ABC Hypes State of the Union With Dramatic, Movie Trailer-Style Promo
ABC on Tuesday introduced Barack Obama with an opening that looked and sounded more like a movie trailer for an action film. As dramatic, pounding tones played throughout, an announcer began, "The State of our Union. We heard this, just two years ago."
Then, images of the President, firework-style graphics and people crying appeared onscreen. A clip from 2008 showed Obama proclaiming, "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America."
During the intro, ABC also included a segment often seen on the weekend Good Morning America, montages of people summing up their feelings in three words. This version of "In Three Words" was political. As the triumphant music played, the announcer wondered, "With so much at stake, what do Americans want to hear tonight?" Some of the signs featured: "Health care now," "more city jobs" and "public services matter." There were no Tea Party-esque "cut our taxes" declarations.
[Video below. MP3 audio here.]
This isn't the first time ABC dramatically hyped Obama with booming audio and visuals. On January 20, 2009, the same unnamed announcer extolled at the beginning of that day's GMA: "This morning, a new dawn: Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. A new face from a new generation. Driven by an audacity to hope.”
In comparison, GMA blandly introduced George W. Bush's second inaugural this way: "This is a special edition of 'Good Morning America.' The second inauguration of George W. Bush."
The 2009 version, for a Democratic president, announced, "The nation's capital, filled to capacity. A journey of millions, fueled by hope and the shared dreams of a renewed America."
A transcript of the opening, which aired at 9pm EST on January 25, 2011, follows:
[Triumphant music plays throughout]
ANNOUNCER: The State of our Union. We heard this, just two years ago.
BARACK OBAMA: Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America.
ANNOUNCER: We heard this just two months ago.
OBAMA: I'm not recommending for every future president that they take a shellacking like I did last night.
ANNOUNCER: And we heard this just two weeks ago when tragedy struck.
OBAMA: We should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children's expectations!
ANNOUNCER: With so much at stake, what do Americans want to hear tonight? Well, here are what some Americans said to that in three words. [Video montage of people holding up signs: Woman holding a sign that says "Health care now." Man holding a sign that says "More city jobs." Another man holding a sign that says "Don't fear China." Three men saying "We need jobs." Woman holding a sign reading "Make America safer." Different three men holding a sign that says "Public services matter." Man next to a church with a sign that says "Praying for you." Two men holding a sign reading "Bring back America."] And now the question is, what will the President say to unite a country anxious to move beyond bitter debate and to a newly divided Congress looking for ways to unite? From ABC News in our nation's capitol, the State of the Union address and the Republican response. Now reporting, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos.
— Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
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Comments
This movie promo will be remade
Submitted by djwolf12 on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:23pm.
next year......into THE HINDENBURG Disaster.
Well, two years later, how's
Submitted by killa37 on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:24pm.
Well, two years later, how's that 'picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves off, and begining the work of remaking America' working out??? Actually - the 'remaking' (transformation) of America was one of the the ONLY promises that Boy Blunder made that he kept.
Indiana Bones and The Temple of Shrooms
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:28pm.
I hope they invoiced the DNC for the production and 1:30 airtime.
MSNBC actually said the SOTU
Submitted by kg on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:32pm.
MSNBC actually said the SOTU speech "premires" Jan 25th
"DumbAssity of Dope"
"premiers"
Submitted by almostacowboy on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 1:00pm.
.
"is generally "a first
Submitted by kg on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 3:54pm.
"is generally "a first performance".[1] This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on."
"DumbAssity of Dope"
WTF
Submitted by donabernathy on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:35pm.
WTF… no cheerleaders shoot’n “together we thrive” Tee shirts into the crowd.
roflmao
one word!
Submitted by Patriot II on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:47pm.
C-R-A-P-!!!
I can just see....
Submitted by almostacowboy on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 1:05pm.
The Global-Village People on stage doing that......"C-R-A-P, it's fun to listen to, C-R-A-P, that's what he's feeding us, C-R-A-P".
BWAAAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Submitted by texusmc on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 1:09pm.
TOOO HILARIOUS! You can even picture them doing the full body letters! hahahah
all that was missing was
Submitted by texusmc on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:52pm.
Don LaFontaine saying "On a dark night the State of the Union Address"
or "In a world plagued by economic crisis, one man will deliver a speech, America, State of the Union"
too bad he passed away!
Rush said it best.
Submitted by NeoKong on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:55pm.
State run media.
I always ee Obama as the pimp
Submitted by jkwtrading on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 1:10pm.
I always see Obama as the pimp wearing the orange suit and the furry hat (usually white) the size of Texas. make that one into a movie trailer Hollyweird.
Looking Presidential
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 1:16pm.
I thought he looked elegantly waifishly anorexic.
Or maybe---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 6:41pm.
"snootily" waifishly anorexic.Cue the "Elvis" intro music.....
Submitted by motherbelt on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 1:36pm.
Remember Bill Clinton's arrival for the convention, when they showed him leaving from a room somewhere in the bowels of the building, and they followed him travelling through the corridors, making his way up to the hall like he was Elvis heading for the stage?
A minute and a half promo for a speech???
and they have the unmitigated audacity to deny they are merely a public relations organization for this president???
It really is this simple -
Submitted by Ashrak on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 1:55pm.
Hope and Change has been exposed as Hype and Charge.
For Obama and the mainstream media - there is no escape.
Excellent Ashrak
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 2:02pm.
Consider yout slogan stolen.
It's too good not to share.
Not That Bad
Submitted by Boil It Down on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 5:47pm.
Sorry, I don't see their promo as all that outlandish. I realize that they wanted the ratings and tried a promo to get people to watch the SOTU extravaganza on ABC. I think they wasted a lot of money producing it for no more good than it did them. The money would have been better spent upgrading their news research which seems to be lacking.
Not surprising anymore
Submitted by uhohshortsonthe... on Thu, 01/27/2011 - 5:23am.
This is just what I have come to expect from the ongoing slobbering, leg humping crush the media has with our president. Sad and embarassing, really. Do you know which other country has the press fawning over every little fart their leader lets slip out? North Korea. But at least their excuse is they will get thrown in jail or worse if they don't suck up to "dear leader."