, he had his good points.
The guy was smart. Just to give one example: I would bet you money that if he were president today, he'd be taking an active role in combating global warming. And he wouldn't have hesitated to introduce tough, sensible gun laws to reduce violent crime.
By
Anonymous, at 10:16 PM
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