“The McGovern Defense” This paper will analyze the political ad titled “The McGovern Defense”. This ad was aired through television during the 1972 presidential campaign between Richard Nixon (R) and George McGovern (D). This paper will first go over the political context of the ad, second depict the ad itself, and lastly make an argument about why the ad was effective. This ad was effective because it explained what McGovern planned to do to our military and instilled fear of what was to come if he became president in that election. This ad became famous because it was the first effective attack ad that made voters and democrats reconsider voting for McGovern. The McGovern Defense ad aired during the Nixon campaign in 1972. The two candidates…show more content… military. The ad shows the viewer visually how McGovern will cut the military’s size in solders and equipment. The ad starts with a drum roll and three groups of toy solider Maries with a deep manly voice saying that the McGovern Defense plan will cut the Maries by one third. While saying this an arm comes in from off screen and takes away one of the three groups of toy Maries. The ad then cuts to three groups of toy solider Airmen with the man saying McGovern will cut the Air Fore By one third and the arm comes again taking one of the three groups of toy Airmen. Then cuts to four groups of toy solider Seamen with the man saying McGovern will cut Navy personnel by one forth and the arm taking away one of the four groups of toy Seamen. Then shows toy fighter planes with the man saying McGovern will cut interceptor planes by one half and the arm taking away half of the toy planes. Then shows toy Navy ships with the man saying McGovern will cut the Navy fleet in half and the arm takes away half of the toy ships. Lastly it shows sixteen toy air craft carriers with the man saying McGovern will cut ten of the sixteen aircraft carriers and the arm takes away ten toy aircraft carriers once again. The camera then zooms in on all the toys that were taken by the arms that are lying in piles. The man then quotes senator Hubert Humphrey, “Its not just cutting into the fat. It isn’t just cutting manpower.…show more content… The ad had a clear message because it shows the viewer visually what McGovern plans on doing to the military and explains that we can’t have a weak America. The artistic use of toys to show the amount of troops and equipment McGovern will be cutting was very creative and gets peoples attention making them remember what they saw and heard. The toys were also a clever use of symbolism with McGovern representing a parent or teachers taking away your toys, which make the viewer feel angry. This ad really goes over reasoning, policies, and ideas giving the viewer a logos reasoning to agree with what is being told. The images, text, and audio also reinforce Nixon’s message by actually showing the percentages McGovern want to cut, you feel anxious with the drumbeat at the beginning then clam when you hear “Hail to the Chief”, and the text shows us that even democrats are supporting Nixon. My opinion on the ad is that it is very convincing that the people shouldn’t trust McGovern as the Commander and Chief and Nixon would take this matter seriously unlike his opponent. I liked his use of toys to show that McGovern is just playing around with our military and just sees it as another place to make budget cuts. This ad would of convinced me to vote against McGovern because it made me feel as if I could not take McGovern