American Ideals

          Word leaked recently that the Obama administration was unhappy about a commercial produced by Ford Motor Company.  The administration apparently pressured Ford into withdrawing the video.  For a while, it was even taken off the Ford YouTube channel, but has been returned.  In the video, embedded with this blogpost, Chris McDaniel, a real Ford customer, says “I was going to buy from a manufacturer that’s standing on their own—win, lose, or draw. That’s what America is about is taking the chance to succeed and understanding when you fail that you gotta’ pick yourself up and go back to work.

          Some on the left have said the commercial was staged however McDaniel posted his own YouTube video, also embedded in this post, to refute such criticism and doubt.  While it is clear that McDaniel is educated, informed and probably conservative, he is not an actor.      

          Alan Mulally the CEO of Ford did argue for and support the bailout of the auto industry that McDaniel is criticizing.  However, Ford was in better financial condition, thanks to Mulally, and didn’t take taxpayer money. 

          Despite the fact the Mulally supported bailouts, I like the commercial.  The points McDaniel makes, such as standing on your own, taking chances and picking yourself up if you fail are American ideals that we should all be supporting.  What bothers me most is that saying the things McDaniel did is controversial. 

          By pressuring Ford, the Whitehouse has given the company millions in free advertising and returned the conversation to the President’s Chicago style of politics and the unpopular bailouts he handed out.