Former Vice President Mike Pence became the target of online mockery after releasing an awkward political advertisement that had several obvious problems.
In the ad, Pence touts his energy policy plans while pretending to pump gas into his truck.
“Hey, everybody. Mike Pence here,” he says as he exits a red truck at a gas station. “Remember $2-a-gallon gas? I do,” he continues as he inserts the pump nozzle into his truck.
The problem is that Pence never selected which grade of gas to pump — causing the gas pump to beep throughout the ad. In fact, he not only doesn’t select his grade, but he never actually initiates the gas-pumping process.
That did not, however, stop him from pitching voters on his energy promises.
And then Joe Biden became president of the United States and launched his war on energy. Since that time, gasoline prices are up 60%, electricity prices are up 25%. Joe Biden’s war on energy is causing real hardship for working families, small businesses and family farms.
But we’ve got a plan to relieve all that. We just unveiled a Pence energy plan that will not only put our country back on a path to energy independence, but by 2040, we will reclaim America’s role as the leading producer of energy in the world.
The ad has generated more than 2 million views and a significant response — but not for the reasons Pence wants.
- “How can this dipstick fix our energy independence when he can’t even push the button that chooses which octane gas he wants to make the ‘beeping’ sound stop?!” comedian Rob Schneider reacted.
- “Pick your favorite part:
– Fuel door already open & cap off – Not selecting a fuel grade or paying
– Not even pretending to squeeze the handle
– The beep that signals that he needs to pay and select a fuel grade if he wants gas[.]Truly a man with his finger on the pulse of America,” one person pointed out.
- “Lmao you can hear the gas pump beeping at him because he didn’t pay for, or pump, any gas,” one person mocked.
- “This is not very authentic,” another person pointed out.
- “You do know you have to actually squeeze the handle… right Mike?” one person advised.
- “This is hilarious. He doesn’t pay or select the fuel type. He doesn’t squeeze the pump handle. Can’t he hear the beeping? But see, he is just like us,” another person mocked.
- “Say you never pump your own fuel without saying you never pump your own fuel,” another person mocked.
Hilarious problems aside, there was a significant missed opportunity with the ad.
Instead of using his words, Pence could have let the price of gas do the talking for him. He should have driven the truck to the pump on “empty,” filled up the tank completely, and then ended the ad showing the total price to fill up.
That would have left a bigger impact on voters. Instead, people will remember the ad for reasons that hurt — not help — Pence’s struggling campaign.
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