Pete Hoekstra Takes Down Controversial Super Bowl Ad

Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) has removed his controversial Super Bowl ad from the Internet.

Hoesktra, who's running for a chance to challenge Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), had previously defended the ad, which featured a young Asian woman riding a bicycle past rice paddies and thanking Debbie "Spenditnow" for borrowing so much money from China. The actress spoke ungrammatical English with a stereotypical Chinese accent.

But on Thursday, the commercial -- and accompanying website -- were replaced, The Detroit News reports:

Along with the Super Bowl ad that featured a Chinese-American actress speaking broken English, the GOP Senate hopeful launched a website, www.DebbieSpenditnow.com, that included Chinese characters, paper lanterns, parade dragons, Democratic opponent Debbie Stabenow’s face on a Chinese fan and the controversial ad. The Web address now sends users to Hoekstra’s traditional Senate campaign page.

Asked about the switch, Hoekstra campaign spokesman Paul Ciaramitaro said in an e-mail: "After hundreds of thousands of visitors to the micro-site saw our first campaign ad and the effects of Stabenow's reckless spending, we wanted to direct traffic to Pete's site where voters can see our second ad, which lays out Pete's vision of fiscal discipline and economic growth."

Watch the new ad:

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Comments

[39air1]

06:43 AM on 04/14/2012

lying Republicans scabs ,Bush and GOP borrow more money from China than any other president in history, and spent ,more over seas than any other president in histroy.

[Aimzee]

09:47 PM on 02/18/2012

An apology and admiting the ad was racist would be a good start. Give it up Pete, you're not a quality component. Drop out of the race.

[Aimzee]

09:38 PM on 02/18/2012

Why didn't Pete just admit the ad was stupid and the implications over the top. The young actress has apologized - Pete needs to do the same.

[Trapper50cal]

01:24 PM on 02/11/2012

IS the pic from his house? Man, he should really do the dishes....and buy a garbage can.

[mistlesuede]

02:24 PM on 02/11/2012

To me it looks like the inside of a motor home or something?

[SpencMom]

01:07 PM on 02/11/2012

Notice how he doesn't mention that the reason the original ad was pulled is due to even his fellow GOPTbaggers calling him on being a zenophobic pig.

[redrigs]

01:06 PM on 02/11/2012

The heat get to hot for you Hoekstra??? Stabenow will bury you....

[kareemachan]

12:08 PM on 02/11/2012

I'm surprised he didn't blame it on an aide or a PR company. That seems to be the bagger thing to do these days.

[joeblow]

11:48 AM on 02/11/2012

Does this then mean he's not a racist of the most stripe? I've got to think about this.

[luvsox]

11:41 AM on 02/11/2012

I still don't think he recognizes or cares how moronic and offensive that ad was.

[MarkAntney]

12:38 PM on 02/11/2012

Actually he did/does, he just didn't care, for he thought it would garner him more $$$, publicity, votes,... but when the backlash became LARGER than the CONservative benefits,..

Both he and his defenders backed off.

Have you noticed those defenders have SUDDENLY become non existent mostly?

[dax49]

10:31 AM on 02/11/2012

He should be recalled- if his voters had any integrity, he would be long gone!

[dungfacerepub]

11:16 AM on 02/11/2012

you are absolutely correct

[GhiaccioPronto]

11:58 AM on 02/11/2012

he doesn't hold any office

[Ppossom]

10:05 AM on 02/11/2012

Hoekstra tries a new slant on Chinese?

[tangelan]

09:53 AM on 02/11/2012

Republicans have no sense of humor. When they try you get ads like Mr. Hoekstra's. I bet he thought it was just brilliant. "What, no good?"

[pbezuhov]

09:52 AM on 02/11/2012

"After hundreds of thousands of visitors to the micro-site saw our first campaign ad and the effects of Stabenow's reckless spending, we wanted to direct traffic to Pete's site where voters can see our second ad, which lays out Pete's vision of fiscal discipline and economic growth." Black is white, good is evil, war is peace. hatred is love, etc,etc,etc. Orwell's is thriving.

[MarkAntney]

09:47 AM on 02/11/2012

Hmmm, what changed from the adamant defense of the commercial from both Hoekstra and CONservatives here on the HP?

I guess now the defenders have to discredit Hoekstra's decision(s), the first one to air the commercial and the other one to take it down, for they support whateva a CONservative does, until there's no other option?

Maybe Hoekstra is auditioning to join the Romney Team in the Land of FlipFlopolis?

[CoronaDischarge]

08:40 AM on 02/11/2012

He's just using his dog whistle to tap out some different melodies. This one served to establish his discrimination bona fides. Now onto another minority to denigrate.

Come on Ohio, make him want to move to Mississippi.