Ads of the Damned: CA Gov: Steve Poizner, "Adults Only"

Oh, Lord ...

I can't even begin to count the number of times I've been on eBay and I honestly didn't know there was an "adults only" section until I saw this ad. I assume that my eBay experience isn't all that different from most users.

So I gather that this ad is directed at that reliable voting bloc that still doesn't have a lot of computing experience: senior citizens.

The problem is that I don't know how true that statement is. The visuals are too reliant on computer-related signifiers. Instead, it's probably more accurate to say this ad is directed at hard core cultural conservatives. The script contains some lovely conservative dog whistles like the accusation that Whitman banned gun sales from eBay, which implies she is soft on the 2nd Amendment and would likewise "ban gun sales" once in office. The "fake paintings" detail is a nice touch in so much as it implies that it's Whitman herself who is fraudulent, possibly a fraudulent conservative.

But, let's face it, this ad is a love letter to adult entertainment, er, rather "hardcore pornography." An especially nice touch is the frame below as the narrator explains that Whitman started a separate division [cut to frame] that only sells porn."
That kid doesn't look remotely close to being 18 years old. This visual accusation is rather striking: Meg Whitman is involved in distributing porn to under aged kids. The extended implication is that Whitman is involved in child pornography.

The next handful of mud to be flung seems tame by comparison. The script reads "Under Whitman's leadership the porn site became one of the largest on the internet," just as this frame appears:
The ad is basically saying that Whitman herself is for sale, and since the context of the ad is overtly sexual, Poizner is essentially calling Whitman a whore.

Bravo, Steve Poizner, you're a douchebag.

Lastly, and for reasons that are beyond my comprehension, the ad some how ties Whitman to GoldmanSachs, as if being called a child pornography-peddling hooker weren't enough already.
The font makes the it look like the summation of the ad is that "GoldmanSachs Deals Pornography," not necessarily Whitman.

All in all, this has to be the most vile campaign ad I've seen in a long time.