Here is what people are overlooking about the Moveon.org 'betrayus' ad....

[Blackhatjack]

Every ad you compose has a target audience.
The purpose of every ad you run is to 'persuade' the target audience to adopt your view(and act).
Every ad is carefully crafted to reach the target audience in a way that matches their demographics and beliefs.

Here is what was wrong with the 'betrayus' ad.
The target audience was not the 3.2 mil members of Moveon.org. They already understand and 'get' the message, and do not need to be 'persuaded.'

The target audience was to reach those who are not currently members of Moveon.org and those who do not know the facts supporting the Moveon.org view.

In order to 'persuade' the target audience, Moveon.org reduced the likelihood that it would reach the target audience because many were turned off by the use of the term 'betrayus' in referring to a military officer.

The content of the ad was fine and persuasive, but those opposing the Moveon.org view used the 'betrayus' mistake to cut down on 'word of mouth' communication of their ad by branding it as an outrageous 'personal insult.'

So what are the demographics and beliefs of the target audience? IMHO the independent/undecided and unaffiliated voters tend to be more moderate, not clearly aligned with all Democratic positions, and currently examining where their vote will go in the next election.

Moveon.org paid $65,000 for an ad that became less effective in reaching its target audience because it was not well crafted to meet the goal by including 'betrayus' in the ad. Sometimes being clever in selecting a rhyming word can draw attention, but in this case it drove people away from reading the ad content --the very people we want to 'persuade' to join us.

It was a mistake. Its over with. Moveon.org needs to keep it mind next time they run a similar ad. As far as I can tell none of the Dems have condemned Moveon.org, they just criticized the ad for the reasons stated above.

JUST my two cents worth.

[Richardo]

1. Well said, excellent point. Prepare for the flames.

My post last week attracted many who refused to understand that point, saying that 'we' must stand up to 'them' because 'they' never back down, lie, ridicule, etc etc. Never understanding that the target of the ad was (or should have been) neither of the two choir lofts, left or right, but the congregation in the middle.

I'm rcommending, BTW. :patriot:

[Bitwit1234]

29. It made me furious...went to the site and signed up.

so I could say I was a member who agreed with it............

[Peggy Day]

97. Maybe more people heard about it than would have

otherwise. Also, I don't believe much of what that general was saying. Just because he is a military man, doesn't mean you can't say something about him when you think he is lying.
Maybe they were counting on nobody saying anything against him.
The Republicans certainly have used personal attacks many times.

[Richardo]

100. Have the GOP personal attacks convinced you of the rightness of their position?

:shrug:

[xchrom]

2. they were not trying to persuade.

they were pushing and pushing hard -- to talk about the REAL goals of the whole two day stump of capital hill.

there is great history in approaching politics playing hardball -- you simply witnessed it's most current.

the same outrageous ''ads'' have been done about Napoleon and other political leaders -- and it does work.

it takes those leaders off of their pedestal -- no matter how hard the other side tries after an effort like this.

petraeus is now merely a tool -- which he was all along.

[Richardo]

5. What do you base that on?

Have there been some scientific, statistically valid polls showing a big shift in public opinion ('public' opionion, not netgeek opinion) against the General?

[xchrom]

16. in this case it's not about polls.

in this case it merely to poke the general in a way that keeps him from being unassailable.

now neither he -- nor his ''facts'' can be held to be above reproach -- he is in fact now -- reproached.

[nadinbrzezinski]

77. Nobody took pollls whenNapoleon was around

or for that matter Jackson.

This was not a poll based attack, but a... reminder that Patreaus is from the mold as Westmoreland... the EXACT same mold, all the way to wanting to run for presnit... which just as westy, he won't when all is said and done

[Richardo]

78. A waste of money, then.

If it was merely a "reminder", MoveOn could have sent an email to their membership. As it was, they elected to spend $65,000 for......some reason.

[gratuitous]

Yep, and it's why the apologists have gone so batshit crazy

Because the message was simple, had the advantage of being the truth (unlike, say, the Swift Boat folks), and it was aimed right at the lizard-brained mouth-breathers who worship violence, especially when it's dressed in a snappy uniform. If the ad wasn't effective, the Right Wing Echo Chamber would have just ignored it. Instead, candidate after candidate brought it up on the stump, and warhawk after warhawk had to spend time denouncing it. When Rep. Ros-Lehtinen scolded the Democrats at a hearing about the ad, some very perceptive Democrat in the room (representative from Hawai'i?) pointed out that the Democrats hadn't run the ad; concerned citizens had. The look on Ms. Ros-Lehtinen's face after the deft skewering of her fake outrage said it all.

Sen. Straight Talk himself was reduced to the pitiable pronouncement that the millions of concerned citizens who funded the ad should be thrown out of the country. An odd concept of liberty and justice for all, to be sure; made moreso by the fact that Mr. McCain is allegedly a patriotic guy, and I'm guessing that he won't be making similar fatuous proclamations in the future.

[xchrom]

18. indeed. n/t

[Breeze54]

19. Right ON!!!!!!!! Woot!!

:yourock:

[malaise]

64. Touche

Great response. :applause:

Bravo MoveOn.org.

[Cha]

75. Us and the illegals, of course...we're

just a bunch rebel rousers. Course, mccain isn't exactly a barometer of sanity..pity the poor the thing if he weren't such dangerous jerkoff in lieman's category.

[movonne]

13. Yes I agree...look what they did to Kerry...the swift boaters...that

seem to work...

[KoKo]

81. MoveOn was feeding it's Base of Activists with the Ad like the RW did With Swiftboating Kerry.

That's what I thought. Agree with X Chrom's point that the ad was taking "Be-Tray-Us" off his Pedistal which Propaganda Campaign had been successful in putting him on with the help of the MSM. That the RW howled about it with the M$M joining in isn't something to be ashamed about.

Did anyone hear loud howls from the RW defending John Kerry from the Swift Boat Attacks? He was a decorated war hero...who was one of the few serving in Congress who had actually been in Vietnam. Yet his reputation was was challenged and it probably cost him votes. The attacks didn't convince Dems that he didn't deserve his medals but it rallied the RW Base to go after him all the more. It fed them.

MoveOn was feeding it's base by showing it understood the Petraeus Marketing Campaign and while Congress might not want to point out the Marketing Campaign...the Dem Activist Base certainly did.

The Dem Activist Base was in need of a boost that someone was listening. :shrug:

[zonkers]

3. It is always wise to stay away from obvious puns.

[jsamuel]

4. agreed, thanks

[frogcycle]

6. ding ding ding

staying 'way over in your comfort zone and screaming epithets rarely persuades anyone

Tastes Great!
Less Filling!

is hardly reasoned debate.

[Toots]

7. I think the purpose was to create doubt and controversy

I think it worked exactly as planned. I am glad for it. It sure created more of a stir than the protest marches did. Just as Code pink does. They create attention and controversy and get people talking. Maybe the message is unpleasant at times but usually that is what it takes to get the proper attention. This Ad did just that...

[Richardo]

10. Gets them talking about the ad, not its content -

...and the content (aside from the headline) was great stuff. You didn't hear anyone talking about THAT - just the headline.

[Toots]

17. The headline basically was the content

The General was Betraying the nation and the troops by cherry picking the intelligence just as Bush* did to begin this fiasco. Instead of telling the truth and nothing but the truth they cherry picked and massaged the truth. That is a betrayal to our nation and our troops no matter how you look at it.

[Richardo]

26. I understand the need for an attention-grabber, but...

....I think the points you referred to were made much more convincingly in the body of the ad.

My issue is with the name-calling itself, which diminished the effectiveness of the message by turning people off, or even offending them, before they even got to the content.

[Cha]

76. And then down the road they say like

they did with what Dean said.."Hey, that was dead on and Prescient!

[Malikshah]

8. Moveon doesn't pander. They aren't Msr. Luntz with their million-dollar

focus groups.

This kind of thinking is what has us in the quandary we're in.

Making truth palatable flies against the ultimate goal.

[Moochy]

14. And this is why we need central party control

of all democratic affiliated groups. The message must be unified. There is no room in the big tent for individuals to screw things up. Time to crank down control of the message. Lets' start rounding up the stragglers, and people who are off message. :sarcasm:

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Breeze54]

30. Do you hear an echo?

:shrug:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

43. wouldn't know it to hear the Boner talk.

but, his stalking points were drafted in the White House, revised in his back orfice, and promoted with a plumb, not aplumb.

I thought that the ad was great, and I too signed up. It didn't hurt that Admiral Fallon let it be known that Betrayus was an ass-kissing, sycophantic, brown-nosing, creep who does everything with an eye towards self- promotion.

[babylonsister]

9. I don't think it was a mistake at all-I hope that's not considered a flame.

We can disagree civilly, yes?

I think it got loads of attention and their message was heard, which is what MoveOn wanted. Anyone who is at all politically aware knows people have political agendas. It was a given the rethugs would slam it; I find it amusing they've gotten so rabid. Yes, it's allowed them to waste time complaining, but I think it's pretty obvious that they're avoiding the bigger issue, i.e., the message in the ad.
Also, *'s speech Thursday was met with a fair amount of skepticism by many people; I'd give MoveOn some credit for that.

[madfloridian]

11. We still have so many fearful people, afraid of the right.

Afraid they will offend the party that is destroying our country.

[renie408]

99. You know...you're right.

I was thinking I agree with the OP. And my first reaction to your succinct comment was. "You shouldn't antagonize people, it doesn't help." But then I thought about it for a minute and...you're right. That is part of what is wrong with the Democratic Party. A lot of us don't want to offend 'the other side'.

[Breeze54]

12. You make a lot of good points but

people are still and finally; talking about the occupation of Iraq and the rights and wrongs about that!! Iraq and bush's policies and planning, or lack there of, and so, in that respect... a week later, the ad is still being discussed!

Seems like a success to me! ;)

[patrice]

15. Why does wearing a uniform automatically imbue the wearer with

integrity, honesty, objectivity, immunity to peer pressure, courage, sanity, and all other things good and worthy of our trust?

It's time for America to grow up.

[xchrom]

21. ding! ding! ding! -- we have a winnah! n/t

[patrice]

31. What's so horrible about this is that each successive generation

of uniform wearers NEED new generations to sacrifice their lives on the same altar. They cannot stand up for what they thought was right without new blood. This not only enslaves subsequent generations, it also undercuts ANY value there ever might have been in what the previous generations of uniform wearers did. It changes what they did from "right" to wrong and prooves that they are weak.

America used to be the country that was most strongly identified with the axiom that each one of us does what @one determines, to the best of his/her ability, is right solely because it IS right, without reward, not to avoid punishment, and most certainly not because others, in current or future generations, tell you it is "right". That's the America I grew up in and it is mortally sick now.

[ShortnFiery]

44. Yes, and far too many choose FEAR over action ... they'd rather be self-righteous and complain

about those organizations who actually DO SOMETHING. They are the ones who are counterproductive - those who whine about upsetting "some moderates" in the Big D, Democratic Party. :eyes:

[xchrom]

49. ain't that right? but follow my thinking here --

it may be that there are those on the left who going to be calling them out -- by directly challenging the right -- and using the rights tactics from over the years.

in other words -- they are practising the notion of a good offense beats a good defense.

the dems will have to change as time goes on and get a spine.

cause this stuff really is going to work.

[ShortnFiery]

52. Yes, and like it or not, smarmy terms like "General Peaches BetrayUs" WORK! nt

[xchrom]

57. indeed. n/t

[patrice]

73. !

http://www.insurgentamerican.net/2007/09/15/ping-and-pong-you-are-the-ball/

[Zhade]

91. HEAR, HEAR!

Now there's some truth!

[Rex]

20. Moveons add was viral and spread all over the world

well spent 65k IMO. It also made the MSM look like the hacks they really are.

[Milo_Bloom]

23. Absolutely 100% correct!

Even if the goal of the ad wasn't to pursuade per se, but just to fire back, they still drove more people AWAY by turning the ad into a personal insult, instead of sticking to JUST the facts.


General Pretreaus, Don't Betray Us, carries the exact same catchy ring, but doesn't resort to name calling.

[Ravy]

24. Perhaps you made a wrong assumption of who the target of the ad was.

Perhaps MoveOn's goal was to reach people who already agreed with the message. After all, they rely on membership/contributions for their existance, not whether or not we are going to stay in Iraq.

Cynical, I know. But, I, like you was stymied on the tone if it was intended to draw more people to that point of view.

[Breeze54]

35. You are wrong!

The move on members are against the war and have been from the get go!

You must live in an obtuse world?

An obtuse triangle is a triangle in which one of the angles is an obtuse angle. (Obviously, only a single angle in a triangle can be obtuse or it wouldn't be a triangle.) A triangle must be either obtuse, acute, or right.

Move On is RIGHT!

[Ravy]

48. Speaking of obtuse, I did not say they were not against the war.

I said the point of the ad may not have been to persuade people to their point of view, but to generate additional funds for their cause.

[daninthemoon]

25. Absolutely correct. Faux news will not let go of that name-calling

phrase, but won't mention any of the context. It was a huge blunder that only digs rwers heels in further, and gives them soundite ammo. Suppose the ad had still used a word play, but instead of blatantly calling names even before the report was made, they had simply titled their ad "General Petraus, please don't betray us." They could have invited actual thought and discussion instead of this base back and forth name-calling. They blew it big time.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

32. The next time you see "the right"..

Engaging in "actual thought and discussion" rather than "base back and forth name calling" please give the rest of us a heads up.

I want to mark that day on my calendar.

[daninthemoon]

36. Yeah, that is absolutely their game. So why make it easier for them?

[Breeze54]

38. You've missed the point entirely!

[daninthemoon]

53. The right wingers won't engage in discussion. they use attack

soundbites. sinking to their level doesn't help, and it is the place they thrive in. the title of this ad is all the msm will address. Any middle grounders that might still exist are only hearing more name calling. It should have been worded better.

[Breeze54]

62. Oh well but

the dialogue and discussion on the iraq War is out there ... a week later!!

:woohoo: :woohoo:

[HughMoran]

89. Exactly

Amazing how many folks COMPLETELY miss the point. It's no wonder the RWers are controlling the message - how many times a day do you hear a RWer say something completely offensive on talk radio or Faux. This was a great way of hitting a hard comeback in their direction - it really caught them off guard.

[Zhade]

92. Yeah, because if only the wording were different rightwingers would NEVER attack the message.

:rofl:

Come on, you know better than to think that. They'll attack no matter what's said.

[katmondoo]

27. Did any Republican EVER apologize for the use of the purple bandaid

to discredit Kerry and all of the other Purple Heart Troops? Why do WE always have to apologize?

[spanone]

33. Wolf BlitzHer has mentioned that ad over and over and over again

[Blackhatjack]

34. There is a difference between 'gaining attention' and 'persuading people' ....

Anyone can gain attention. All it takes is an event that catches the eye, outrages the listener, infringes on the normal conduct of one's affairs.

Hollywood agents have used just these types of techniques to get their clients 'in the public eye' hoping that people would like what they see. However, these techniques do not often provide their clients with the opportunity to 'demonstrate any skills or abilities' which are critical to getting the clients the roles they desire.

'Persuading people' to adopt your view is another matter entirely. People do not change their views just because you ask them to do so. You must first establish that you are a credible source of information, and that based on that finding they can rely upon the facts you present as being truthful and accurate, and that your conclusions are based upon a sound factual and logical basis.

People who are satisfied that the Moveon.org ad is gaining attention because of the use of the word 'betrayus' fail to appreciate the fact that target audience members may be having problems giving Moveon.org the level of credibility required to accept the views it is promoting in the ad.

Anyone can create a 'spectacle.' It takes quite a bit more to 'win over' the hearts and minds of those who are not already in agreement with your positions.

That is the point of the OP.

[Breeze54]

37. You doubted yourself and felt the need to clarify your point?

:rofl:

That pretty much makes the point that MoveOn's AD got the discussion re-started!

[Blackhatjack]

42. There was no 'doubt' in either post on my part --just sharing my point of view...

I wish I could purchase a crystal ball like the one you obviously use to discern the motives and feelings of others.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

39. You are making the assumption that people react rationally..

A flawed assumption at best.

If people reacted rationally then the "purple heart band aid" ploy would have gained Kerry the presidency.

As we all know, that didn't happen.

People bring their rational faculties into play very seldom and even less often when it comes to politics.

[AndyTiedye]

68. Nothing Will Persuade the 29%ers. They Think It's The New Crusade

2/3 of the country already agrees with us!

Who else is left to persuade?

[karynnj]

40. Really excellent post

very well stated.

[cali]

41. You nailed it.

Not that that will make any difference with people who refuse to understand what you've pointed out.

[Breeze54]

47. I thought you were at a tea party?

lemon?

[cali]

50. Scone?

clotted cream and strawberry jam?

[babylonsister]

51. Refuse to understand? Now you're implying a difference of opinion

is a refusal to understand, because you're right and everyone else is wrong?
I don't think so.

[cali]

54. OK, that was a lousy way to put it.

I think it's pretty clear that the MoveOn ad was a distraction. They could have said the same thing without the cutsie insinuated name calling. It. Never. Works.

[Rex]

56. It worked better then they could have hoped it would.

So funny how this type of publicity draws in huge crowds of onlookers.

[cali]

58. Sorry, I don't buy that all publicity is good.

It's being used as a hammer to whack dems with, and putting them on the defensive. That's never good.

[Rex]

59. It gives them exposure to millions of people who would never shown

any interest in the matter. Sometimes you have to use a hammer.

[cali]

60. And that exposure could turn off those millions of people

to the anti-war movement. Hard to say.

[Rex]

63. It is hard to say, only time will tell.

[bettyellen]

79. LOL

[Zhade]

94. You really think an arguably poorly-worded message (I disagree, but...) would eliminate...

...the country's entrenched anger over this war?

Really?

[Zhade]

93. In. Your. Opinion.

Get it? Your opinion, not fact.

[Blackhatjack]

45. I believe one of the strengths of Dems is that we reason with people & Repubs tell people 'trust us"

It has been my experience that Democrats tend to be more open and willing to reason with people than Republicans. One of the problems the Repubs are facing today is that for so long they have told people not to worry, 'just trust us' to take care of everything.

Well everything is not fine allowing them to run things on a 'just trust us' basis.

They have lost credibility, as has Bush, and now people are asking questions. THis gives Dems a natural opening to reach those people who have become disillusioned with the Repubs.

We need to be smart, use that opportunity to demonstrate we are different, and not adopt the failed tactics of the Repubs in trying to reach these people. We should never justify anything we do on the basis that Repubs did it to us first.

[ShortnFiery]

46. When it gets truly brutal before the General Election - If we have more people "rolling over"

for FALSE right wing outrage ... well we're screwed. :(

Dammit people, our CRIMINAL Executive Branch has our beloved troops mired in the middle of a bloody civil war.

:wtf: is the matter with speaking TRUTH to power? General Petraeus has not only Betrayed us, the American People, he's also betrayed the troops. :grr: He doesn't get "a pass" just because you choose to be star struck by his pretty ribbons. He's a cut throat politician serving his masters in the military industrial complex.

God Bless MoveOn.org for "telling it like it is."

I'm ashamed of the democrats who disrespected them JUST BECAUSE they hurt General Peach's feelings. :eyes:

[Breeze54]

66. WOOT!!!

:woohoo: :woohoo:

I'd recommend but I can't on just one post! :(

;)

[Richardo]

69. A swing and a miss. Strike one.

Nowhere is the OP defending Petraeus, or his testimony. Nowhere does he indicate that the mitiary is above reproach.

The subject of the thread is the ad itself. The whole point is that MoveOn's approach alienated those who might otherwise have listened to very valid criticism of the report and its content.

It has nothing to do with the foamers on the right OR the left. Those minds are made up.

[Zhade]

95. Indeed. Fuck the cowards who'd rather cringe before the rightwingers.

They do no one any good with their petulant hand-wringing.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

55. It isn't the Repubs tactics that have failed..

It is their strategy.

Their tactics have worked just fine, it's just that their abysmal strategy in the last seven years has left even their winning tactics unable to make up the difference.

[Gregorian]

61. But it DID reach it's audience.

Had it been worded politely it would have never reached more than the Moveon audience.

Don't you see? That same audience doesn't listen to anything contrary to their views unless they're slapped. We're not dealing with rational beings. And on top of which, they've been fed lies by their television sets.

[ToeBot]

65. What are you talking about? The ad was a monumental success.

They couldn't have gotten more coverage if they'd saturated all media with ads.

[Rex]

67. Best part about it, IMO is the M$M spent millions just to trash Moveon

and got the msg out by a factor of a zillion! Thanks Wolf! You really are stupid.

[Richardo]

70. What message got out?

1) ....that there are deep flaws in the interim report and testimony by Gen Pertaeus and Amb Crocker?

OR

2) ....MoveOn.org is a group of well-funded leftists who engage in gratuitous, provocative stunts?

[Rex]

71. Both

Depends on which end your opinion will end up on.

[Richardo]

72. Only for those who already agreed with MoveOn.

For the rest, only #2.

[Rex]

84. That is way to narrow focused but whatever works for you.

I stick with reality.

[Zhade]

96. So now YOU'RE the one with the crystal ball?

Doubtful.

[alfredo]

74. the Reps twisted it from a question "Will Petraeus betray us"? To a

statement "Petraeus betrayed us."

[bettyellen]

80. anyone who buys into their fake moral outrage is a sucker- and has no stomach for

for what's coming. everyone has been afraid to call GW on his bulshit too,
They are counting on us being goaded into silence- no thanks. Gotta get the word out.
It was a well written ad with an attention grabing headline- anyone who wanted to know more about the issue could find that ad and read more. Unlike a lot of what the Dems do, it got coverage. Most people can see through this fake moral grandstandin- why can;t we?

[Imagevision]

82. Move.org -> like FOXnews has every right to expose & express their views and opinions...

[Blackhatjack]

83. Sure they do! However, they can destroy their credibility with others by doing it the wrong way

My post was not about whether Moveon.org had the 'right' to run the ad with the word 'betrayus' in the subject line. Sure they do.

My post was about the utility of using the word 'betrayus' in crafting a tool to reach others who do not currently accept the the position adopted by Moveon.org on this subject.

My post was about preserving the credibility of the organization so that it could effectively persuade others to join us in our efforts.

I just do not believe they accomplished what they set out do by using 'betrayus' in their ad.

And just because I disagree with Moveon.org's decision in this regard does not mean I am trying to silence the speech of anyone else. That seems to be a favorite ploy of those who cannot intelligently debate their position which is criticized --to accuse others of trying to 'shut them up.'

I am for more debate, not less.

[tomreedtoon]

85. Do you want to be "credible" or do you want to win?

Democrats and progressives have been playing polite for decades. And the Republicans have stomped all over them with hobnail boots.

Did it not occur to you that the Republicans have won by acting like assholes? Yes, they have their "rodeo clowns" like Limbaugh and Coulter. But after they have decoyed the bulls, the "responsible" Republican spokesmen come in and reap the rewards.

I say that it's time progressives had their own rodeo clowns. People willing to be gored by the bulls, but who make it known that Democrats aren't the cowardly, passive weenies they've been for the last several elections. And MoveOn.org has done that job brilliantly.

I would send them money if their next national ad had as a headline saying "George Bush ****s Kittens." With a Photoshopped image. Let's see if they have the courage, and if your imagination can figure out what those asterisks mean. If you can't...then you're probably in line to run the next losing Democratic campaign.

[Richardo]

87. 'Credible' is not the opposite of 'win'

And if you think MoveOn's approach is anything but pablum for the left-wing choir then you need to get out more.

They had a great ad. And they squandered their 'credibility' by using one ill-conceived word. Better luck next time - unless they LIKE being the PETA of politics.

[tomreedtoon]

101. No, "pablum for the left-wing choir" is a typical Clinton speech.

History is not made by polite speeches to a ladies' garden society. While all the candidates desperately try to sound as much like John Kennedy as they can, the Republicans are pulling their guns and firing at the Democrats with all barrels at once. And guess who's winning?

MoveOn threw a dead cat over the wall and it landed at Petraus's feet. It made people realize that the Emperor and his stooges have no clothes...and their genitals are small. They did what all of Clinton's position papers in the New York Times Review of Books never did. And the only reason Republicans...and dare I say you?...are complaining is because IT WORKED.

Perhaps you're upset because the idea of a political campaign that works is so foreign to Democrats.

[Skittles]

86. F*** 'EM - MOVEON SPOKE THE TRUTH

the same people OUTRAGED by that f***ing ad CHEERED the f***ing war on

[HughMoran]

88. Completely wrong the ad got 1000's of times as much attention as it would have

if it just had the text and a subtle headline.

It was genius as being controvercial the initial reaction of many was anger at the suppsoed "cheap" shot. In the end, more people will have been informed as their natural curiousity will be to find out what it was that was in the ad. I know I would never have seen the ad where I live if it wasn't for the controvery (well, assuming I didn't get emails from MoveOn). I am very happy that they have gotten the attention & coverage that lazy good-for-nothing Americans would otherwise have ignored.

[Zhade]

90. You are welcome to your opinion, as misguided as it is.

They did nothing wrong, and I commend them for their bravery - unlike the cowards in Congress who refuse to hold criminals accountable and call them on their lies.

[pampango]

98. LW activists cheer things like the 'betrayus' ad as speaking "truth to power".

RW activists condemn it as cheap and disrespectful (ignoring their own similar efforts - "defeatocrats").

Many in the middle view both as evidence that one "wing" hates the other "wing" and that how politics in Washington is so "hyperpartisan" on both sides that you just shake your head and go back to your "real" world.