This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
So, if the GOP presidential field is The Beatles, we all assumed Jon Huntsman would be Paul, the cute one.
Or maybe, since he skipped this week's debate in New Hampshire, he'll be George, the quiet one.
No, it looks like Huntsman is trying to be Ringo - the funny one.
A new "viral" video ad for Utah's former governor - counting down his official announcement of his presidential candidacy next week - is one of the goofiest things you're likely to see this campaign season.
The video shows a dirtbiker tooling through Utah's Monument Valley, as pleasant country music plays. A title card reads "In 6 Days," then another title card comes on screen that reads "Did not become famous with his band 'Wizard.' " Then the screen reads "Paid for by Jon Huntsman."
The video is getting all kinds of attention among the political press, who are all apparently bleeding from the scalp from all the head-scratching the video has caused. A sampling:
Alex Pareene, Salon: "The message is clear: Even with some douchebag on a motorcycle riding through it, Monument Valley in incredible. Vote John Ford!"
Michael Scherer, Time.com: "Make any sense? It doesn't have to. That's the whole idea." (Scherer also points out that the ad was produced by Fred Davis, creator of the infamous "Demon Sheep" ad, and that's not really Huntsman on the bike — though Huntsman does ride motorcycles.)
Rachel Maddow, MSNBC: "The first totally strange, non sequitur, deliberately odd political campaign ad of the presidential cycle. ... He's going to be the weird one in the race." (Maddow also pointed out that Davis also made the "I am not a witch" ad for 2010 Delaware U.S. Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell.)
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