Presidential ad: “Revolving Door” George HW Bush (R) v. Michael Dukakis (D) [1988—FEAR/ANGER]

“Revolving Door,” 1988
George Herbert Walker Bush (R) vs. Michael Dukakis (D)
Without ever mentioning Willie Horton—the then-infamous name of a furloughed African American assailant—“Revolving Door” used race-based fears to raise concerns about Massachusetts Governor Dukakis’s prison policies.

Studies show that when it comes to political advertising, we feel first and think later. So the most impactful campaign ads aim for our hearts—fear, anger, hope and pride—and they run the gamut from stirring to downright dirty. I Approve This Message, an exhibition about the emotional impact of political advertising in a landscape altered by the internet, was scheduled to open at the New-York Historical Society in September 2020. The COVID-19 lockdown halted those plans, but we want to share a few of the exhibition’s ads, particularly as we head towards election day on Nov. 3, 2020.

The Birth of Election Ads and 9 Classic TV Spots, read more:

Generous support for exhibitions that address the cornerstones of citizenship and American democracy provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and HISTORY.

Exhibitions at New-York Historical are made possible by Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar Tang, the Saunders Trust for American History, the Seymour Neuman Endowed Fund, and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. WNET is the media sponsor.

[losses]

This and the Boston harbour ad were 2 of the most devastating political commercial of all time.

[jorgezarco]

That lighter hasn't worked since Dukakis was governor.

[Hlodowig-yp]

Fun fact: An earlier version of this add was shot with real prisoners. But as they included too many blacks the ad was reshot with actors, limiting itself to only one or two black men. However, many people, including Jesse Jackson, still called it racist.

[LydiaMoMydia]

michael dukakis should've won bc he was hot

[ccRabbit]

I think low security inmates with <25 year sentences should get furlough, but if you are LWOP, what do you have to lose by trying to escape?

[NoNo-izhd]

This is what is happening right now with the far left. 2024.

[NotMyPresident]

George H. W Bush… Where all the shit started.

[NoName-gewc]

Willie Horton is the perfect democrat.

[Luckyshot]

Trump should learn how to make a decent campaign ad like this and he’ll win

[Blaqjaqshellaq]

Dukakis inherited the prison furlough program from an earlier governor. And overall, it actually reduced crime! (Compare the recidivism rate of prisoners who'd been furloughed with those who hadn't...) But anecdotes trump statistics, alas.
Bush Sr. was one of the biggest weasels to occupy the Oval Office, and not for lack of competition! After his cynical and frequently dishonest campaign got him elected POTUS, he had the chutzpah to say "No hard feelings! It was all in a generous spirit of competition." Do the American people realize when they're being insulted?

[DaisyGeekyTransGirl]

Basically the Republicans now with Trump.