Politico's report that Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is considering a presidential primary challenge against Donald Trump is prompting a closer look at this 3-minute video heralding his second gubernatorial inauguration.
The video fees like a introductory campaign ad. Titled, "Leadership," a narrator begins with rhetorical questions, "What exactly defines leadership? What propels it? What encourages it? And how do we actually grasp it?"
We see a montage of clips from Hogan's first gubernatorial campaign, with several commentators concluding he has no chance of winning and polls showing the same. "Perhaps it's defined by that never-give-up mentality," chimes in the narrator. "Maybe it's by shocking the world and beating the odds." We see Hogan's first inauguration, accompanied by blasting cannons, a shot of a "Democrats for Hogan" bumper sticker and celebratory African-Americans.
Then we are shown Hogan beating treated for cancer during his first term. The narrator notes he beat "even tougher odds," and a news chyron says he is now "100% Cancer Free."
The orchestral score really begins to soar as we come to his second election victory. The narrator enthuses that Maryland is the state that's "home to the underdogs, the courageous and the legends." Clips follow of the Maryland Terrapins winning the 2002 NCAA basketball tournament, the Baltimore Ravens winning the Super Bowl, Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken Jr., with Harriet Tubman thrown in for good measure.
The video closes with Hogan on Election Night 2018, marveling that "in this deep blue state, in this blue year, with the blue wave, it turns out I can surf, and we had a purple surfboard."
Of course, embracing your inner purple may not be the best way to run in a ruby red Republican presidential primary. But Hogan's certainly seems to want to send a message that is heard beyond the borders of Maryland.
The video fees like a introductory campaign ad. Titled, "Leadership," a narrator begins with rhetorical questions, "What exactly defines leadership? What propels it? What encourages it? And how do we actually grasp it?"
We see a montage of clips from Hogan's first gubernatorial campaign, with several commentators concluding he has no chance of winning and polls showing the same. "Perhaps it's defined by that never-give-up mentality," chimes in the narrator. "Maybe it's by shocking the world and beating the odds." We see Hogan's first inauguration, accompanied by blasting cannons, a shot of a "Democrats for Hogan" bumper sticker and celebratory African-Americans.
Then we are shown Hogan beating treated for cancer during his first term. The narrator notes he beat "even tougher odds," and a news chyron says he is now "100% Cancer Free."
The orchestral score really begins to soar as we come to his second election victory. The narrator enthuses that Maryland is the state that's "home to the underdogs, the courageous and the legends." Clips follow of the Maryland Terrapins winning the 2002 NCAA basketball tournament, the Baltimore Ravens winning the Super Bowl, Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken Jr., with Harriet Tubman thrown in for good measure.
The video closes with Hogan on Election Night 2018, marveling that "in this deep blue state, in this blue year, with the blue wave, it turns out I can surf, and we had a purple surfboard."
Of course, embracing your inner purple may not be the best way to run in a ruby red Republican presidential primary. But Hogan's certainly seems to want to send a message that is heard beyond the borders of Maryland.