We can only hope that Ann Romney showed Mitt a little love on Valentine’s Day, because he certainly didn’t get any from YouTube users. On Tuesday, they gave the campaign’s newest ad a big thumbs down.
“Growing Up” seems like standard campaign-ad fare for a candidate stumping in Michigan. It contrasts the Motor City’s boom and bust. During the 30-second spot, aimed at the state’s primary voters who will go to the polls in the next few weeks, Romney claims that President Barack Obama’s policies have harmed Michigan and Detroit. (That’s an arguable talking point.)
Bottom line: Whatever the merits of Romney’s message, it didn’t sit well with viewers on YouTube. Within hours of posting, the video went viral, but probably for the wrong reasons. Because the view counter was stuck at 305 (a common problem with videos which see a spike in views), the only way to know that it was being watched was by the number of dislikes, which hit 900 and counting. Only about 225 users gave it a thumbs up. That’s a high dislike-to-like ratio. And in the comments section, a debate about the candidate himself unfolded.
“Welcome to the internet Mitt, where 90% of the people know you’re a corporate whore,” wrote WINZ0W.
Others expressed support for Ron Paul.
One bright side: The ad is bland enough, with few memorable moments, that it likely won’t get the remix treatment Rick Perry’s “Strong” did late last year.