The final pitch

The final ads from the primary candidates. Strong stuff from all of them.

Pablo Pérez goes for the intimate talk with fawning young people.

Henrique Capriles shows spontaneous meetings with adoring crowds, including the iconic brincadera de charcos.

Maria Corina Machado goes simple: looking straight into the camera, emphasizing her message, and marking a difference with Capriles.

Diego Arria touts his experience.

I couldn’t find any ads for Pablo Medina, except for this thing.

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62 Responses to The final pitch

  1. Kepler says:

    1) “Chamos, you have to nod with your head like Diego does”
    2) I like the music, there is a part where they put a close-up of Capriles, looks creepy 0:41)
    3) very embarrassing, I didn’t know what exactly “votar duro” meant. Now I do, oh, yeah, now I do.
    4) big shit
    5) to be fair, he didn’t do it.

    If Medina, a PCV member initially, went to the Soviet Union when 22, that is 1969.
    It’s obvious he didn’t pay the plane ticket. He got some KGB training for Latin American “revolutionaries”, as usual (in the context of some studies, I know several Venezuelans who did study in the USSR).
    Take a look here:
    http://books.google.be/books?id=VdYHt8EBsJUC&pg=PT60&lpg=PT60&dq=Medina+matanceros+guerrilla&source=bl&ots=XaWNbBm7hf&sig=64y7KCN72aGXLDwDFQx6BlpDW2A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o0I2T8OBEIer0QW8romZAg&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

    It would be nice if he talked about that time, what he did in the Soviet Union. A lot of the old Chavistas had the same trajectory.

  2. Kepler says:

    This one started fine with the views of different Venezuelans, but the music was freaky, they could put the music of the video Nagel placed here.

    I do hope he will say more than “Donde hay progreso hay empleo”. Whether it is the chicken or the egg, I want him to tell Venezuelans how he will produce the first one or both, not just a word.
    He needs a story and it is not an easy task.

  3. A. Barreda says:

    The first two minutes of PP’s video were.. hard to watch, but after that it was much better.
    I totally agree with Kepler: that picture of HRC (around 0:40) is simply awful. Who picked that one? Omar Barboza?
    MCM was ok, but not great. I’d have expected something better, more compelling.
    As for Arria, I would have shown this:

    or this:

    • Camilo says:

      Thanks for sharing A. Barreda! This is a good reminder of why I will be voting for Diego Arria tomorrow morning!

    • geha714 says:

      Diego Arria was in a very impossible position at the beginning of the campaign.

      He’s someone who belonged to the “cuarta”, but at the same time, has the biggest amount of experience and his record in the UN gives him an edge to handle complicated situations.

      He started with a bang and put his cards on the table from the start: He commited himself to lead a 3-year transition, including a call for a “constituyente”. His hook: taking action against Chavez by denouncing him in the ICC. “Nos vemos en la haya” became his rallying cry. He used Facebook and Twitter to promote his case, passing more conventional media. His slogan was actually attractive: DAR por Venezuela. When the first debate ended, I was surprised and I define this as “Arriamentum”.

      And that was it. he didn’t developed it or expand it. He stuck with what he offered and nothing else. Only in the last days of the campaign, he put some TV ads, but they were pretty basic. So say that’s a huge dissapointment is an understatement.

      Maybe he lacked the structure or the resources. Maybe he was content with what he did. He probably knew that his real chances of winning were minimal, so he stuck to promote his ideas. Sadly, MCM has stolen his thunder after her showdown with Esteban in the Assembly.

      • At this point, I do not really care. I wanna look forward, not backwards. If the next president delivers, the situation will improve and people will realize the kind of swamp we are into, and we have been for so long. But being obsessive about punishing Chavez does not automatically translate in a better country

  4. Timmer says:

    The PP video is groundbreaking. In a culture where people talk AT you, he has carefully crafted a message of participation, signalling that people will be listened to. From the multiracial participants, to the circular arrangement, to the Clintonesque smile at 1:16,to the postmodern shot at 1:41 revealing that this is political theater, PP uses the subtext to reveal his values. He will be inclusive, egalitarian, sympathetic, and transparent. If the youth see this video in large enough numbers he will trump the polls and take the primaries.

    HCR promises to LIFT us up. (Yet another savior.)
    MCM talks DOWN to us. (She REALLY knows what is going on.)
    No comment on the others.
    PP shows that he is WITH us.

  5. Juantxon says:

    The thing that strikes me most is the AD flag in the HCR ad…

  6. Kepler says:

    And: is it me or Pérez has a language coach? His Maracuch accent comes now less strong than on other occasions.
    If Diego Scharifker and the chama next to him were not nodding so furiously, things would be more credible. And the fat boy also on that side spoke too much about how difficult it was for him to walk.
    Somehow I have the impression Capriles is going to come up with some evangelizing message. Perhaps it’s his insistence in religious themes before.
    This is OK except when the woman says “verdaderamente”. The alarm sounds when someone says “really, really, really”, “now it’s true”…unless you explain a bit more why now it is really really, really.

    • Larry says:

      Bueno aqui tienen unos documentos interesantes que salieron en 6topoder sobre su candidato favorito Henrique Capriles… A ver si los ayuda a votar mañana! https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B46rSiiAhN94ZDYyMzE5NGItYjkwNS00ZWMzLWJhMWQtM2QyNGMzZDQ1OTdk

      • geha714 says:

        Los invidiosos van a invidiar.

        • geha714 says:

          This is, hands down, one of the most obvious, insulting, desperate and inept attempts of dirty campaign I have seen. Thank God, this will not fly with nobody except with those narrow minded of a minuscule group of people so sick and so depraved, that even are rejected inside Chavismo.

          And it will be worst in the road to October. This people will get even worse.

          • wlad says:

            “Thank God, this will not fly with nobody except with those narrow minded of a minuscule group of people so sick and so depraved”

            I take it homophobia is not nearly as entrenched in Venezuela as a cursory look at ND would lead you to think?

            • geha714 says:

              Agreed that homophobia in venezuela is still a major problem, like in the US or in Uganda. I’m against it and I can only hope that in the future our society can move on from this disgusting behavior.

              Still, this paricular attack goes beyond that. This is about discredit the candidate’s reputation no matter what. The obviousness of this is matched by the mediocrity of their actions made by this group of people.

              Why I think it won’t fly? The way this was presented (the list of inconsistencies is large) and the reputation of those responsible. If they want to make it look bad to church-goers, the fact than this group has attacked the institution of the church and its leadership won’t give them any credibility.

      • Juan Cristóbal Nagel says:

        Que montaje mas balurdo. Si hasta se le ve el Tipex al “documento”!

      • Pelao Manrique says:

        Funny how the “expediente” only mentions by name one of the two perpetrators of oral sex, and of course the mentioned one is the one giving the BJ.

        And as Seinfeld would say “not that there is anything wrong with it.”

        Gimme a break!

        • Jeffry House says:

          yes, isn’t it odd that the cop doesn’t ask for the id of the other person, apparently the driver of the car, especially since the car had no plates. Wouldn’t any cop at least write down e VIN to make sure e vehicle wasn’t stolen? I know it is Venezuela, but wow!

      • Cal says:

        Desperate tactics of dirty war are a sure sign that the ones using them are losers. But to think that the readers of this blog could be influenced by such allegations is plain stupid.

      • Carolina says:

        Reading that “report” I feel troubled for different reasons: 1)Why the other person involved is not named at all? For me, this prove that is a fake.
        2) In the case it was real…how being inside a car could be possibly be an act of public disorder? If they were having oral sex I bet you they were pretty silent, at least one of them.
        3) If the report was filed because those caught were two men, the one with issues is the police guy and he should be charges with discrimination.

        So Larry, what was your point again?

  7. syd says:

    None of the final pitches really inspired me. Though of course, I will vote, if for no other reason than on civic principle. (“Algún dia importará”, as one commenter reported about his Dad’s lessons.) When I compare the slate of candidates to earlier times, I’m convinced that there is a possibility of change, however remote.

    As for other observations … ‘fawning’ is the perfect pitch word to refer to the young people with PP, who seemed more sincere than his audience.

    The HCR production showed the most energy,

    One more day…

    • Juan Cristóbal Nagel says:

      So Syd, who are you gonna vote for? Care to share?

      • Kepler says:

        Now she will go all fuzzy and beat around the bush and say something about right to secrecy.
        Running for cover

      • syd says:

        I’m leaning towards MCM. Here’s why. I’m 99.9% sure that she will not win. I’m 99.9% sure that HCR will win. My vote for MCM is a vote of confidence in her strong voice and delivery. For that voice is much needed in the Venezuelan political landscape, no matter who gets/remains in office on 7O. I want MCM’s voice/word to continue, whether or not she develops a stronger political platform for herself, in future.

        • geha714 says:

          My reasons, exactly.

          • Kepler says:

            Y ¿qué pasa si un montón de gente se pone a votar por Machado por la misma razón y gana ella aunque la mayoría quería enviar solo un mensaje y nos jodemos todos?
            ¡Ahh, no habían pensado en eso! Recapaciten.

            • geha714 says:

              Hey, every person has the right to decide what they feel is right. If they want to vote for principle or for electability, that’s their choice.

              I must admit that in the last 24 hours, there has been an impulse in me to vote for HCR based more or less on the possibility of PP winning via the split of the vote and the whole machinery thing. In the end, I will vote for what I feel is right and I want other to do the same, whatever their reasons might be. And let the chips fall where they may.

            • extorres says:

              Reasons for paired voting systems.

            • geha714 says:

              Agreed, extorres. IRV, STV. Why not?

          • Juan Cristóbal Nagel says:

            Muy respetable esa opinión. I would be thrilled if MCM reaches double digits tomorrow.

  8. geha714 says:

    Well, the HCR campaign wins for beign the most focused, cohesive and effective. Even if there wasn’t a standout commercial, all were committed from the start to push a single narrative. All were well produced and they played safe. The key was thet have a single theme and a slogan that resumes it: Hay un camino (There’s a way).

    I agree with Daniel that this campaign feels more like a general election one, but the good news is that this campaign can be developed more in thematic terms. It gives HCR an certain advantage, given the fact that Chavez will outspend him 50 to 1.

  9. Maria Gonzalez says:

    Bueno una cosa es verdad…el hecho que podamos criticar propaganda electoral de unas primarias con la participacion solo indirecta del comandantepresidente demuestra los avances de los venezolanos que no comparten las ideas del actual gobierno!
    Asi que a pesar de la musiquita, la bandera de AD, la brincadera de charcos o la falta de un mensaje contundente muchos venezolanos saber que hay que
    “Votar…duro or blando no importa! pero dentro del camino del progeso porque ha llegado el momento.

  10. Carolina says:

    HCR didn’t skip the charco, he stepped right into it. That’s a difference…

  11. geha714 says:

    I have already complained about Pablo Perez’s campaign, so I stick my opinion to this ad. It’s a little improvement to what he did before, but the whole thing feels stagey. The fact that Diego Sharifker (a young UNT member) is showed, so I must assume that the other people are also young UNT. For the ordinary voter, that’s nothing, but opponents will use this against you.

    If PP wins on Sunday, my only recomendation to him could be firing Barboza (or putting him in charge of traditional machinery) and getting a guy who actually knows about runnings campaigns in this day and age (Maybe J.J. Rendon or other, I dunno). And put your S#*% together, because you about to be outplayed, outspent and even outgunned by not just a formidable opponent (campaign-wise), but by the biggest machinery ever seen. Not the PSUV, but the Venezuelan state. The government, the military, the judiciary, even foreign governments and the best political consultants money can buy. They will throw everything: money, insults, gifts and even bullets.

    I don’t envy the position the winner of tomorrow’s vote will be, but I hope that person is up to the monumental challenge he or she faces. Nobody said it was easy, but it has to be done.

  12. Francisco Toro says:

    Un Nuevo Tiempo puts a number to it (on Twitter):

    Un Nuevo Tiempo @partidoUNT
    #PabloGana porque tiene mas de 80mil personas en un gran equipo de voluntariado para alcanzar los 1.200.000 en las Primarias @PabloPerezOf

  13. Canucklehead says:

    Call me a simp but I thought the ads were pretty good. Its politics after all…its always going to induce a bit of nausea.

  14. Carolina says:

    I have been trying to be open minded regarding MCM, but I just can’t go pass the soap opera tone of her speech. It reminds me to Rebeca Gonzalez drama tone, but adding “las madres decentes” and the “esperanza”, all with a very stupid smile all the time.
    As kep says, Caro running for cover.

    • Carolina says:

      By the way, I also have to admit that Buzz Lightyear’s ad brought a tear to my eye when he mentioned the other candidates by their names.
      He was the only one that brought up the unity in their closures. I give him credits to that.

  15. vsalomon says:

    Pablo Perez is Barney? His body language is very barney and look at the end of the video, every one hugging each other. lol.

  16. That Pablo Perez is such a fake politician and a clown. I could only stand 30 seconds of his bs ad, with that cheese music and paid young actors.. people still buy that kind of obvious crap?!

  17. Capriles sound a lot more real, and the choice of music is much better! He seems to have an authentic connection with regular people, and sounds way more convincing. His rhetoric and wide political phrases are sometimes empty or vague, but hey, that’s politics, always has been.

  18. MCM also looks and sounds sincere, no music for her?! No adoring crowds? She’s still desperately trying to use the underdog, female card, the new “Iron lady” after Thatcher, and the Brazilian, Argentianian lady presidents, obviously.

    The problem is she still comes across a a “sifrina” in many areas, too polished and refined for the majority of our pueblo. That was her biggest mistake.

    She keeps utilizing big words like “impunidad”. To the educated reader of blogs like this one, it might seem like an average word. But I guarantee you that 70% of Venezuelans have no clue as to what it means.

    Heck, even her second “key word” for such a final, important, and brief message (intended for the entire nation, not just a particular audience in CCS),,, “reconciliacion”. The real intention behing that word probably also flies wayyy over the head of say, 50% of Venezuelans. (We say “me volvi a “arrejuntal” con la geva”, rather than “todos aspiramos a una saludable reconciliacion a todos los niveles socio-economicos de la patria”, and stuff like that. It’s not Switzerland, dear Maria.

  19. Ayyy, Dieguito, Dieguito, Dieguito,,, if I only could get past his face: he looks like a CROOK, a thief, and a liar. Sorry, just my opinion, at face value. Look at him!

    Alas, If I could get past his tumultuous, controversial and murky past! (And that’s being nice, for those who lived in the 70′s in Vzla, when CAP, Arria and the other “apostles” stole almost as much as Chavismo has, after the oil boom..

    Plus he’s also making various crucial mistakes:

    A) no alliances with new faces, new blood, a la Capoldo.
    B) fancy words and intricate concepts, a la MCM, way outta reach for the average Wilmel Jackson
    C) recalling his dubious past, by emphasizing his “experience”: easy to attack..
    D) no music either!
    E) plastic surgery could have come in handy.

    He’s also toast.

  20. Thanks for the info and good videos, that’s how the “exiles” here and Miami try to stay “in the loop”!

  21. GTAveledo says:

    Pretty good videos -except for Medina’s- and the music in HCR’s was really good. Not a common jingle, good…

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