MSNBC: 'Surreal' Giuliani holiday ad has to be spoof David Edwards and Muriel Kane

Published: Wednesday December 19, 2007



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Print This Email This Rudy Giuliani's new campaign ad features the candidate attempting to soften his tough-guy image by wearing a fuzzy red sweater vest while sitting in front of a Christmas tree. Speaking in jovial tones, he confides to the viewer, "I'll be working to get everyone the same gift: a safer America, lower taxes, secure borders, job growth, fiscal discipline, strict constructionist judges -- and probably a fruitcake or something." Joe Scarborough and his co-hosts reacted to the ad with incredulity. "Ohhh. He did not do that," moaned Mika Brzezinski, as Scarborough held his head in his hand. "That was actually an SNL sketch," Willie Geist chimed in hopefully. "Do we have the real ad?" "I want names and I want them now, Mr. Mayor," demanded Scarborough. "Who put you in that red vest? Who told you this was a commercial that would help you in Iowa? My god, who put the Klieg lights on your forehead while Mike Huckabee had the soft Barbara Walters vaseline-smeared-on-the-lens glow?" "You know, it's almost like he's spoofing," suggested Geist again. "Maybe that was a spoof?" "They need a statement and they need to put it out right now that says this is a parody," agreed Scarborough. They then watched the entire ad a second time, mocking it with cries of "That's exactly what my children ask for for Christmas! Strict constructionist judges!" "This is surreal," Scarborough marveled. "What a long, strange trip it's been," he added, quoting the Grateful Dead in attempt to do justice to the situation. Scarborough's final comment was,"Mike Huckabee needs to critique that ad. ... We'll see how much Christmas spirit he has. We'll see if Jesus can get him to say something nice about Rudy Giuliani's ad." Huckabee has received criticism for injecting religion into politics with his own Christmas ad, stating that "what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ," which some people found offensive. However, Giuliani's ad, which is already being described in the blogs as a "turn to the absurd," may attract even more unfavorable attention.

This video is from MSNBC's Morning Joe, broadcast on December 19, 2007.









