Romney's "Asian Tiger" Ad Campaign

[ninabyte]

This has been bothering me for weeks now and I've been looking for a place to air my grievances, and not having been able to find anything online from the AAPI community about this ridiculous ad. I think this ad campaign is only being shown in Michigan (the Detroit skyline and the emphasis on the automobile industry seem to be dead giveaways), and is receiving a lot of airtime. I'm originally from the Detroit area and saw this commercial a lot while I was home for the holidays, and was angered each time.

Since I'm a newbie here (though I've read in the past), I can't post links to external sites until I've had 15 forum posts. That being said, if you're interested in seeing the commercial (and I'd recommend it), go to YouTube and use "Romney Asian Tiger" as your search terms; it should come up that way.

This commercial has received a lot of praise from Romney's supporters online, saying that the ad is a strong and shows nothing but positivity. What bothers me, and what I'm sure bothers others who have seen this commercial, is the oh-so-subtle yet oh-so-blunt racism that happens in the first two seconds of this commercial. "The new 'Asian Tiger?'" Is that really necessary?

I think what surprises me even more is that I've heard nothing about other AAPI's getting angry about this, so much so that it's making me wonder if I'm overreacting and being hypersensitive. Can someone please affirm my sanity here?

"Asian Tiger" comment aside, one thing that bothers me a lot about this commercial is that Romney seems to be playing up on some old sentiments with his hometown crowd. The pro-American/anti-foreign message in this ad that's being aired on heavy rotation in the Detroit area is disturbing considering the pro-American/anti-foreign sentiments in the city in the 80s that led to the Vincent Chin case. While I'm not saying that stirring up these old feelings are going to cause any sort of backlash, it scares me that the pro-American/anti-foreign stance is something that Romney has chosen to focus on so heavily in a city that's been hurt by it before. If it sounds like I'm rambling (and it probably does), check out the commercial if you haven't already.

[tripostrophe]

Here's a link to the video for those who are interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfV1tN-B4Z4

Oh, just so you know, in the economic world, there are a few countries traditionally referred to as the "Asian tigers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Asian_Tigers)" for their economic...tigerishness.

However, the ad does play on xenophobic fears of another economic superpower rising up to challenge the U.S./other western superpowers. And I definitely see where you're coming from with the "it's Detroit so it's especially problematic" bit too.

[Zdrav]

Wow.

For one thing, China's a freaking Asian Blue Whale, not a mere Tiger (comparing China with Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan is pretty laughable).

And I definitely don't like the not-so-subtle evoking of the Yellow Peril. Then again, I feel like people's reactions would be similar if he made an ad about the unfavourable discrepancy between the dollar and the Euro. Or at least I hope it'd be. Republicans hate Europeans as well. Actually, they hate everybody, even Americans (if those Americans are gay, atheist, liberal, etc.).

[ninabyte]

Oh, just so you know, in the economic world, there are a few countries traditionally referred to as the Asian tigers" for their economic...tigerishness.

I had figured, since references to other "Asian Tigers" kept coming up in my search for reactionss (or lack thereof) to this ad, but thanks for posting that link!

[mr. x]

"Wouldn't you rather trust a Mormon rabbit than an ASIAN TIGER (cut to SF Zoo)!?!?"

[yoMAMA]

the funny thing is, romney's company, bain, is in bed with the reds.
:wink:

[Yeahman]

Policy aside, I don't see what's so wrong with the ad. I suppose "Asian Tiger" is supposed to subtly remind autoworkers of the rise of Japan and depict China as a threat to American jobs. I don't think that's racist or xenophobic. He didn't even invent the term. It's protectionist rhetoric and I would expect no less from a presidential candidate these days.

[yoMAMA]

Policy aside, I don't see what's so wrong with the ad. I suppose "Asian Tiger" is supposed to subtly remind autoworkers of the rise of Japan and depict China as a threat to American jobs. I don't think that's racist or xenophobic. He didn't even invent the term. It's protectionist rhetoric and I would expect no less from a presidential candidate these days.

his dad was the president of the now defunct american motors.

[haplesshobo]

I think this ad campaign is only being shown in Michigan (the Detroit skyline and the emphasis on the automobile industry seem to be dead giveaways), and is receiving a lot of airtime. I'm originally from the Detroit area and saw this commercial a lot while I was home for the holidays, and was angered each time.


Romney has pulled all his advertising in other states to focus soley on Michigan cause if he doesn't win Michigan, than his campaign will be effectively over. With his ties to Michigan, if he can't win Michigan, what state could he win except for Utah? But, I think McCain is going to win Michigan, and Huckabee is running a surprisingly strong campaign in Michigan as well and might take second place in that state.

With the Michigan economy struggling, I think you're seeing a lot of advertising focusing on the struggling economy and what the presidential candidates would do to address it. Here's a really effective, populist ad by Mike Huckabee that also focuses on the economy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMaJ0KtTcr0

[mr. x]

Same old shit man, it's not the fault of the CEOs for moving jobs overseas or American companies not being competitive, IT'S THE IMMIGRANTS FAULT for taking your job of course

[ninabyte]

Romney has pulled all his advertising in other states to focus soley on Michigan cause if he doesn't win Michigan, than his campaign will be effectively over. With his ties to Michigan, if he can't win Michigan, what state could he win except for Utah? But, I think McCain is going to win Michigan, and Huckabee is running a surprisingly strong campaign in Michigan as well and might take second place in that state.

With the Michigan economy struggling, I think you're seeing a lot of advertising focusing on the struggling economy and what the presidential candidates would do to address it.

Romney also has another ad that talks solely about the one-state recession that Michigan's going through, and how if he's president, he's going to do everything he can to change that. :rolleyes: It's funny, since that ad looks a lot like a commercial for some home refinancing service (which the state is seeing a lot of these days too, considering the economy).

I think McCain is going to win Michigan, as well; considering the situation with the Democrats on the ballot (in protest of MI moving up their primaries, most of the candidates pulled out of the Michigan race; Clinton and Kucinich, I believe, are the only two listed on the ballot and write-ins aren't being accepted), I've heard a lot of people talking about crossing party lines and voting for McCain.

[kimpossible]

Romney is a perfect example of a Masshole.

[haplesshobo]

Policy aside, I don't see what's so wrong with the ad... He didn't even invent the term. It's protectionist rhetoric and I would expect no less from a presidential candidate these days.

Personally, I thought the Punjab memo was a lot more offensive than this ad.

[Thaddaeus]

Romney is a perfect example of a Masshole.

like another poster said, this sounds more like protectionist rhetoric than racism. also, i don't get why "asian tiger" is offensive. tigers are actually pretty sweet. if i could be any animal i'd be a tiger (or maybe a lion). and "asian tiger" has none of the obviously racist connotations of, say, a term like "black monkey."

[Chester]

I would want to be either a liger or a tigon.

[SunWuKong]

I would want to be either a liger or a tigon.

tigons are a lot smaller than ligers, so i'd rather be a liger.

[haplesshobo]

Romney is a perfect example of a Masshole.

The irony is that Romney might have done as well as he was expected to if he hadn't flip flopped so much in an attempt to appeal to evalengical voters even though they never going to truly embrace him cause Romney was mormon. You look at the other republican candidates that are doing better than him and they all have these positions on certain issues that are despised by the Republican base. Fred Thompson is perhaps the only candidate whose position is more or less perfectly alligned with the Rep base, and yet he's getting killed- he's done a lot worse than Romney and he's going to drop out after losing South Carolina.

[Thaddaeus]

tigons are a lot smaller than ligers, so i'd rather be a liger.

you're right that ligers are huge, but they're very calm and rather easy to tame, quite unlike real lions and tigers. they're an embarrassment to tigers and lions (they're basically mutants), and tend to come down with all sorts of exotic diseases and shit. i'd never be a liger.

[kimpossible]

like another poster said, this sounds more like protectionist rhetoric than racism. also, i don't get why "asian tiger" is offensive. tigers are actually pretty sweet. if i could be any animal i'd be a tiger (or maybe a lion). and "asian tiger" has none of the obviously racist connotations of, say, a term like "black monkey."

A Masshole isn't a racist or a racial term. It's a state specific term. Like Taxachusetts.

[eos]

how about a toyger? those are cute.

[kimpossible]

The irony is that Romney might have done as well as he was expected to if he hadn't flip flopped so much in an attempt to appeal to evalengical voters even though they never going to truly embrace him cause Romney was mormon. You look at the other republican candidates that are doing better than him and they all have these positions on certain issues that are despised by the Republican base. Fred Thompson is perhaps the only candidate whose position is more or less perfectly alligned with the Rep base, and yet he's getting killed- he's done a lot worse than Romney and he's going to drop out after losing South Carolina.

I rest my case. No one likes a Masshole. Except other Massholes.

He's a good fiscal conservative but he has no fight to him. He seems to consistently get his ass handed to him in debates by the other candidates. I hope McCain or Huckabee wipes the floor with him. Romney is everything I don't miss about the East Coast, Massachusetts in particular.

[Thaddaeus]

A Masshole isn't a racist or a racial term. It's a state specific term. Like Taxachusetts.

ya, i quoted the wrong post.

[Zdrav]

like another poster said, this sounds more like protectionist rhetoric than racism

It's just that American history has never dealt with Asian competition very well. Everybody, especially the Republicans, know this. The threat of the "Asian tiger" not only pulls at the public's fear of economic woes, but also racial competition. Not that all Republicans are like that, but there are certainly enough.

[Yeahman]

It's just that American history has never dealt with Asian competition very well. Everybody, especially the Republicans, know this. The threat of the "Asian tiger" not only pulls at the public's fear of economic woes, but also racial competition. Not that all Republicans are like that, but there are certainly enough.
You're joking, right? Have you heard Chuck Schumer talk about China? Have you heard all the Democrats voice their enthusiastic opposition to the FTA with South Korea? The Democrats are, by far, the bigger Asia-bashers.

[Zdrav]

Have you heard all the Democrats voice their enthusiastic opposition to the FTA with South Korea?

Liberal Democrats tend to be against free trade. Much of the left-leaning Democrats hate NAFTA, but that doesn't mean they hate Canadians and Mexcians.

[didu]

tigons are a lot smaller than ligers, so i'd rather be a liger.

i prefer to be a human ... if that's on the menu.

[Yeahman]

Liberal Democrats tend to be against free trade. Much of the left-leaning Democrats hate NAFTA, but that doesn't mean they hate Canadians and Mexcians.
Who said anything about hating people? In complete contradiction to what you posted earlier, Democrats are more protectionist.

[yoMAMA]

You're joking, right? Have you heard Chuck Schumer talk about China? Have you heard all the Democrats voice their enthusiastic opposition to the FTA with South Korea? The Democrats are, by far, the bigger Asia-bashers.

China bashing is an act to appeal to their union buddies.

It took a Republican president to open up relations with China.

[Zdrav]

Democrats are more protectionist.

Democrats are varied in their viewpoints: some support globalization, and others don't. The ones that don't are usually paleo-Democrats (i.e. Dick Gephardt) who are still married to unions, a dying constituent.

[Yeahman]

Democrats are varied in their viewpoints: some support globalization, and others don't. The ones that don't are usually paleo-Democrats (i.e. Dick Gephardt) who are still married to unions, a dying constituent.
Name me one prominent non-protectionist Democrat?

[Zdrav]

Name me one prominent non-protectionist Democrat?

Bill Clinton and his pro-free trade DLC ilk? Yes, they have to pay lip service about "keeping jobs in America", but their actions speak otherwise.

[haplesshobo]

Romney has pulled all his advertising in other states to focus soley on Michigan cause if he doesn't win Michigan, than his campaign will be effectively over. With his ties to Michigan, if he can't win Michigan, what state could he win except for Utah? But, I think McCain is going to win Michigan, and Huckabee is running a surprisingly strong campaign in Michigan as well and might take second place in that state.

With the Michigan economy struggling, I think you're seeing a lot of advertising focusing on the struggling economy and what the presidential candidates would do to address it. Here's a really effective, populist ad by Mike Huckabee that also focuses on the economy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMaJ0KtTcr0

Whoops...

I was wrong, and it certainly won't be the last time, as I expected McCain to get independents and democrats to come over to vote for him in the same way they did in New Hampshire.

I didn't think that Michigan being the place where Romney grew up necessairly helped him that much. He hasn't lived there in a long, long time, and his dad was governor so long ago that many voters probably didn't even remember his dad. But, from what I read from the campaign trail, Romney was more comfortable campaigning in Michigan-less wooden, less robotic- and that certainly helped.

But, I think the key was that while Romney was campaigning on economic issuses, McCain was focusing on Iraq and McCain really blew it when he proclaimed that a lot of jobs in Michigan were never coming back. Everybody knows this as true, but I guess, judging from the popularity of the Obama campaign, voters like empty promises. (Where's Paul Tsongas when this country needs him?) And, vis a vis McCain's harsh but realistic assesement, Romney was promising that he'd save those jobs and bring them back and save the auto industry (Nevermind that when he was CEO, he had no problem with laying off workers). Romney's promises were so wrong on so many levels, and even in victory, I have to wonder if he compromised himself too much. A lot of conservatives had always considered Romney to be a RINO, and he was making some unconservative promises in Michigan. Its only going to fuel doubts by conservatives if they can really trust Romney, and if he's really one of them.

At this point in this topsy-turvy campaign, I wouldn't be surprised if Fred Thompson ends up doing well in South Carolina... This also opens the door for Rudy Guilani to make a come back. Other than Fred Thompson, I don't see a single candidate who could possibly unite the different factions of the Republican party together. This Republication nomination process is going to be long, and ugly.

[Yeahman]

Bill Clinton and his pro-free trade DLC ilk? Yes, they have to pay lip service about "keeping jobs in America", but their actions speak otherwise.
I should clarify. Name a pro-free-trade Democrat currently in office. The days of the neo-liberal Clintonites are long over.

[Zdrav]

I should clarify. Name a pro-free-trade Democrat currently in office. The days of the neo-liberal Clintonites are long over.

The obvious answer would be Hillary Clinton. And who says the days of neo-liberalism are over? I don't see people like Russ Feingold and Barney Frank taking the reins of the Democratic Party.

[ninabyte]

Whoops...

I was wrong, and it certainly won't be the last time, as I expected McCain to get independents and democrats to come over to vote for him in the same way they did in New Hampshire.

I didn't think that Michigan being the place where Romney grew up necessairly helped him that much. He hasn't lived there in a long, long time, and his dad was governor so long ago that many voters probably didn't even remember his dad. But, from what I read from the campaign trail, Romney was more comfortable campaigning in Michigan-less wooden, less robotic- and that certainly helped.

There was a stat from one of many articles last night that said that 4 in 10 voters thought that Romney being from Michigan was a key selling point for them. :rolleyes: Local press also kept repeating that his dad was governor and that he has ties to the state, etc., so if people didn't know about it before, they certainly do now.

[haplesshobo]

If McCain doesn't win Florida, which might happen since Florida isn't open to independents, then it might come down to a two man race between McCain and Romney. He's the only one with the money to continue to compete, as other candidates like Huckabee run out of money.

I rest my case. No one likes a Masshole. Except other Massholes.

He's a good fiscal conservative but he has no fight to him. He seems to consistently get his ass handed to him in debates by the other candidates. I hope McCain or Huckabee wipes the floor with him. Romney is everything I don't miss about the East Coast, Massachusetts in particular.

Not even the other GOP candidates like Romney.

Its kind of funny reading this nytimes article, as to how clueless Romney is. He's like the guy who thinks he's friends with everybody, and doesn't realize that everybody hates him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/us/politics/24romney.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=romney&st=nyt&oref=slogin


TAMPA, Fla. — At the end of the Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire this month, when the Democrats joined the candidates on stage, Mitt Romney found himself momentarily alone as his counterparts mingled, looking around a bit stiffly for a companion.

The moment was emblematic of a broader reality that has helped shape the Republican contest and could take center stage again on Thursday at a debate in Florida. Within the small circle of contenders, Mr. Romney has become the most disliked.

With so much attention recently on the sniping between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama on the Democratic side, the almost visceral scorn directed at Mr. Romney by his rivals has been overshadowed.

“Never get into a wrestling match with a pig,” Senator John McCain said in New Hampshire this month after reporters asked him about Mr. Romney. “You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.”

Mike Huckabee’s pugilistic campaign chairman, Ed Rollins, appeared to stop just short of threatening Mr. Romney with physical violence at one point.

“What I have to do is make sure that my anger with a guy like Romney, whose teeth I want to knock out, doesn’t get in the way of my thought process,” Mr. Rollins said.

Campaign insiders and outside strategists point to several factors driving the ill will, most notably, Mr. Romney’s attacks on opponents in television commercials, the perception of him as an ideological panderer and resentment about his seemingly unlimited resources as others have struggled to raise cash.

Mr. Romney’s campaign contends that the hostility is driven by the fact that he has aggressively sought to win the early primaries, setting himself up as the chief antagonist, first, to Mr. Huckabee in Iowa and then to Mr. McCain in New Hampshire.

Mr. Romney continues to be a mountain in the paths of both men, as well as Rudolph W. Giuliani, to the nomination.

A spokesman for the Romney campaign, Kevin Madden, said, “I think it’s largely driven by the fact that everybody’s taught to tackle the guy on the field with the ball.”

But the New Hampshire debate was striking in that it amounted to a gang tackle of Mr. Romney, even though Mr. McCain was leading in polls in the state.

“The glee the other candidates go after Romney with is really unique,” said Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist who worked on Mr. McCain’s presidential campaign bid in 2000 but is not affiliated with any campaign now.

A senior adviser to Mr. Romney, Ronald C. Kaufman, pointed to his vast personal fortune and upstart status in the political world as breeding resentment.

“They think he didn’t pay his dues,” said Mr. Kaufman, who argued that Mr. Romney had done so by working tirelessly in his campaign.

In stark contrast to Mr. Romney, Mr. McCain seems to be universally liked and respected by the other Republican contenders, even if they disagree with him.

Mr. Schnur used a schoolyard analogy to compare Mr. Romney, the ever-proper Harvard Law School and Business School graduate, to Mr. McCain, the gregarious rebel who racked up demerits and friends at the Naval Academy.

“John McCain and his friends used to beat up Mitt Romney at recess,” Mr. Schnur said.

Although Mr. McCain has now started to draw some cautious challenges from Mr. Giuliani in Florida, he has a longstanding friendship with him, dating from 1998, when they first met.

Mr. McCain also seems to have fallen into a mutual nonaggression pact with Mr. Huckabee, who has been almost fawning in his compliments for Mr. McCain and dripping with contempt when discussing Mr. Romney.

Mr. McCain has drawn criticism as being excessively personal in striking back at Mr. Romney. So he has tried to play down any notion that he harbors special animosity toward him, saying he simply does not know him well.

But Mr. McCain’s advisers, whose distaste for Mr. Romney is vivid, say Mr. McCain has been irked by what they perceive as misleading attacks and Mr. Romney’s willingness to say anything to be elected.

“He doesn’t play by the same rules the rest of us do,” said Charlie Black, a senior McCain strategist.

McCain aides were positively gleeful last week as they watched replays aboard their campaign bus of a heated back and forth between Mr. Romney and an Associated Press reporter who challenged an assertion about the influence of lobbyists in his campaign.

Nevertheless, before he criticizes rivals, Mr. Romney often pauses to say that the man is a “friend,” and he seems to believe it.

Mr. Giuliani endorsed Mr. Romney in his race for Massachusetts governor in 2002 and campaigned for him. Mr. Romney got to know Mr. McCain while running the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and went to Washington to seek federal money.

Mr. Romney probably knows Mr. Huckabee the best, aides said, as the two were governors at the same time and ran into each other often through the Republican Governors Association and the National Governors Association.

Paradoxically, sometimes the enmity between them appears to be the sharpest.

Aides to Mr. Huckabee say he did not get to know Mr. Romney very well as a governor, finding him distant at meetings. The aides said they were also irritated that Mr. Romney did not call after Mr. Huckabee’s victory in Iowa.

Mr. Romney shrugged off any tension with his rivals when asked about it.

“You know,” he said, “in this process, people have a real battle for success. But I consider these guys friends.”