Paris Hilton, McCain, and Obama
Which candidate does her parody of McCain's ad help?
What happened
Paris Hilton has released an Internet video lampooning John McCain’s recent campaign ad, which used images of Hilton and Britney Spears to suggest that Barack Obama is a mere celebrity who is unfit to lead. Hilton says she's running for president, and is "totally ready to lead." (Funny Or Die video link)
What the commentators said
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Don’t mess with Paris Hilton, said Seth Grahame-Smith in The Huffington Post. Her little video generated real excitement and presented a “well-reasoned energy policy”—two things McCain has yet to do. McCain’s camp is trying to laugh it off by saying Hilton has a better energy plan than Obama, but the bottom line is she made McCain look ridiculous in a video that “is spreading faster than a case of Cancun herpes.”
Obama is the one who looks silly, said Allahpundit in a Hot Air blog. After all, she has “nearly as much federal legislative experience as Barry O.” And “if grotesque overexposure and grandiose ego are now prerequisites for the presidency,” maybe she’s as qualified as he is.
It’s hard to say which candidate Hilton’s parody hurts more, said Craig Crawford in CQPolitics’ Trail Mix blog. Most of the video is devoted to poking fun at McCain’s advanced age. “But at the end of the day, Barack Obama is aligned with Paris Hilton.” That can’t help, can it?
Team Obama responded by saying, "Whatever," said Michael Crowley in The New Republic’s The Stump blog. But the Democratic presidential candidate probably “doesn't exactly see" Hilton's "implicit support as a helpful development, however amusing it is.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
80 dead in Colombia amid uptick in guerrilla fighting
Speed Read This was the country's deadliest wave of violence since the peace accords set by President Gustavo Petro in 2016
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump starts term with spate of executive orders
Speed Read The president is rolling back many of Joe Biden's climate and immigration policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pardons or commutes all charged Jan. 6 rioters
Speed Read The new president pardoned roughly 1,500 criminal defendants charged with crimes related to the Capitol riot
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
1 of 6 'Trump Train' drivers liable in Biden bus blockade
Speed Read Only one of the accused was found liable in the case concerning the deliberate slowing of a 2020 Biden campaign bus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published