How Ted Cruz's new immigration ad trumps Donald Trump's ad
Ted Cruz has released a new immigration-themed ad that鈥檚 as hard-hitting, in its own way, as Donald Trump鈥檚 recent sledgehammer of a spot. But Senator Cruz鈥檚 effort is perhaps cleverer 鈥� making it seem more restrained than his bombastic rival鈥檚.
starts with what one critic labels a thought experiment: What if illegal immigrants were predominantly white collar instead of laborers and other lower-skilled workers?
And that鈥檚 what it depicts. With tension-raising drumbeats sounding in the background, a bunch of well-dressed executive types wade through water and race across a stubby field in slow motion. The acting and cinematography are excellent. A woman pausing to pour water out of her high heel is a particularly nice touch.
Meanwhile, you hear Cruz speaking. The mainstream media don鈥檛 cover immigration as an economic issue, he says, but it is an economic issue, and a "very聽personal" one at that.
鈥淎nd I can tell you that the politics of it would be very, very different if a bunch of lawyers or bankers were crossing the Rio Grande,鈥� Cruz says. 鈥淥r if a bunch of people with journalism degrees were coming over and driving down the wages in the press.鈥�
At this point in the narration, a desperate fleeing refugee drops her laptop, but a colleague in a bespoke suit urges her on. He seems to be saying, never mind the MacBook Air! Keep running! MSNBC will give you a new one!
鈥淭hen we would see stories about the economic calamity befalling our nation,鈥� says the unseen Cruz.
The rest of the spot is Cruz saying that as president, he will secure the border, accompanied by a shot of Marco Rubio 鈥� who but is 鈥� looking nervous. Then 鈥淭rust鈥� and 鈥淭ed鈥� morph to create 鈥淭rusTed鈥� on-screen.
The ad鈥檚 construction may be yet more proof that Cruz is attempting to slipstream behind Mr. Trump while snatching some of his voters. It combines two issues that are of great importance to the predominantly less-educated, lower-income core of Trump鈥檚 vote: economic insecurity, and immigration.
Plus, it slams the media, lawyers, and bankers 鈥� unpopular professions all. No mention of doctors or tech entrepreneurs racing across the Rio Grande, we notice.
Critics say Cruz鈥檚 assumptions here are bogus, however. , Matthew Yglesias says it is 鈥渟imply false to say that the current rate of immigration to the United States is an economic calamity.鈥� Research shows that incomes of native-born Americans are higher, not lower, due to the economic activity generated by immigration, according to Mr. Yglesias.
But focusing on the economics of illegal immigration is less inflammatory than simply calling many Mexican immigrants rapists, as Trump has done. In that sense, Cruz鈥檚 approach is softer.
Plus, the ad just looks good. At least, that鈥檚 what the right-leaning at his new website, The Resurgent.
Mr. Erickson says he鈥檚 heard people say Cruz鈥檚 spot offends them and that it misstates the issue. But those folks are missing the point: The Texas senator has produced 鈥渢he most professionally polished, sharp ad of the season,鈥� in Erickson鈥檚 view.
That means it could make a difference at a critical moment in the campaign.
鈥淲hether you like it or not, I assure you it is going to stand out from a crowded field of ads in Iowa and southern states with both the image and message,鈥� according to Erickson.
