Check out this fun new ad from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who is expected to easily steamroll to a sixth term this year. It really does seem to be a truly rare instance of an older man trying to look cool for the younger generation — and maybe just succeeding.
The ad opens with two older women worrying that Grassley has something called a “twitter,” possibly believing it be some kind of dire medical condition — when in fact, of course, it refers to the 76-year-old Senator’s well-known usage of the popular website, complete with the shorthand and slang used by teenagers.
“I like to use new technologies like Twitter and Facebook, just to keep in touch — and meetings in 99 counties, every year,” Grassley says to the camera, along with visuals of his fingers working on a BlackBerry. “I’ll tweet, I’ll text, I’ll do whatever it takes. I work for you.”
The ad then closes with a visual that might never have been seen before in a Republican ad — a young woman with a nose-piercing, depicted in a positive manner, declaring that Grassley works “for us.” Remember that infamous Club For Growth ad in Iowa in 2004, ridiculing Howard Dean’s supporters as a bunch of body-piercers? We’ve come a long, long way.
The TPM Poll Average gives Grassley a lead of 55.1%-34.6% over Democratic nominee Roxanne Conlin.
And for old time’s sake, here’s that Club For Growth ad:
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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