Would You Buy a Car From This Politician?

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

It’s morning in America. Just before noon Eastern Time, actually.

If decades of Gallup polling is correct, and we’re inclined to believe it is, car salespeople and members of Congress have among the lowest reputations of any profession in the U.S. Surprised? Not likely. It’s probably why you never see politicians in car commercials, even if they’ll gladly lend their name to products like Pepsi and Viagra. We’re looking at you, Bob Dole.

That doesn’t mean the two worlds never mix.

While she never entered politics, Eleanor Mondale, daughter of Carter era vice-president Walter Mondale, had no problem shilling for Dodge and its 1987 Shadow. Hell, she wouldn’t have had a car to sell it wasn’t for the Carter administration’s loan guarantee with Chrysler Corporation, brokered by Lee Iacocca.

Mondale, who allegedly had an affair with former president Bill Clinton, became a successful radio and television personality. We can’t confirm if she ever owned a 1987 Dodge Shadow, but this writer once owned a Sundance and can attest to its front seat comfort, solid suspension and troubling fuel flow issues.

Achieving the highest level of office available to those born outside the U.S., former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger donated his body to General Motors for this 1971 spot.

It’s a non-speaking role, and you’ll have to squint to pick him out of the mountains of flesh, but that’s Arnie among the group of musclebound bodybuilders. They’re all super excited about the ’71 Chevrolet Chevelle, and they have a right to be. Who doesn’t like a Chevelle?

However, the “Heavy Chevy” option package wasn’t so hot. Described by some as pure window dressing, the package’s hood tie-downs and other go-fast indicators wrote a check that base V8 models couldn’t cash. Consider that race terminated.

Former Brady Bunch mom Florence Henderson shilled pretty heavily for Oldsmobile in the late 1950s and early 60s. She really seemed to love that Dynamic 88.

While the actress and singer never ran for office, she did have one run-in with the political sphere that left her in need of a trip to the clinic. Consider this a warning to everyone. That politician in the window might not be as clean as he appears.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Xeranar Xeranar on Oct 22, 2016

    The problem has been and remains forever more that politics are always local. You don't hate Congress, you hate the people you didn't help elect into congress (or your own if you're on the losing side of that equation). Fenno's "Home Style" really points out how representatives are beloved in their districts and are unknown faces beyond it. I really dislike our current congress for ideological reasons but I don't think being a politician is a bad thing. Then again, you can look at Gallup's list and see how mythology and proximity create amazing 'common sense' positions that have no logic behind them. The Top-3 positions are held by people who generally on treat you when you're ill and the top two are more widely spread through society. Most people have a teacher, a police officer, or a nurse in their extended family so it's not hard to latch on to those positions. The further down the list the more likely it is that person tries to sell you something or have the narrative machine working triple-time against them. Not that some of it isn't deserved mind you but it's still clear to see how the narrative controls have been put in place.

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    • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Oct 23, 2016

      @Xeranar- If a sponge is left inside a patient it is just as much the fault of the hospital and its staff. (Just being nitpicky- Operating rooms's are anal retentive to the extreme) If political office had the same oversight and checks and balances as an OR, I do think we'd have more trust in politicians ;) You do have a valid point.

  • Jeff S Jeff S on Oct 23, 2016

    I have less respect and trust for politicians than I do for car sales spokespersons. I would not buy any vehicle from a politician. As for the vehicle advertising and placement in shows like the Dinah Shore Show, Route 66, Burns and Allen, Hawaii Five O, Bonanza, Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, Leave It To Beaver, My Three Sons, Rockford, the Andy Griffith Show, the Brady Bunch, Mannix, and a host of other shows that might have worked in the past but it is much harder to persuade the public today with the same type of advertising. Most of us are bombarded with advertising and have become more skeptical and distrustful of all messages we hear and see. It is very hard to measure the effects of advertising on the decision making of a consumer.

  • Joe This is called a man in the middle attack and has been around for years. You can fall for this in a Starbucks as easily as when you’re charging your car. Nothing new here…
  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
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