We don’t know B.J. Lawson, the GOP candidate running against Rep. David Price in N.C.’s 4th Congresisonal District. It’s pretty safe to say, though, that he’s either a lying sack or dumb as a sack (of hammers). Lawson ran a television ad, which his campaign paid a California company $4500 to produce, in which the narrator sounded sorta like Morgan Freeman. Yesterday, Lawson said the voice in his commercial was Freeman. By 5 p.m. yesterday, Freeman, a longtime Democrat, released a terse statement saying, “These people are lying. I have never recorded any campaign ads for B.J. Lawson, and I do not support his candidacy.”
Lawson’s campaign manager, Martin Avila, huffed and puffed and said yeah, well, the contract we signed said it was Morgan Freeman. The production company, MEI Political, slapped down Avila, saying the company had repeatedly explained to Lawson’s campaign that the ad would feature a “Morgan Freeman voice double,” not the famous actor.” O-kaaay, then, said Avila, “The Lawson campaign was shocked about what has happened and operated under the pretense that the ad was legitimate. Until today, we had no reason to believe the ad was not narrated by Morgan Freeman.” That’s right, said Lawson, “I was duped” by MEI into thinking it was really Morgan Freeman. Now, MEI has released a second, withering statement, and in all-caps, no less. Guess they’re really pissed.
IT WOULD GO AGAINST ALL COMMON SENSE FOR A CAMPAIGN TO TRULY BELIEVE THAT MR. FREEMAN, A DEMOCRAT, WOULD ENDORSE A LOCAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE WHOM HE HAD NEVER EVEN MET. IF THE CAMPAIGN WANTS TO SAY THAT THEY MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT A ‘VOICE DOUBLE’ IS THEN THAT IS ONE THING, BUT IT IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO PUBLICLY MISREPRESENT THIS AD (AGAINST OUR EXPLICIT ADVICE), AND THEN TRY TO THROW A CAMPAIGN SUPPORTER AND A LIFELONG REPUBLICAN UNDER THE BUS BY CLAIMING THAT THEY WERE SOMEHOW “DUPED” INTO THINKING THAT MORGAN FREEMAN, A MAN WHO GETS PAID $1 MILLION JUST TO RECORD A VISA COMMERCIAL, WAS SERIOUSLY GOING TO RECORD A RADIO SPOT FOR THEIR CAMPAIGN.
Here’s the actual ad:
So, was Lawson really so stupid or naive that he would think Morgan Freeman was going to voice-over a campaign ad for 45 hundred bucks? Or did he just think he could get away with a lie? Either way, it’s a sad but, let’s face it, funny commentary on the state of our electoral campaigns.
This article appears in Nov 2-8, 2010.
Sir,
Perhaps you should spend more time loafing rather than calling someone stupid without getting your facts straight. Go to the LawsonforCongress website and read the documents there re. the ad contract.
Quite frankly, if BJ Lawson doesn’t know what Morgan Freeman charges for an ad spot, that makes him even more endearing as an outsider. It also made me think the better of Mr. Freeman (not that he should care one way or another.)
However, I’m certain the 22-year career politician Mr. Lawson’s running against knows the in’s and out’s of campaigning very well. Support him if you think this makes him smarter, more honest, or more qualified.
Peace be with you.
I understand that you have no connection with this candidate or his campaign and so I can understand your point of view, the optics look really bad.
But BJ Lawson is a unique candidate, he doesn’t fit the left-right paradigm. He brings in people from all walks of life to his message.
I found it hard to believe Morgan Freeman was doing his ad, but at the same time I wasn’t surprised. BJ Lawson doesn’t fit the mold of a politician. That might be something someone like Morgan Freeman appreciated.
Although his campaign literature touts republican ideology it isn’t where he truly stands. But hey, he’s gotta get elected first and this is not an educational contest it is a popularity contest. You have to play to the crowds.
More than anything I think this is a setup by the Democratic party… but I have reservations about saying that because I have no evidence. But all this smacks of conspiracy.
^
AAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAAHA
The president/founder of the company that issued the ALL CAPS MESSAGE above is a Hollywood producer who plays both sides of the political fence:
http://www.allbusiness.com/media-telecommunications/movies-sound-recording/5456275-1.html
In an earlier email, Mathis explicitly name-dropped numerous celebrities including Morgan Freeman, as well as explaining that he employs voice-doubles who are approved by the real celebrities.
There were back-and-forth emails about the Freeman idea (the campaign wanted to mimic Freeman’s “priceless” MasterCard ads).
So in summary:
1. Mathis claimed he worked with Morgan Freeman and a Morgan Freeman-approved voice double.
2. B.J. Lawson believed him.
3. Mathis threw Lawson under the bus.
Meanwhile, the most important aspect of this is that THE STATEMENTS IN THE AD ARE TRUE AND DAVID PRICE NEEDS TO BE THROWN OUT OF OFFICE.
Looks like Grooms is wrong again as usual:
http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/another_campaign_says_ad_firm_lied_about_morgan_freeman
What a surprise – a friend of the KKKlintons is a serial liar. Gasp.