Gossip Girl And MoveOn Cut Ad For Obama

MoveOn.org released a new television ad on Tuesday that, like some other Democratic-leaning groups this election season, encourages youth to persuade their parents to vote for Barack Obama.

The spot, part of MoveOn's Youth Vote program, attempts to harness the cultural reach of Gossip Girl, the much-beloved (and oft-spoofed) CW hit about over-privileged New York highschoolers. Featuring some of the show's actors (including Penn Badgley and Blake Lively -- a couple in real life), it is a satirical play on the drug prevention spots that occupy a memorable place in television lore. Only this time around, the message is a bit more political:

"Talk to your parents about John McCain," says one narrator.

For my sake? Please?

Vote for Barack Obama.

Before it's too late.

The ad reflects a steady effort, on the part of the Obama campaign and like-minded supporters, to use the Senator's popularity among youth as leverage for winning over older generations. Obama's communications shop is sending college students emails suggesting that they try to bring parents, "grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins" on board, and offering tips on how to do so.

Earlier, the comedian Sarah Silverman cut a web video called "The Great Schlep" encouraging young Jewish kids to head to Florida and convince their grandparents to support Obama.

The MoveOn ad, released by the group's political action committee, will air nationally during Gossip Girl as well as on MTV and Comedy Central in university towns in North Carolina and Nevada. It was, for film buffs, directed by Bourne Identity/Mr. and Mrs. Smith director Doug Liman.

Comments

[CaptainVideo]

Very clever, but an ad directly adressed to the over 65 crowd telling them that McCain wants to cut funding for medicare would be more effective.

[AmericanElephant]

You've seen the ad, now get the hat!

http://americanelephant.com/cgi-bin/store/3997748169.elephantusa-303572085+drill-baby-drill-trucker-hat.html

[thinkworklivelove]

Good Ad! McSame is riding on the coattails of his mythical reputation. He proved what a horrendous leader he is with this abuse of power Palin Pick. When he is desperate, he will do ANYTHING to win.

No way, No How, No McSame, and definitely NO abuse of power Palin!

[ladyv]

It's cute and all, but these are hardly popular Gossip Girl actors. It's Dan, Serena, and a bunch of whosits. It's not like it's Chuck and Blair, which would get the "people who have good taste in ships" vote, or Nate, which would get the "gay pedo" vote, or Jenny, who would get the "straight pedo" vote. Blah.

[EYEONU2]

Kids and young adults are very computer savvy and know more about politics than we give them credit for.My 12 year old tells me every time his teacher makes a comment that leans towards the right, like when he mentioned illegal voting practices and suggested that homeless people do not have the right to vote! or when he talks about how " great Palin is".

The only thing my young child maybe does not understand is the seriousness of the Sarah Palin pick. He just thinks she is a joke and like to laugh at her Katie Couric interview.

[Mavin1620]

Good for you and your 12 year-old. My mother went through the evening newspaper and read about county council meetings, and taught me civics, and I loved the time with her then, and I love the knowledge I have now. I am sure it will be the same for you and your child.

[Ipreferobama]

Cool!

[patricklee5150]

Great ad!!!!!!!!!

[Chillinout]

Great ad, MoveOn can produce some doozies. :-)

[ReesieKitty]

I've worked with a lot of young people and I have to say that some of them have an amazingly complex grasp of political issues- certainly equal to many adults I know. Just as there are apathetic and self centered adults, there are apathetic and self centered teens and twenty-somethings. But there are so many who are not- who want to understand how these things work and try to improve them, who feel fear for the direction our country has been going in and are not so tired out or jaded as some older folks. They have energy and opinions and are concerned and involved enough to express them. To 'Levi' - of course you would not allow your teen to make business decisions he has had no training or education for. But if he has studied and prepared himself, that's another story. You cannot deride the younger generation for lack of experience if you yourself refuse to give them the opportunity to get it.

And as far as your taxes go- judging by McCain's new plan, if you really are a small business owner, I don't think he's going to be much help to you either.

[RenoSage]

Young people had better get involved. They are the ones who will inherit this mess, and will have
to pay the consequences for an inept 8 years.

[luvangelHussein330]

I love the commercial!!

[scotia626]

love it love it loveit!!!!1

[joshuahmcdonald]

My in-laws, lifelong Republicans, are voting Obama. My 64 year old retired banking executive father-in-law has donated money to the Obama campaign and whenever we get together it is all he wants to talk about.

[Prayforchange]

In line with that ad idea is the one below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KzbJtG9V2E

[ecotopian]

My mom's 72 and she's voting for Obama. She thinks Mac is a loon. As does my mother-in-law who is also 72 and is voting for Obama.

[revko]

Why does the headline say "Cut" ad?

Usually to "Cut" something in broadcasting means to stop showing it.

[BowlingForRevenge]

Cut means RECORD

ie: That band CUT a new song.

FYI: That ain't new lingo....that's pretty old school talk

[revko]

I went to Catholic School

[QuietNetworker]

Cutting a commerical is like cutting a commercial.

It refers to the process of editing and printing the commercial.

Warmly,

Paulie Sabol

[IcemanXTS]

In post-production lingo, it's referring to editors who "cut" film and spliced them together making a movie or show. So an editor or producer will "cut a spot" using it as a verb. It can also be used as a noun, "this is the latest cut of the movie".

[levi501]

Okay, simple economics about small business.

I have 17 employees and over $1M in sales for my S Corp. My monthly income is much less than my employees. However, at the end of the year I may have over $200K in profits but not near that much in cash.

Say my income/profit is $250K and my tax bracket is 30%. Now I have to pay $95K in taxes! But I only took home maybe $130K. I actually only take home $35K. I'm the rich dude...

Profit isn't revenue and it isn't cash.

Levi

[levi501]

CORRECTION.

My taxes are projected to $95K because of sales and other taxes. Not just my 30% (which is low by about 7% today and even lower than what Obama wants) for federal income taxes...

Levi

[helen]

And... ???

[navarro]

Ok -- you either need to hire an accountant or you are trying to obfuscate the issue. The profit your company makes is going be taxed differently than your personal salary. Pay yourself more, but less than 250,000, and pump the rest of your profits back into the business. You're trying to conflate the company's total profits with your own personal take. After the company pays you, its taxes will be lower too.

[levi501]

Either way I get taxed. A lot.

Furthermore, this complicated tax system makes me have another tax. I have to hire an accountant to keep my taxes low.

Go figure.

Levi

[Yermammy]

You pay yourself in a S Corp and can deduct losses. Don't play me.

[levi501]

Good point and we're going to be a C corp. It's been a good year.

Oh yeah, Obama is looking to raise those taxes too. They're already the highest in the world...

Levi

[Unrepentant]

Your problem has nothing to do with taxes: you have way too many employees. You run a very inefficent business model or you are making the whole thing up for political reasons.

My wife and I have a small business too, and we have only one quarter the revenue, but we only have two employees. After deductions (which you do not mention in your model, but which make all the diference in how much you pay) we pay about 40% taxes.

You are either in a very inneficient business with dismal productivity from your workers or made the whole thing up. Your numbers do not add up.

[levi501]

We're a service business in which my labor is direct cost, i.e. we bill hours. You seem to know a lot about this subject.

We're a growth business (40% each the last two years) and we're seeking capital. Angels are requesting 20-30% profit. Maybe we should go C corp?

However, maybe you're right, maybe I should fire my employees. But then on this blog I'm the evil greedy business guy.

Good talking to you but I've got to go meet with a client.

Levi

[cuchulain]

Strange, I heard a nearly identical scenario today on NPR's Talk of the Nation. A lady discussed pretty much the same business set up. Nearly the same exact numbers.

Amazing coincidence.

[IndependentNAllWays]

As a small business owner, my taxes are offset in a way that individuals and couples can't appreciate nor understand if they don't file a Schedule C. So you're telling others that your profits aren't offset by employee pay and every other expense you have over the year? In other words, it's not a straight 30 percent off $250,000. And Sen. Obama's plan for small businesses such as yours takes into account that "profit isn't revenue and it isn't cash." I understand your concerns, but in the end your company isn't large enough to benefit from the "trickle-down economics" that Republicans swear by. And your company, unlike the huge corporations getting all the breaks, falls more into middle class living than living the high life. Therefore, Obama's plan could benefit you fiscally and personally.

[RenoSage]

My understanding is that small businesses are exempt under the Obama plan.

Aren't we talking NET rather that gross income?