Repubs to Dems: “Please Like Us – We’re Just Like You!”

tgIn the wake of a second presidential election loss in 2012, Republicans went back to the drawing board looking for a more effective way to present themselves and their message. Now a brand new ad campaign has been launched which demonstrates that Republicans are even more clueless about selling themselves today than they were two years ago and four years before that. The pathetic message this disastrous ad seems to be sending on behalf of Republicans is this: “Hey Democrats, please like us – we’re just like you!”

The 97-second ad, part of a campaign from GOP strategist Vinny Manchillo, a former member of Mitt Romney’s team, seeks to dispel hateful stereotypes of the right by humanizing Republicans and presenting them as victims of liberal bullying. Here is the message at the campaign’s website, republicansarepeopletoo.com:

It isn’t easy being a Republican these days.

There are people who will stick up for Genghis Khan before they’ll defend a Republican. (“Genghis was just misunderstood.”)

We love political discourse. We encourage political discourse. But when did “Republican” become a dirty word?

Here’s the deal: before you post another bullying comment, think about this:

Republicans are people, too.

The ad itself is backed by an upbeat soundtrack of guitar and hand claps accompanying images of Republicans of all colors and walks of life – acting like Democrats. A man stands proudly beside his car, for example, with a legend underneath that reads, “Republicans drive Priuses.” So right out of the gate it’s cringe-inducing, and it doesn’t improve from there. “Republicans recycle… Republicans read the New York Times… Republicans put together IKEA furniture… Republicans shop at Trader Joe’s… Republicans use Macs… Republicans enjoy gourmet cooking.” And just when you think, This can’t get any worse, it gets worse: “Republicans have feelings… Republicans are people who care… Republicans are people too.”

Of course we do and of course we are. But the ad and the campaign reek of self-pity, weakness, defensiveness, and desperation to be liked by progressives who view us with hatred and contempt. In light of this ad, it’s no wonder they have contempt for us. The left has had the right on the ropes for so long that the only strategy we know is defense, and yet we’re too punch-drunk to do even that effectively. We’ve been reduced to begging leftist haters for crumbs of kindness and respect and mercy.

This is the same concept behind our government’s failed efforts to win the hearts and minds of Muslim fundamentalists. Trying to convince people who have sworn to annihilate us that Hey, we’re really nice and maybe we could be friends! accomplishes nothing except to inspire the jihadists’ contempt and embolden them to close in for the kill. This “Republicans are people too” campaign will have precisely the same impotent effect on the hearts and minds of progressives.

Trying to convince the brainwashed left that we’re not heartless, unsophisticated, old white bigots is a very misguided strategy. First of all, we’re not simply misunderstood – we’ve been relentlessly demonized. The left has very effectively caricatured us as monsters, not people, in order to marginalize and then annihilate us. Second, pushing back against this demonization just plays into their hands. It allows them to frame the debate, set the rules, and control our response. And it is a doomed strategy because nothing conservatives can do will cause progressives to feel all warm and fuzzy about us. We are the enemy and they will make no concessions to us because they don’t need to or care to.

This is war. We must regain our self-respect, get off the ropes and go on offense. To paraphrase General Patton, who knew a thing or two about kicking the enemy’s ass, no bastard ever won a war by pleading with the enemy to be treated nicer. You win it by making the other poor dumb bastard plead with you to be treated nicer.

Instead of presenting ourselves as lukewarm Democrats so that we will be liked, let’s brazenly embrace who we are and what we believe. In addition to going for the left’s jugular with ads that expose their collectivist, racist, big government, anti-liberty philosophy, how about a 97-second ad that sells conservative qualities and ideals, and makes them so appealing and compelling that liberals and independents wish they were us? The message should be, “Proud to be conservative!” not “I can’t be all bad – I read the New York Times!” The message should be “We can make America strong and free again,” not “I drive a Prius because I’m an emasculated conformist too!”

It’s long past time for the right to snap out of our punch-drunk daze and take the fight to the progressives. We either stand unapologetically for our values and our beliefs, or surrender.

*

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  • Carlos_Perera

    I guess not enough core-constituency Republicans stayed home during the 2012 national elections to suit the party’s overpaid RINO consultants. This ad campaign, if propagated, should double or triple that figure this November, as Mr. Manchillo appears determined to outdo Karl Rove in cluelessness (which I guess is not surprising, as he worked for the Mitt Romney campaign).

    • http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Media-Martial-Conspiracy-ebook/dp/B009063F5W/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1345573494&sr=1-2 jeffreyafriedberg

      so far, i’m staying home.

      so far, i cancel my “subscription” to all Repube e-mails

  • wildjew

    “The 97-second ad, (is) part of a campaign from GOP strategist Vinny Manchillo, a former member of Mitt Romney’s team….”

    Enough said.

    • http://www.stubbornthings.org NAHALKIDES

      Step 1 if Republicans want to win: fire all consultants still working for the GOP who were involved in the campaigns of Mitt Romney, John McCain, or Bob Dole.

      • OneManITDept

        Agreed. They need to toss out all the whiny Rinos and actually listen to the conservatives.

    • Bamaguje

      Apparently David Horowitz’ message of a “Take no prisoners” offensive on leftists, has fallen on the deaf ears of GOP establishment.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Marks/1266358046 Paul Marks

    “Republicans read the New York Times” – no, stupid RINOs like Vinny read that Stalin (and Castro and …..) loving rag.

  • David

    This ad is ridiculous. I shudder to think of the ways that leftwingers are going to mock this on TV and in the media. This does reek of desperation. I think this is a terrible idea and I actually do have a tattoo and drive a Prius (Thing corners better than any car I’ve ever driven in the past and you can’t beat the gas mileage).

  • Docs357

    It’s time to separate the true patriots and conservatives from the trash that are to cowardly to stand up for the will of the people not to get the people to conform to the will of a socialist goverenment. If we don’t do it the fight that’s coming will do it for us. Open borders a Muslim POTUS we need actions not more useless talk without anything to back it up. It’s time reality set in.
    Obama has been setting us up for a Muslim take over from day one. He would be satisfied until our cities are combat zones and the old the the weak the whites are dead.

  • DaCoachK

    It is about ideas, not slogans or emotional appeals. Thinking like a teenage girl or a homosexual male is what Left-Wing-Kooks do.

    • flyovercindy

      …and apparently “sensitive” Republicans…

  • Joel Raupe

    Why would anyone walk through traffic to eat the same hamburger on the other side of the street?

  • cacslewisfan

    On one hand, I totally agree, this “Republicans are people too” campaign is sickening. But on the other hand, I don’t think like a Liberal. Is this so crazy it just might work?

  • flyovercindy

    Pathetic… those are “hold your nose and vote” Republicans.

  • hawk1

    David Horowitz had the best idea, film Republican ads in Detroit–destruction and failure caused by Dems. We need to take this fight to the streets.

    • kevinstroup

      Exactly right. The conservatives need to pick the battleground, not the socialist. Put the socialist on the defensive and make them do the explaining of failed policies. But alas, the RINOs do not hate socialism, they just want to be the ones to run it.

  • steve b

    IF REPUBLICANS ARE JUST LIKE DEMOCRATS, WHY VOTE FOR THE REPUBLICANS? I WANT AN OPPOSITION PARTY THAT IS NOT LIKE THE STUPID DEMOCRATS.

  • Biff_Maliboo

    Pretty tone-deaf, desperate and pathetic.

    If this is the best the Repubs can come up with they deserve 40 years in the wilderness…

  • thult

    And, therein resides the fundamental problem: “Repubs to Dems: “Please Like Us – We’re Just Like You!” Boehner, McCain, Graham, Ryan, McConnell, Collins, Cornyn, Kyl, et al! We like increasing taxes, we like AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS, we like HUGE National Debt, we like having NO PLAN to replace Obamacare, we like Haley Barber’s LYING smear campaign on behalf of Thad Cochran, we like a diminished U.S. military, we like MORE women on Food Stamps than women who have a JOB, and we like it that increased numbers of American jobs have either moved off-shore or have become part-time! “We’re Just Like You!”

  • http://johnnyangel10.WordPress.com JohnnyAngel Advocacy Group

    And this is why Mitt should sit down and stay out of politics….for good !!

  • SoCalMike

    During the debates with Obama, Romney’s message was “Me too.”
    They neither have learned a thing nor will they ever.
    They are the party of stupid spineless cowards.
    Reaganesque Repubes will scare the daylights out of RNC leadership who will run for teh hills at the first sign of a strong leader capable of elaborating a strong national defense and the need for legislative and regulatory rollback.

  • De Doc

    Why does the ad not also trumpet some of the wasteful spending projects supported by Republicans? Think of the appeal to that large audience of miscreants who suckle at the government teat.

  • Charles Martel

    Better campaign would be how Conservative ideas help people and liberal/progressive ideas hurt them. Cases in point: Wisconsin under Scott Walker, Louisiana under Bobby Jindal and every major city under Dems

    • IndependentPhotoGuy

      Wisconsin under Walker is Not doing well. If you have a republican who can govern without selling out to big business, corporate prisons and the Koch brothers, then run him. If he is not stupid I will vote for him.

      • Crassus

        If you have a Democrat who can govern without selling out to public employee unions, the gay lobby, green energy, the NEA, and George Soros then run him. I’ll vote for him if the Republican is a worthless moderate.

      • truebearing

        You’re full of crap. Wisconsin is doing much better under Walker.

        Wisconsin will have a 1 billion dollar surplus by the end of the current two year budget cycle ending June 15, 2015. Walker inherited a structural deficit of nearly 3 billion when he took office. He balanced it. The projected structural deficit will be slightly over 800 million, which will likely be offset by increased revenue.
        http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2014/mar/10/we-are-wisconsin/gov-scott-walker-increasing-state-deficit-cutting-/

        He ended collective extortion by the public sector unions.

        He has freed school districts from the iron grip of the union monopoly, which helps property tax payers and has almost instantly put school districts in the black that were deeply in debt.

        The corrupt unions have lost large percentages of their membership, including the teacher’s unions.

        Wisconsin schools are back in the top ten nationally.

        We now have conceal/carry.

        Our unemployment rate is lower than the national average

        Wisconsin has created 114,900 private sector jobs since December 2010.

        Also, Wisconsin’s 2013 per capita personal income growth was the seventh highest in the nation.

        And the list goes on…

        • IndependentPhotoGuy

          Actually, Wisconsin per capita income ranks at #25 nationally. It has ranked in the same spot for the past 15 years. See http://www.Taxfoundation.org for stats. Evaluation of schools is tricky – but one good measure is to look at how prepared kids are for college. The ACT test is a decent test. Wisconsin has ranked high for the past several years – before Walker was in office. Yes, now cowards afraid of their own shadows can carry guns- I do not count that as anything positive. He has favored business over workers and he has put budget cuts and greed above education and protecting the most vulnerable. If that’s what you want I guess you got it. But, don’t give him credit for things he did not do.

      • Charles Martel

        Budget surplus returned to people, unemployment below national average, things are bad in WI?

  • kevinstroup

    My cousin, Vinny! Yo!

  • Carla Chamorro

    The US needs someone like George Patton as president and set the world in order or die in the intent, that’s the American way!

  • Kruton

    Duh!!

  • Colt

    The GOP always tries to bring a knife to a gun fight. I don’t want to be like a Democrat.

  • acmaurer

    Brilliant article.

  • Race_Dissident

    I wish the GOP would just fall on its sword. Alas, it does not carry one.

  • JERSEY FATMOUTH

    “Please like us – we’re losers just like you!”

  • OdinsAcolyte

    What?

    I am armed and sometimes dangerous. Lucky for them it is not normally at the same time.

  • rem

    And people are talking about Romney running again? With ads like this? It’s worse than the “no labels” crew.

  • Douglas Mayfield

    The leadership of the Republican party is cowardly, ‘me too’, semi-socialist, and dedicated to doing everything imaginable except morally opposing the dealers in socialist poison, the Democrats.

    Until the Republican party rids itself of people like Vinney Manchillo, they will continue to be the chronic losers which they have been for last few decades.

    They may win some seats in this election due to general voter disgust, but I predict that whatever the outcome of the election, they will continue to pathetic, poltically impotent, losers.

    Look at what happened after they gained control of the House and so the government purse strings.

    Did they defund Obamacare? Did they do anything to reduce the deficit? Did they do anything at all to oppose Obama and his cronies?

    No.

    The Republican leadership is dedicated to attacking the Tea Party while embracing their pals, the Democrats. There is no hope for the Republican party as currently constituted.

    • kevinstroup

      That is because the statist Establishment GOP (RINOs) likes socialism, too. They just want to be the ones who run it.

      • Douglas Mayfield

        Precisely. Well put.

  • RAM500

    Without self-respect, Republicans will never command respect.

  • Geppetto

    As November approaches I can’t get rid of an increasingly nagging premonition that this Republican party is going to blow its chances to take control of both houses of congress. It appears that the current strategy is just to shut up and let Obama and the democrats shoot themselves in the foot, and then, along comes this pathetic attempt to espouse a positive political image by “sucking up” to the mean, nasty, anti-republican media and their clueless followers who’ve been convinced that republicans are mean spirited panty waists doing the bidding and worshiping at the feet of the 1%.

    Mr. Manchillo may not be mean spirited or intend to have himself and the republicans he’s attempting to promote come off as panty waists but, intentional or otherwise, that’s exactly what his ad accomplishes. The republicans need to gag these well meaning, mealy mouthed types, put on their big boy pants, stop “making nice,” and go on offense. If they take control of both houses in November America at least has a chance to slow down or put the brakes on king Obama. If the democrats remain in control of the senate, “The One” has two more years to run amok and America is much worse off than the mess he’s created in the last six.

    America, the land of the free has become America the land of the hedonistic, dangerously ill informed, dolt who’s forgotten the horror of 9/11, knows little to nothing about Fast & Furious, Benghazi, the IRS debacle, illegal recess appointments, etc., and whose biggest concern is what’s on the social agenda this upcoming weekend.

  • ratonis

    BLEGFH!!!!!!!!! How stupid.

  • lazypadawan

    Instead of wasting their money on dopey ads like this one, the right would be smarter to invest that money into challenging the vise-like hold the left has on pop culture.

  • gram78

    Ewww! Well, that’s just embarrassing!

  • NJK

    The establishment GOP are the abused spouse, who keeps going back for more. This is why I’m not voting for my Rhino rep., but sitting it out in Nov. I can’t support weakness.