Political-Advertising

Jesse Helms 'White Hands' Ad Weaponizes Affirmative Action Against Black Senate Candidate

1990-10-29 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 8/10

In the final week of his Senate race against Harvey Gantt—the first African American major party Senate candidate in North Carolina—incumbent Republican Jesse Helms aired the notorious ‘Hands’ or ‘White Hands’ advertisement. The ad depicted white hands crumpling a job …

Jesse Helms Harvey Gantt Alex Castellanos Carter Wrenn Republican Party racial-politics dog-whistle-politics political-advertising republican-party affirmative-action +1 more

Bush Campaign Deploys Willie Horton Ad Weaponizing Racial Fear of Black Criminals

1988-09-21 00:00:00 +0000 UTC | Importance: 9/10

The Americans for Bush arm of the National Security Political Action Committee, working with Bush campaign consultants, began running the infamous ‘Weekend Passes’ advertisement featuring William Horton, a Black prisoner who committed crimes while on furlough from a Massachusetts prison. …

George H.W. Bush Lee Atwater Roger Ailes Larry McCarthy William Horton +2 more racial-politics dog-whistle-politics political-advertising republican-party criminal-justice +1 more