The Obama campaign is not above going to great lengths, or rather, great depths to scrape up votes to ensure the reelection of President Barack Obama. These lengths include creating a highly inappropriate ad comparing voting to having sex and then promoting it via email to supporters despite the widespread criticism for the ad’s suggestive message.
In what has been roundly criticized as “creepy,” the Obama campaign’s disturbing “Your First Time” ad comparing voting for Barack Obama to losing one’s virginity has found new life in an email to Obama campaign supporters. Clo Ewing, a campaign spokeswoman tells potential Obama voters, “If this is your first time voting, you should know — it’s pretty easy. It can also be life-changing.”
She then insists that people watch the ad, stating, “You’ve got to see this video of Lena Dunham talking about her first time — it’s all over my twitter feed.” The email showed up in inboxes early this morning.
But it might be “all over“ her Twitter feed for all the wrong reasons.
The ad, released last Thursday night, was quickly deemed “disgusting” and “offensive” but also, out of touch. Dunham, creator of the HBO show “Girls” tells young women voters, “Your first time shouldn’t be with just anybody. You wanna do it with a great guy… someone who really cares about and understands women.”
The Obama campaign’s decision to use a young Hollywood actress and writer to speak directly to women voters about why voting for the first time is similar to having sex communicates the message that the campaign believes young women care only about voting with their lady parts.
In fact, Dunham herself tweeted, “The video may be light but the message is serious: vote for women’s rights,” further solidifying the message that a vote for Barack Obama is a vote “forward” for women’s rights. It’s all part of the Obama campaign plan to paint Mitt Romney as insensitive or “backwards” on the issue of women’s healthcare.
“Then make sure you’re ready for your first (or second, or third) time, too:” the ad concludes with a link to a page detailing what you need to do to vote for Barack Obama.
