[Hat tip TPM]
The new House GOP slogan, “the change you deserve,” also happens to be the slogan of anti-depressant Effexor XR - but actually it’s a bit worse. The FDA found an Effexor XR ad
“is misleading because it overstates the efficacy of Effexor XR, makes unsubstantiated superiority claims, in addition to other unsubstantiated claims, and minimizes the risks associated with the use of Effexor XR.”
While there is plenty material here for jokes, on the more serious side how could the GOP let this happen? The Republicans may be lacking funds - but they hardly have so little money that they can’t run these things through, say, trademark databases and Google (you can do it professionally for a few hundred or so)? It’s not like they don’t use advertising agencies who should know about this. Instead they saved a few hundred and lost, well, how do you quantify in dollars what this incident has cost them in PR?
Comments 5
McCain suggested a real change here… and that’s what really counts.
“Question Time” Between President and Congress.
Third—and this strikes me, the amateur historian as powerfully significant—his pledge to further democratize and make more transparent the presidency with these words: “I will ask Congress to grant me the privilege of coming before both Houses to take questions and address criticism, much the same as the prime minister of Great Britain appears regularly before the House of Commons.”
Given Obama’s poor debate performances, I doubt he could hold up against such give-and-take compared to the more on-the-ball McCain.
Posted 17 May 2008 at 5:56 am ¶Although he’s a lawyer, Obama’s not licensed to practice law in Illinois. I wonder whether his experience as a state senator and junior U.S. senator would prepare him for a Question Time type of communication with Congress. I think in response to McCain’s pledge, Obama would have no choice but to tell the American voters that he, too, would be willing to appear before a joint session of Congress and answer questions in parliamentary form. When one observes how he conducts himself without the help of a teleprompter (his recent exchange with his “sweetie” reporter in Michigan comes to mind), it appears that a President Obama would not be able to perform competently.
Posted 17 May 2008 at 11:29 am ¶Exactly Roy… exactly…
I’m still sticking with my Gore-Obama prediction. As the Obama we know in Illinois becomes better known, the Super Delegats are going to get reluctant and call in Gore.. a guy who could cope with this sort of give-and-take.
Posted 18 May 2008 at 7:18 am ¶Footnote: Jack Kelly has a good column on Obama’s loopy talk Is Obama Ready for Prime Time?
Posted 18 May 2008 at 7:21 am ¶Hi Bill,
I really try to be pretty tolerant on my blog of comments - posting even those I think are terrible arguments (i.e. poorly thought out, illogical, etc. - whether I agree with them isn’t an issue for posting them). But I do expect comments to be related to the post - when they aren’t I consider them spam. You’ve really pushed it here - I’m leaving your comments along with Roy’s response - but next time I won’t be so tolerant.
You’re free to express your opinions on any topic you choose - and in Bill’s case you have your own blog plus Illinoize among others for outlets - but if you’re commenting here it’s related to what I’m writing. If it isn’t, it’s spam.
Posted 18 May 2008 at 9:58 pm ¶Post a Comment