The opinion piece below contends that Pizza Hut’s offer of pizza for life to anyone who asks the candidates whether they prefer pepperoni or sausage cheapens the electoral process. I didn’t think that was possible. Our owners are shelling out $2 billion in marketing expenditures to convince us that one pizza is better than the other pizza. The truth is that they are both baked in the same oven, with the same ingredients. They just have a different topping, to give the appearance of choice. I think a marketing gimmick is a perfect analogy for our electoral process. The two pizzas were chosen for us by the people who run the country. They have us fill out questionaires, pretending to care what we think about their products, but they are thrown into the trash. They don’t care what we think. They will tell us what we like. And they will sell us the product.
You will learn more from reading a Pizza Hut box than you will from watching tonight’s presidential debate. You will be treated to marketing slogans that have been approved by focus groups. Sound bites and promises that can’t be fulfilled will be the order of the day. Enjoy the pizzas tonight because you are going to pay the price tomorrow.
Opinion: Pizza Hut debate offer cheapens election process
SOME 67 MILLION people tuned into the first presidential debate on Oct. 3, and that’s the kind of number that makes marketers stand up and salute.
That number is certainly why Pizza Hut wants to give a lifetime of free pizza — or a check for $15,600 — to anyone who asks a really inappropriate question of either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney during their live town hall debate on Tuesday.
Relax. It’s nothing obscene, in the get-you-tape-delayed-on-TV sense.
Pizza Hut just wants to know whether the candidates prefer sausage or pepperoni on their pies.
NOW, SOME of you may remember when MTV got a teenybopper to ask Bill Clinton whether he wore boxers or briefs in 1992. It was a groaner at the time, but most people shrugged it off because it was on MTV, after all, and mostly harmless — aside from making everyone think about Bill Clinton’s underwear.
This issue with Pizza Hut is different. Much different.
This time, we have one of the mega-corporations that already enjoy an inordinate amount of influence on U.S. policy inserting itself into an arena that should remain free from opportunistic profit grasping.
Say what you want about the Clinton question — at least it wasn’t instigated by Fruit of the Loom.
We’re not marketing a consumer product this year.
We’re tryingto elect a president of the United States of America.
And we need relevant information to make good choices amid political campaigns that frequently lie and distort; campaigns run by operatives openly hostile to the notion of truth and fact-checking; post-truth campaigns that rely on a media mostly content to echo the lies and the let the voters sort it out.
One of the reasons people had a problem with the moderation of the Oct. 3 debate is that Jim Lehrer never forced an ‘are you for real?’ follow-up to the statements from either candidate.
It seems unlikely that the “sausage or pepperoni” question will make it through the debate moderation.
WE SUPPOSE Pizza Hut will achieve its goal, to some extent, even if it doesn’t. We suppose we’re helping just by bringing it up.
But it was worth it just to point out the obvious: National political campaigns have already achieved a regrettably sufficient degree of farce and cynicism.
We don’t need naked profiteering piled on top, like so much mozzerella.
— Chambersburg Public Opinion
Oooh, a question about assault weapons, AK 47s. WTF??
Obama says he believes in the 2nd Amendment, about hunting. Will he mention the complete carnage occuring in all the gun free zones? In his fucking HOMETOWN of Chicago?
Wants more “enforcement”. Does not want weapons designed for war NOT on our streets, okay, I guess we will ban base ball bats also cuz they kill people.
Tying gun control to opportunities to kids and better schools – ie MORE nanny state crap.
Wants automatic weapons out of hands of criminals and the mentally ill – that must include the DHS and the TSA!!!
Romney bringing in the social pathologies that lead to our current culture of violence, especially TWO PARENT FAMILIES. That will get the conservative and evangelical vote.
Wham. Romney just dropped the Fast and Furious bomb. No split screen on Obama, too bad, F & F is Watergate with a toe tag.
Kaboom. The executive privilege bomb dropped on Obama. Romney called out by Crawley about the change in assault ban – great explanation.
Obama still looks tired, stting on his chair, now creeping up on Romney.
Obama now saying Romney changed his mind to get NRA endorsement – great move smart boy. All gun owners will now vote ROmney.
Obama now tying gun violence to education and intact families – yeah, from the party that pushes single motherhood. More education feel good nonsense.
could this fat bitch be any further up obama’s ass?
Crawley just caved to let Obama distort Romney’s record on teachers, but really tried to get him to shut up, might as well as the tides to receed King Canute Obama.
Well, “Currency Manipulation” got mentioned. Romney accuses China of it. I guess that might be considered progress.
@Stuck: thanks, heh, heh, by their thumbs down we shall know them.
Romney is going after China and their currency manipulation. Romney pledging to label China a manipulator and put in tariffs to protect our manufacturers. Says we have lost 500K manufacturing jobs. Where is llpoh on this?
Talks again about bringing down corporate tax rates to 20%. Talking about Obama’s quadrupuling of regulations. Mentions the job killing of Obamacare.
Were is the fucking split screen???? They are only showing it on Romney and this is fucking Fox for the love of pete.
Obama trying to rebut in 2 minutes. Oooh, he just said he should lower tax rates by closing loopholes and going after off shore profits. WHAT THE FUCK ABOUT THE 9 BILLION BUCKS HIS BUTT BUDDY JEFF IMMELT BROUGHT IN FOR GE THAT PAID NO FUCKING TAX ON.
Obama says we are doubling exports – yeah, because the dollar is cheap!!!!
Obama is calling Bain a “job outsourcing pioneer” – saying it’s what journalist’s called it, yeah the lickspittles and toadies that suck his dick, right.
Romney is calling out China’s currency manipulation, computer hacking, patent fraud and slave labor.
Obama has shit eating grin.
Obama just said some jobs won’t come back, ooh, then says those are the low wage low skilled ones. HE SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THAT HAS BEEN CREATED IN THE LAST 4 YEARS.
More Obama blather about investments in education, GMAFB.
Stuck – I am giving thumbs up for sure to hope. But I feel obliged to point out the abuse you heaped on AWD threads/posts at every turn (I really do not know what was behind all of the animosity, as frankly I didn’t read it, as I skipped his fat stuff and any responses to it). I agreed – and agree with you – that the fat stuff etc grew old, and would rather see it curtailed, but he was, and hopefully still is, doing his part for the greater good. This is the lawless old west, and doing a public service is not always thanked. You know that, of course.
Stucky…yes!
He needed to lower his voice.
I watched about 15 mins and I thought he was gonna have a stroke.
I had to leave the room.
Besides, he was pissing me off!
Romney asked to debunk the “misperceptions” about him. Wants to say that he carea about 100% of America (to counter the 47%).
He believes in God – good, bout time, he’s gonna have most of the church goes with that, black and white. Touting experience in Mass and the Olympics.
Oohh, another jab at the high unemployemnt, food stamps, high gas prices, need to reform entitlement. Reminds us he has done these things.
Obama now saying that government does not create jobs – THEN WHAT THE FUCK WAS THE STIMULUS.
Obama now says he belives “every body gets a fair shot”.
Is there a single Obama answer that isn’t straight off the campaign stump?
I am looking on Obama’s back for the pull string.
Ooohh, Obama is going after the 47% comment – playing on the heart strings. Very effective, he may win the class war here. Oops, he says he wants to fight for the 47%. Guess we will have to drag him off the golf course and out of Martha’s Vineyard first.
Jabba the Hut has spoken.
Michelle in pink gives Obama a fakey hug. ROmney surrounded by his family.
Hope thank you
I am too tired to deal with the spin.
I think this went to Romney but Obama at least wasn’t asleep at the wheel, just lying and mistating and his water carriers in the media will reinforce the Dem talking points.
Pepperoni or sausage….SHIT! What about these poor saps who weren’t even asked to attend the debate! Instead let’s arrest possible Presidential candidates!!!
Green Party Presidential/Vice Presidential Candidates arrested infront of debate location this evening!!!
So the consensus is that Obama’s lies edged out Romney’s lies?
How did a F—— N—– ever get to be president?
And, as Stucky asks and demands, “WHO ARE THE 2 or 3 FUCKING ASSHOLES VOTING THUMBS DOWN ON HZK’s post(s)?… You pussy motherfuckers. Identify yourselves, you goddamned cowards.”
Go to it Stucky. Anyone who can’t think, talk, and post like us should be squashed under one of AWD’s fat mountain freaks. Let’s purge the “pussy motherfuckers.”
(By the way, Sho boy idol is and angram for —— —– .)
HZK! Far better than wasting time watching it! Enjoyed every post.
MA
I watched about 20 minutes and thought I would hurl. Everything I need to know about this election I learned from Southpark. Well, almost: Which one is Turd Sandwich and which is Giant Douche?
Thanks to Hope for the play by play-much more palatable, and entertaining, than Candy’s show.
@Muck: Thanks, Mr. HZK is off killing elk in CO so I am all by myself and it’s better to blog than to scream at the TV, lol.
It is amazingly presumptuous for me to assume that ya’ all want to hear my ramblings, but those of you that gave me a thumbs down can kiss my big Texas ass.
flash and Admin will be posting anti-romney tirades in the am, hee hee, I can hear their furious keyboard tapping from Texas.
Gotta go, I have to calculate how big a deep freeze I need for the two 400+ pound elks Mr. HZK is bringing home this weekend, gah, and where the hell I’m going to put it, already have 3 deep freezers full of God knows what at this point and deer season hasn’t even started.
Anybody know any good elk recipes????
.
Boiled elk. Take one good elk. Boil. Easy peasy.
elk or venison jerky and save your freezer space…
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/elk-or-venison-jerky-recipe/index.html
I don’t know about elk, but moose soup/stew was pretty good for dinner tonight. And moose pot roast-yesterday’s lunch-yummy.
The pressure cooker is the key for the tougher cuts.
Romney layed out a lot of facts.Like that matters to anyone.Obama,what could he say?he layed out some good ideas,to bad he didnt do any of them when he first came into office and had the majority.
Its time for fresh blood.And adults to be running things.
“I am too tired to deal with the spin.” -hope
Regardless, THAT was the best- play by play- since “Who’s on First?”
Much fun was to be had tonight reading your interpretation of the debate. The debate ended, and after a few minutes of after clutter, I turned off the TV and see what might be going on TBP.
It took me 45 minutes to work through your thoughts, after just watching the fucker
You Hope@way belowfreazing have got talent of a beyond a normal type.
Another stunning performance, Hope. You have a rare talent. Thanks.
For you other TBP visitors, I had one of my sources send me a recent photo of Hope. This is what she looks like when she first wakes up in the morning.
[img]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTohtvRRlf3En8rkqqyX5u7uSA1LnOR0zqznuBtRnFQtCNegz02[/img]
The first clue Romney was a big government liberal was when the college kid asked him how would he and Jug ears improve his chances of getting a job out of college and Rummy retorted with his record of government assistance for education he has supported in Taxxachusetts in the form of grants. loans and Pell grants and promised as POTUS to keep the education sugar teat flush with debt.
Mittens then hysterically declared that he personally was going to make sure the kid got a job,instead of telling the kid the truth which is is not up to government to provide you a job or an education .
The funny thing was the look of disgust on the college doughboys face when Obama mentioned he was going to bring back mfg jobs. Obviously mfg jobs weren’t in college boys game plan.
Denninger was also not impressed with Mittens lack of conservative principle.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=212786
The back-and-forth was mostly a good excuse to get drunk — right up until near the end. But then Romney did himself some serious damage, and it was self-inflicted. The issue turned to guns and Obama, as a Democrat, actually came off as more-moderate than Romney did on the 2nd Amendment!
Mitt got hit square in the face with his Massachusetts record as governor; he was reminded that as Governor he said:
“Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts”, Romney said, at a bill signing ceremony on July 1 with legislators, sportsmen’s groups and gun safety advocates. “These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people.” – July 1st, 2004 — Mitt Romney
He had every opportunity to repudiate that position and take a strong position of defense of the 2nd Amendment and instead he not only confirmed his previous statement he doubled down and used it as a good example of working across the aisle to find consensus!
In doing so he disqualified himself for the office of President of the United States as he said, in plain language, that he would if elected ignore the Constitution in favor of “consensus.”
The Constitution is not about consensus; it is about unalienable rights. Consensus is about two wolves and a sheep holding vote on what’s for dinner; unalienable rights are about demanding that the wolves not eat the sheep.
What Mitt Romney said tonight is that if he can find consensus on any issue The Constitution is damned to Hell.
Down this road you are left with a demand to turn over your guns to the government and your only option is whether you are going to do so with them nicely cool at room temperature or smoking hot (and empty.)
Neither man defended unalienable rights this evening. But those who believe that Mittens will somehow effort to defend the 2nd Amendment got a rude awakening this evening, and under a Romney administration you’ll have a President seeking consensus on how to take your guns away.
Thanks for telling the people the truth Mittens.
I wonder how many Americans were listening.
The short version from tonight? Our nation is screwed with either of these clowns.
I liked the pepperoni.
I liked the sausage
Was it just me or are there no good looking people on Long Island? That was the homliest bunch of people I’ve ever laid eyes on. And did they put those two 400 pound dudes in the front row to make Candy Crowley look thin?
As a neutral observer, I would call it a draw. The MSM is declaring Obama the winner because he didn’t get his ass kicked like he did in the 1st debate.
They were equally good liars last night. Neither one of them has any plan to fix what is broke in this country. The national debt will exceed $20 trillion in 2016 no matter which pizza we choose.
Based on both of their horrific lies about American energy independence, I would conclude that our energy situation is much worse than even I thought. When the two representatives of our owners both tell extreme lies about our dire energy situation, you know it is really bad. They are desperately trying to convince the sheeple that everything will be fine.
Romney missed a chance to pound Obama on the reason our oil imports have declined. An economy that has been in recession doesn’t need as much oil. If our economy really was recovering, energy usage would be rising.
Due to extremes nausea, I didn’t watch the entire debate, so I am wondering did it end with this song playing in the background?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyE4CLM0QIA
Fact Check: Debate Filled With Half-Truths, Distortions, Outright Lies
If you did not particularly care for what the President and Mitt Romney had to say in the debate, perhaps it’s because the entire debate was filled with half-truths, distortions, and outright lies.
Then again, perhaps you liked what your candidate had to say for the precise reason that it was filled with half-truths, distortions, and outright lies.
Regardless, Bloomberg offers this Political Fact-Finding Reality Check. What follows is my summation of the Bloomberg article.
Romney misstated his position on auto bailouts.
Both candidates made “partially correct” statements on Libya.
Romney made misleading statements on contraceptives. Obama stated Romney’s position accurately.
Obama understated a tax savings proposal of Romney.
Romney says his tax math adds up. Obama says it doesn’t. The fact of the matter is no one knows because Romney has not provided any details.
Romney cited some energy figures correctly (but those were for 2010 and 2011). He exaggerated the decline in permits and ignored the fact total oil production on federal lands and offshore has increased 12 percent during Obama’s term.
On defense spending Obama said Romney “wants to spend $2 trillion on additional military programs, even though the military’s not asking for them.” The problem is the military did not weigh in.
Romney claimed to support Pell grants while backing the Ryan Budget that makes it harder to qualify for them.
Romney claimed “I’m going to get us to a balanced budget”, arguably the biggest lie in the entire debate. Ryan’s budget will not balance until 2040 by CBO estimates, and never by Mish estimates. Rand Paul offered a reasonable way to balance the budget in 5 years but it received a total of 7 votes in the senate.
On coal jobs, Romney and Obama were each half-right.
On payroll tax cuts, Obama made the second biggest lie of the debate, claiming to continue $3,600 in middle-class tax cuts. After the debate, a White House spokesman confirmed the president has not yet said if he supports continuing those tax cuts.
Romney made misleading statements on job creation.
Obama overstated findings of a report on Romney’s international corporate tax proposal.
Question of the Day
Still feeling good about what your candidate had to say? I am sticking with my position stated earlier in Debate II: Did Obama Right a Sinking Ship? Call It a “Spirited” Tie
Over half the time I did not particularly care for statements made by either candidate.
Both candidates scored some points and it is likely that supporters of each candidate thought their candidate won. On some points I agreed with the president, on others I agreed with Romney.
However, my view is not what is important. What the average undecided voter wanted to hear in the debate does matter. Yet, I do not know what that is, or whether the voters heard what they wanted.
Even if voters did hear what they wanted, they now need to ask “Was it accurate?”
Then again, perhaps the voters do not care. Voters certainly act as if they like being lied to, seldom holding politicians accountable for anything the politicians say or do.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Read more at http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/#bpTY8PTlPaQFbEjz.99
Thank you, Hope. Live blogging rocks!
“ARRRGJH, Romney is using his grandmother, whom it threw under the bus, as his inspiration for this equal pay crappola.” —– HZK
You meant Obama, right?
“Obama did not call it an act of terror, Crawley is lying, “ ——– HZK
Hope, that all depends. Todd posted the Rose Garden transcript. Below is the relevant portion.
=========================================================================
Of course, yesterday was already a painful day for our nation as we marked the solemn memory of the 9/11 attacks. We mourn with the families who were lost on that day. I visited the graves of troops who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan at the hallowed grounds of Arlington Cemetery, and had the opportunity to say thank you and visit some of our wounded warriors at Walter Reed. And then last night we learned the news of this attack in Benghazi.
As Americans let us never, ever forget that our freedom is only sustained because there are people who are willing to fight for it, to stand up for it, and in some cases lay down their lives for it. Our country is only as strong as the character of our people and the service of those, both civilian and military, who represent us around the globe.
NO ACTS OF TERROR will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for.
=========================================================================
Fact is, Obama DID mention terror.
The big question: Does his “no acts of terror” comment refer to Benghazi, or to 9-11 he just mentioned previously? Obama and his supporters want us to believe it was about Benghazi. But, I think a good case can be made that he was talking about 9-11 ….. but it’s not ironclad.
Regardless …. The ACTUAL act is OF COURSE terrorism!! Was it an act of love?? The REAL question – and I think Romney missed out on it — is what was the CAUSE of this terroristic act? A movie? Or terrorists? Romney mistakenly focused on Obama’s use of the word “terror”, when he should have focused on Obama’s refusal to acknowledge the cause.
Double Regardless —- I don’t understand how Candy “Jabba” Crowley can keep her credibility.
One thing I have not seen discussed anywhere.
Obama’s response to why gas prices are high today compared to when he took office. He said gas prices were low when he took office because the economy was a mess!!
WTF???? Why is NO ONE jumping all over this??
By Obama’s logic, if a crumbling economy was the reason for low gas prices in 2008 ….. then today’s gas prices should be about .95 cents.
Jim says: “Was it just me or are there no good looking people on Long Island.”
There are some good looking people on Long Island. They’re called tourists.
Also, all I saw last night was 90 fucking minutes of negative soundbite campaign ads that I’ve seen already. I give Obama the edge. His bullshit was 3 minutes longer than Romney’s.
It’s funny how Romney tries so hard (way too hard) to draw a contrast with Obama on every single statement—until Obama proudly drops his biggest whopper of all, that “we reigned in the excesses of Wall Street”.
This is the biggest slam dunk of all, Mittens—a toothless Dodd-Frank which was practically written by the banks, a “mortgage settlement” that Obama’s DOJ strongarmed the state Attorneys General into that doesn’t even amount to a slap on the wrist, and in particular Jon Corzine’s $1.2 billion heist at MF Global. And yet, Mittens just lets that statement go, every time. Tells you all you need to know.
If I were running against him, I’d be practically making Corzine Obama’s running mate every single day. And you can do that without having to mention The Fed, imagine that.
FT
I wonder why Romney never mentions that in the S&L scam back in the 80’s over 1,000 banksters were prosectued …. but the mortgage/financial trillion dollar bailout resulted in not even one fucking indictment, no less a a guilty verdict??!!
Mittens needs better coaching.