Essay on "Bush vs. Kerry 2004 "Thinking Mom" Ad"

Essay 3 pages (1005 words) Sources: 0 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Bush 2004 "Thinking Mom" http://pcl.stanford.edu/campaigns/2004/archive.html

Description of the ad:

The ad begins with a close up a woman looking at the clock in her car as she is driving and realizing that it is 5:30 and she still has many errands to run. She then tunes into what the announcer on the radio is saying. First, he says that John Kerry and the liberals in congress want to raise gas taxes to be ten times higher. There is a voice-over of the woman thinking to herself "10 times? Gas prices are high enough already." She looks very agitated. At the same time, the words "Raise gas taxes 10 times" appear in big green letters on the screen. Next, the radio announcer says that Kerry wants to raise taxes on senior social security benefits, and once again, these words are repeated on the screen in big, green letters. The next statement made by the radio announcer is that Kerry wants to raise taxes on middle class parents 18 times. The announcer also adds the comment "No relief there for the married." Again, the words appear on screen but at the same time, the woman thinks aloud, "More taxes just because I'm married? What are they thinking?." Then we hear the radio announcer saying something about "350 times" but it is not attributed to anything in particular. Finally, just before the obligatory "I am George W. Bush and I approve this message," the announcer reiterates that Kerry and the "liberal republicans" mean higher taxes.

Application of Burke's Pentad

Act: Listening to "the news" on the radio station while driving (This is something most Americans can relate to since this is where many people get their daily news)


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