Yesterday's story about the drug-laced past of the NRCC's new slogan "The Change You Deserve" campaign spread virally across the nation.
But to judge from news accounts, the waves of laughter sweeping the country aren't going get the House Republicans down. Nope. According to CQ Politics' House GOP New Motto: "Change You Deserve":
. . .Under that banner, House Republicans plan to offer a series of ideas for health care, the economy, energy and security.
GOP leaders developed the platform over the past year, using focus groups to test its appeal and, more recently, consulting with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to be sure it didn’t stray too far from McCain’s presidential proposals.
With both Democratic contenders for the presidency stressing messages of change, Boehner, R-Ohio, has challenged his members to help get the public to view the GOP as a vehicle for new ideas.
But Boehner spokesman Michael Steel admitted it is a work in progress. “It’s a goal that we can be viewed as agents of change,’’ he said.
We're curious that the committee wasn't aware of the trademark Wyeth holds on the slogan for its anti-depressant Effexor™, a drugs used to treat depression, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder in adults. And does Rep. John Kline know that Steel is echoing the "change agent" theme his last opponent used in Minnesota's Second?
And we're surprised to learn that all those ads and jabs linking House Democrats in special elections to Obama and Pelosi were just expensive placekeepers, until the real, focus-group tested message was rolled out in May, months after the word "change" became the signature for Brand Obama.
And in Republican Slogan Borrowed From Antidepressant, Carl Hulse's post at the New York Times blog, The Crypt, a House Republican spokester said cross-marketing poses no problem. It's their story and they're sticking to it:
Republicans said they had no hesitation about sticking with the slogan as they prepared to roll out their new policy agenda. And The “Change You Deserve” is just one variation on the theme.
“Republicans are committed to delivering the change American families really deserve,” said a House Republican spokesman, saying the cross-marketing was not a problem.
And really, given the problems besetting House Republicans recently, don’t they deserve a break today?
Well, we're loving it.
Update: We're loving it even more as we look at the definition of "cross-marketing." We find explanations like this one from Wikipedia:
A marketing co-operation or marketing cooperation is a partnership of at least two companies on the value chain level of marketing with the objective to tap the full potential of a market by bundling specific competences or resources. Other terms for marketing co-operation are marketing alliance, marketing partnership, co-marketing, and cross-marketing.
So does Wyeth know it's suddenly the National Republican Congressional Committee's marketing partner? How do the Federal Election Commission's rules specify that this be tallied in its required reports? Or is this a matter for the Food and Drug Administration's regulatory authority? Do Republicans get discounts on prescriptions? Inquiring minds want to know.
Update: The Nitpicker called our attention to the following observations:
Republicans don't think homeowners deserve help in the housing crisis. They don't think veterans deserve a G.I. Bill that would actually, you know, cover college. They don't think the American public deserves to be listened to on issues. Hell, they don't even think that mothers deserve Mother's Day more than they deserve to play politics.
So, when it comes down to it, how much change do Republicans probably think you deserve? Not much.
Photo: Depressed elephant at the Portland Zoo.
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