(already subscribe? log in).

Hoekstra Super Bowl ad raises sensitivity question

THIS STORY APPEARED IN

February 06, 2012|By Kathy Barks Hoffman

Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Hoekstra. (Carlos Osorio/AP )

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The portrayal of a young Asian woman speaking broken English in a Super Bowl ad being run by US Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra against Michigan incumbent Debbie Stabenow is bringing charges of racial insensitivity.

GOP consultant Nick De Leeuw flat-out scolded the Holland Republican for the ad.

‘‘Stabenow has got to go. But shame on Pete Hoekstra for that appalling new advertisement,’’ De Leeuw wrote on his Facebook page Sunday morning. ‘‘Racism and xenophobia aren’t any way to get things done.’’

A media consultant who has advised Democrats also thought it could prove problematic.

‘‘Some Asian-Americans may be offended by the stereotype that is portrayed in the spot,’’ said Robert Kolt, who teaches advertising part-time at Michigan State University and had previewed a number of Sunday’s Super Bowl ads. ‘‘Pete seems like a nice guy in the ad, but I think he is wasting a lot of money now. ... It’s just not Super Bowl-worthy. It’s not cute, it’s not funny and it’s not memorable.’’

Hoekstra campaign spokesman Paul Ciaramitaro said the ad is meant to be satirical. Hoekstra’s Facebook page, which by early evening was getting a barrage of criticism on the ad, snapped back that those ‘‘trying to make this an issue of race demonstrates their total ignorance of job creation policies.’’ On YouTube, the ratings buttons on the ad were disabled after it aired.

‘‘Democrats talk about race when they can’t defend their records,’’ Ciaramitaro said. ‘‘The U.S. economy is losing jobs to China because of Stabenow’s reckless spending policies. China is reaping the reward.’’

The 30-second ad was filmed in California and never mentions China directly. It opens with the sound of a gong and shows a young Asian woman riding a bike on a narrow path lined by rice paddies.

Stopping her bike, the woman smiles into the camera and says, ‘‘Thank you, Michigan Senator Debbie Spenditnow. Debbie spends so much American money. You borrow more and more from us. Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good. We take your jobs. Thank you, Debbie Spenditnow.’’

The scene then shifts to Hoekstra telling viewers near a cozy fire, ‘‘I think this race is between Debbie Spenditnow and Pete Spenditnot.’’

The Hoekstra campaign set up a website, www.DebbieSpendItNow.com, that features the ad and includes Chinese writing, paper lanterns, parade dragons and Stabenow’s face on a Chinese fan. It accuses the Democratic senator of ‘‘pouring American dollars into the Chinese economy.’’

Democrats were quick to challenge the premise of the ad, referring to Hoekstra’s 18 years in the U.S. House and the fact that he joined a Washington-based law and lobbying firm last year.