The National Republican Senatorial Committee celebrated April Fool’s Day by releasing a well-timed video chronicling the difference in President Obama’s promises and results:
Messaging on April Fool’s Day can be tricky for political groups. As a private company with a reputation for lightheartedness, Google can make annual fake announcements without fear of retribution. (This year they are renaming the company “Topeka” – reciprocating the promise of the free-broadband-seeking Topeka, Kansas to rename their city “Google” for a day.)
The NRSC did a good job with the video. Because it’s obvious and over the top, it’s clearly an April Fools joke from the beginning. Sure, that might make it a bit less funny, but the NRSC isn’t going for an award from a comedy film festival. They were looking to do just what they did: use measured humor and creativity to deliver an important – and well-timed – political message.