With the Republican primaries rapidly approaching, campaign ad season is just about to get crazy — and it was only a matter of time before cringe-worthy ads to start showing up.
Herman Cain’s most recent offering has his bespectacled, mustached, cigarette-smoking, head-shaking chief of staff, along with the candidate himself smiling at an uncomfortably slow pace. Yes, it’s the front-runner for this campaign season’s oddest commercial, but the year is young.
Strange campaign ads are nothing new, of course. Here’s The Daily Caller’s compilation of 10 of the weirdest campaign ads of all time.
Number 10: Hermain Cain’s 2011 “Smokin'” ad:
With all the political angst gathering around his signature “9-9-9” economic plan, Cain needed a reassuring endorsement from a leading political figure. Since none were available, the endorsement came from his own campaign manager, Mark Block. Glad to hear his own staff supports him — and that the boss allows smoking breaks.
Number 9: Springer sprung … and lost:
The famous talk show “ringmaster” and former Cincinnati mayor Jerry Springer once bought TV time to confess to sleeping with a prostitute — and, oh yes, to ask for your vote for governor. Ohioans declined.
Number 8: Just in time for Halloween
“I’m not a witch. I’m you,” was Christine O’Donnell’s campaign pitch for one of Delaware’s U.S. Senate seats. Although not technically a witch, O’Donnell dresses like she’s ready for Hogwarts.
Number 7: Dale Peterson ain’t no chicken:
In an intense race for Alabama Agriculture Commissioner, former contestant Dale Peterson bowed out — but not before he recorded this fiery endorsement for John McMillan. Yessir, no chicken farmer will keep Peterson from “givin’ a rip.”
Number 6: Black and Yellow (flowers):
Cock-a-doodle-doo, ma’am or sir, we bet you’ll like this real purty ad. Y’all don’t forget to watch Mr. Cain’s mighty long smile at the end.
Number 5: There’s no cockfighting in politics
Wes Wagner hammered down his position on cock(fighting). Quite a big video camera you’ve got there. Wonder what you’re compensating for.
Number 4: Adults-only for Mary Carey
With this busty hardcore campaign ad, we want to know more about her positions on this issues. She took a hard stance on issues involving the adult film industry. Now we know why Herman Cain’s campaign manager needs those cigarettes.
Number 3: Christopher Knight — A new hope
In this video, “Jedi” Knight fights against the dark force of No Child Left Behind. Sadly, his campaign met its match against the death star of actual voters.
Number 2: Mike Gravel for Senate (again)
This School House Rock-inspired video attempted to reinvent former senator Mike Gravel. Sometimes irrelevance is better than embarrassment.
Number 1: A Baaaad Ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRY7wBuCcBY
You may think you’re dreaming with all the sheep in this ad, but Carly Fiorina actually ran it in 2009 during her Republican Senate primary run, stretching a metaphor to the point of absurdity. Straying from her own metaphor, she includes graphics of pigs and random faces of Californians. We think Little Bo Peep lost more than her sheep in this ad.