‘It’s like every red flag’: Trump-ordered HHS ad blitz raises alarms

[Greenbeard]

There's no bottom to the misuse of public funds in this administration. Re-routing money from the CDC during a pandemic to cut re-election ads for a president trying to paper over a crisis he botched horrifically.

‘It’s like every red flag’: Trump-ordered HHS ad blitz raises alarms

The health department is moving quickly on a highly unusual advertising campaign to "defeat despair" about the coronavirus, a $300 million-plus effort that was shaped by a political appointee close to President Donald Trump and executed in part by close allies of the official, using taxpayer funds.

The ad blitz, described in some budget documents as the "Covid-19 immediate surge public advertising and awareness campaign," is expected to lean heavily on video interviews between administration officials and celebrities, who will discuss aspects of the coronavirus outbreak and address the Trump administration's response to the crisis, according to six individuals with knowledge of the campaign who described its workings to POLITICO.

The public awareness campaign, which HHS is seeking to start airing before Election Day on Nov. 3, was largely conceived and organized by Michael Caputo, the health department's top spokesperson who took medical leave last week and announced on Thursday that he had been diagnosed with cancer. Caputo, who has no medical or scientific background, claimed in a Facebook video on Sept. 13 that the campaign was "demanded of me by the president of the United States. Personally."

200,000+ dead, the virus still spreading, and this is where resources are going.

 

[Stealers Wheel]

Trump is all about marketing and branding. Creating perception, regardless of the truth, is the point. This is a perfect use of taxpayer dollars as far as he is concerned. Market the pandemic. Run the ads over and over again. Make sure to mention Trump several times and how he has single-handedly defeated the covid-19 virus. Most people won't be moved, but that's not the point. The purpose is to grab those little bites all across the country. The fact that taxpayers are footing the bill for Trump's re-election is just a bonus.

 

[US&THEM]

Grifter in Chief

 

[CaughtInThe]

Mafia

 

[less right]

At this point I'd be disappointed if Trump didn't use some of my money to get reelected. I'm already paying for him to watch TV,to go golfing, and paying his personal legal fees.

 

[Chomsky]

There's no bottom to the misuse of public funds in this administration. Re-routing money from the CDC during a pandemic to cut re-election ads for a president trying to paper over a crisis he botched horrifically.

‘It’s like every red flag’: Trump-ordered HHS ad blitz raises alarms



200,000+ dead, the virus still spreading, and this is where resources are going.

It's 'Pravda'! Literaly.

 

[Chomsky]

Trump is all about marketing and branding. Creating perception, regardless of the truth, is the point. This is a perfect use of taxpayer dollars as far as he is concerned. Market the pandemic. Run the ads over and over again. Make sure to mention Trump several times and how he has single-handedly defeated the covid-19 virus. Most people won't be moved, but that's not the point. The purpose is to grab those little bites all across the country. The fact that taxpayers are footing the bill for Trump's re-election is just a bonus.

This is why only 12% of Americans are willing to be first in line to try the new vaccine.

 

[Greenbeard]

Trump is all about marketing and branding.

And misdirecting taxpayer dollars toward himself or his personal benefit.

 

[Cardinal]

This is such third world shit I don't even know what to say.

 

[Greenbeard]

Turns out this taxpayer-funded scam is going really well.

HHS ad blitz sputters as celebrities back away

They made a list of more than 30 celebrities including Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift and Billy Joel to appear in their ad campaign to "inspire hope" about coronavirus, but they ended up with only Dennis Quaid, CeCe Winans and Hasidic singer Shulem Lemmer.

The health department’s $300 million-plus, taxpayer-funded vehicle to boost confidence in President Donald Trump’s response to the pandemic is sputtering. Celebrities are refusing to participate, and staff are arraying against it. Some complain of the unstated aim of helping Trump’s re-election. Others point to an ill-prepared video team and a 22-year-old political appointee who has repeatedly asserted control despite having no public health expertise, according to six people with close knowledge of the campaign and documents related to its operations.

Interviews with participants and others in the Health and Human Services Department paint a picture of a chaotic effort, scrambling to meet an unofficial Election Day deadline, floundering in the wake of the medical leave of its architect, Michael Caputo, and running up against increasing resistance among career staff.