25 Oct 2011

Herman Cain’s Solution to Entitlement Funding…

Politics 6 Comments

…is to get more Americans united behind smoking? James Miller in the comments passes along this odd campaign ad. (Believe it or not, there is a modicum of quality control here at Free Advice. I did a google image search of “Mark Block,” and I think this is really Cain’s campaign manager. I.e. this isn’t a spoof.)

P.S. I imagine the strategery behind this ad was to “shock people and get them talking about Herman Cain.” OK, I don’t mind playing into their hands; I think the ad is weird enough that it will backfire. How expensive are cigarettes going to be, after being slapped with an additional 9% in federal sales tax (which I don’t think will be borne entirely by tobacco farmers)?

6 Responses to “Herman Cain’s Solution to Entitlement Funding…”

  1. Joel Poindexter says:
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    Someone linked to this at Tom Woods’ facebook page. Hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing. The unfortunate thing is that it’s closed, so all the zombie-Cain supporters can’t see who it is they want to be president.

  2. James E. Miller says:
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    This has been circulating on MSNBC all morning and I couldn’t believe it was real at first. I mean who in their right mind puts out an ad like this?

    The smile alone should be the creepiest thing you see this Halloween season.

  3. Ian Robertson says:
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    May I just say that the overly exuberant head toss at 0:20 is one of the most absurd things I’ve ever seen. Lord, what tripe!

  4. Ian Robertson says:
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    Apparently, Block likes to refer to himself in third person.

    “Block told POLITICO’s Reid Epstein that the video was a message that had been sent out to activists that wasn’t intended to “convey any message.”

    As for the cigarette, he said: “I smoke. It’s a choice. Block being Block. What more do you want me to say?”

    That’s all it is. It’s just Block being Block, man.

  5. Joseph Fetz says:
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    “which I don’t think will be borne entirely by tobacco farmers”

    Cigs definitely do have a pretty inelastic demand curve.

    As for the ad, the smoking part didn’t creep me out as much as Cain’s weird smile at the end. It’s like he’s undressing me with his eyes and is ready to pull out some Courvoisier and Barry White. (shivers down spine)

  6. Sam says:
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    If you think that one is weird, check out “Yellow Flowers” !

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSlC7BxmSqY