GOP Attack Ad Features Fake Small Bus Owner, Stock Footage

'Build,' American Crossroads Attack Ad, Features Fake Small Business Owner, Stock Footage

Conservative kingmaker turned super PAC mastermind Karl Rove criticized President Obama's business acumen yesterday with a new ad titled "Build," the latest attack ad from the American Crossroads super PAC. But the ad has come under scrutiny for its use of stock footage alongside interviews with legitimate small business owners.

The new ad features a series of Americans identified as small business owners who each express outrage at comments the President made in Roanoke, Va., on July 13, featuring the now infamous line, "If you've got a business -- you didn't build that." Fox News ran with the sound bite, and a new conservative talking point was born -- ostensibly that Obama doesn't respect the efforts of small business owners.

The business people featured in "Build" are generally verifiable: Ginger Gillespie's Twitter identifies her as a voiceover artist and music teacher, for example. John Heinrich runs a small business information website in Arizona. However, 38 seconds into the piece, a Paul Bunyan-esque male cashier appears in a red plaid shirt and green apron.

Further investigation by the Rachel Maddow blog revealed that this mystery businessman is actually an actor featured heavily on iStockphoto's video section.

The man is seen in a video, file no. 20523456, titled "Mother and child in Grocery shop paying with credit card." He can also be found as a shopping parent, in video file no. 20523508, "Father and son in Grocery shop paying with credit card." In a final option, the man apparently marries the customer-turned-cashier and the two open up an organic shop together and add another adorable, organic orange-loving child for the idyllic "Portrait of Family Business owners in organic shop," file no. 20522947.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/2 ... r=Business

Gee, maybe we should introduce the "stock-footage" guy to Jack Gilchrist, president of Gilchrist Metal, ("On His Own" commercial); AND Joe, the plumber. They're both lying PoS's....

Sorry, Karl....We gotcha.....

Title? Sure you weren't talking about the "short bus".

Busted… Team O Plants 3 “Surprised” Veterans at Out-of-the-Way Diner to Speak With Obama – Then Releases Their Bios
PORTLAND, OREGON – June 24, 2012 – President Barack Obama visited Portland Tuesday greeting diners Mark Peterson, center, and Thomas Foeller, right, at the Gateway Breakfast House in an unschedueld stop on the way to fundraisers at the Oregon Convention Center. Michael Lloyd/The Oregonian.

But then the truth eked its way out—-
The three veterans were not regulars.
They just happened to be sitting in a booth at the diner when Obama popped in.
Victoria Taft has more, via Orbusmax:

“No, they were not regulars.” The waitress who served President Obama, Mary, told me the veterans with whom the President discussed “health care” were not regulars. “Well, maybe one of the guys came in here before…”

In fact, the Obama Campaign even had a copy of their bios on hand.
And, one of the veterans just happens to be an Obama for America volunteer!

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/07/stunner-obama-s-3-surprised-veterans-at-portland-diner-were-likely-plants/

That's why I am voting green

If you drill down, past the blogs to the actual reports on the meeting you'll find nothing sinister. Obama walks into a cafe and one of the people he talks to "happens to be an Obama volunteer" for something or the other. You see a conspiracy. I see luck of the draw.

As for the Obama campaign "having a copy of their bios on hand" the pool reporter was given short (one paragraph) bios of the people the president talked to. Guess what? The president's staff did their job and asked the men for the info before giving to the pool reporter more than 15 mins later. That's what they do. They also provided a bio of the restaurant:

"Gateway Breakfast House has been open since 1995. It is open every day of the week and has both a breakfast and lunch menu. Most customers love the 1,2,3,4 Country Breakfast; a meal of two eggs, hash browns, meat, and a breakfast bread choice. It always remains popular with a line around the corner at peak business hours. The large portions and friendly staff keep regulars as well as Portland visitors always coming back." Some conspiracy.

Wow, three guys in a booth weren't regulars, according to the waitress. I guess that's unusual to have three guys walk in to a diner who have never eaten there before. I bet the waitress who passed this little nugget on was the one described in the pool report.

"At about 12:12 pool was ushered out. A somewhat surly waitress seemed happy to have us out of her way and encouraged press to do some dishes on our way out of the kitchen."

http://community.statesmanjournal.com/b ... n-portland

That all you got?

What?!?! Three patrons in a restaurant? (One looked familiar, the other two did not?!?!) Say it ain't so, JOE!?!?!

Something like attack ads made with stock-photo actors that don't exist--except in a stock-photo library?!?! Who knew?!?

You don't actually believe the president just happens to walk into a restaurant unannounced without people and premises being checked beforehand?

And you believe that when Romney sits down with a bunch of "average citizens" that they weren't hand-picked?

PUlllllleeeeze. You can't be that stupid.

Democracy4Sale wrote: And you believe that when Romney sits down with a bunch of "average citizens" that they weren't hand-picked?

PUlllllleeeeze. You can't be that stupid.

Where did I say "that when Romney sits down with a bunch of "average citizens" that they weren't hand-picked?"

It's a dog and pony show on both sides.

Do we really need the name calling?
edit to add: I forgot LJ is a master of Alinsky rules "Ridicule is man's most potent weapon"

Grady wrote: You don't actually believe the president just happens to walk into a restaurant unannounced without people and premises being checked beforehand?

Nope, at least not from what I read of Obama's visit to The Sink in Boulder.

Some Secret Service types came in 15 mins beforehand and announced the president was going to stop. Then they asked anyone who was uncomfortable talking to the president to go to another room. Then they confiscated the knives and forks and had everyone wait and allowed to one new in.

That sounds like SOP. What do you say?

The Clintons have been caught using such tactics before, so it wouldn't surprise me to see both Mitt and Barry to do the same. Neither is very good when they have to answer a question outside of prepared remarks.

It will be very interesting to see which one wins the debates. Obama taking on McCain was like shooting fish in a barrel.