Dems See Rats! (posted Sept. 12, 2000)
A new Republican National Committee ad blasting Vice President Al Gore's prescription drug plan has fallen victim to rats. A detailed, frame-by-frame analysis of the RNC ad by the New York Times reveals that in three frames of the 30-second spot (about one-thirthieth of a second) the word "RATS" is superimposed over text noting the Gore prescription plan. This follows the ad's picture of Al Gore at the White House and a screen saying if Gore's plan goes through, "Bureaucrats Decide."
It is the first time in a major presidential campaign advertisement that subliminal advertising has been used to criticize an opponent's plan. Although the RNC ad-maker, Alex Castellanos, claims that the visual text was "purely accidental", it is hard to believe in an era of sophisticated editing equipment which slows down videotape to a frame-by-frame analysis is a random act. The word "RATS" is carefully superimposed over the words "The Gore Prescription Plan" to obliterate that message.
The ad represents a new low for campaign advertising and presents a significant risk of voter backlash to the Republican party. Voters do not like to be manipulated and fooled, and this kind of subliminal advertising attempts both. Republicans should see who is responsible for this nefarious development and fire that person(s) immediately!
