If we want to take visual politics and the integrity of imagery seriously, what Chrysler and its corporate Madison Avenue agency did in its Halftime in America ad can be best (and more easily) understood as anti-union rather than pro-Democratic party or pro-Obama.

A few take-aways on this wonderful shot by the NYT's Stephen Crowley of Santorum's train wreck addressing a black church in Florida:

1. God, please tell the Pastor to let us have our cellphones!

2....

The photo almost everybody saw.

(photo: Beck Diefenbach/AP caption: Occupy Oakland protestors burn an American flag found inside Oakland City Hall during an Occupy Oakland protest on the steps of City Hall, Saturday, January 28, 2012, in Oakland, Calif.)

In an interview with KFYI radio in Phoenix, Brewer said Obama was "somewhat thin-skinned and a little tense, to say the least."

from: President Obama, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Share Tense...

Well, I got emotional watching the video. If you haven't seen it, you can watch it here:

You'd have to have a pretty cold heart not to feel the ache of every switch between Giffords before and Giffords now.

At the same time, however, this felt like anything but a thank you and farewell. Watch the first eleven seconds again, with the Western montage, and then the next four as Gabby begins: "Arizona is my home." Given the format, the music, the length, it's almost indistinguishable from a campaign video. Now, you might say the ad style simply pays respects to her passion and dedication to the role, and reluctance to let it go. I think it's a lot more savvy than than that, though. (You recall the famous: "Hello, I must be going!" line?) Given how the recovery and rehab has been as heedful media-wise as medically, this reads like a formal re-introduction -- the announcement that, (if and) as soon as it's humanly possible, Gabby's back in the ring.

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