1. Obama look-alike campaigns for car buyers in TV
commercials
09:19 AM CDT on Friday, June 13, 2008
By DANIEL MONTEVERDE / The Dallas Morning News
dmonteverde@dallasnews.com
You can afford a brand-new Kia. Barack Obama says so.
Sort of.
Courtesy/Getty Images
Actor Ron Butler (left) and presidential candidate Barack Obama
For about a month, several ads for a Dallas-area dealership chain, Central Kia, have been
hitting the airwaves with a look-alike of the likely Democratic presidential nominee telling
quot;ordinary folks like youquot; that the car is within their reach. On Wednesday night – the last
day the commercials were to air – one version led off Comedy Central's The Daily Show
With Jon Stewart, exposing the clip to the rest of the country.
With pursed lips and wide eyes, Mr. Stewart sat silent for a moment after the 30-second
spot.
quot;Unbelievable. First of all, $11,888? For a mid-sized SUV with five-star safety rating,
[and] the best warranty in the business? He's practically giving those Kia Sorentos away!quot;
Mr. Stewart quipped.
Noting that Mr. Obama hasn't won a thing yet but is already being used to hawk products,
he added: quot;That is an honor that we have only bestowed on Presidents Washington and
Lincoln.quot;
Mr. Stewart's point wasn't lost on Rich Hanley, a communications professor who studies
politics and pop culture at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.
quot;It was funny in the sense that Obama's not even officially nominated, much less elected.
But he's become a pop culture icon,quot; Mr. Hanley said.

2. quot;The power of Barack Obama's image is enough for people to stop what they're doing,quot; and
the dealership is hoping to cash in on that draw, he said.
For those involved with the ads' production, it was a quot;fun and interesting idea,quot; more
tongue-in-cheek than political.
The script was modeled after Mr. Obama's refrain of quot;Yes, we canquot; from speeches
promising change during the primary season.
Joe Pollaro, who co-owns Denison-based RadioVision, which produced the ads, said the
concept was the brainchild of dealership owner Paul Fotopoulos. No one from Central Kia,
which has locations in Lewisville, Irving and Plano, could be reached for comment
Thursday.
The idea seems to be taking off.
quot;Now we're working on putting together that spot for a lot of other dealers around the
country,quot; Joe Pollaro said.
The almost-Obama is Los Angeles-based actor Ron Butler. About a year and a half ago, he
was told at a casting call that he resembled the Illinois senator.
Since then he has spoofed Mr. Obama on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Fox News
Channel's The 1/2 Hour News Hour.
quot;I feel like I'm just at the beginningquot; of developing the character, Mr. Butler said.
He said he records any TV broadcasts featuring Mr. Obama and listens to the candidate's
speeches while he drives. He carefully studies mannerisms and vocal intonations.
The voice in the commercial was slightly modified, Joe Pollaro said. But Mr. Butler can
still pull off a close impersonation with little effort. Rhythm and intonation are what quot;sellquot;
the character, he said.
While he's mimicked Mr. Obama before, Mr. Butler said the recent exposure has piqued
more interest in him.
quot;The phone's been ringing more in the past few days,quot; he said.
An Obama campaign spokesman couldn't be reached for comment. But this election isn't
the first time a presidential candidate's image has been mentioned in connection with car
sales, Mr. Hanley noted.
Nearly 50 years ago, an image of a scruffy Richard Nixon had the line quot;Would you buy a
used car from this man?quot; attached to it.

3. quot;It's completely spun aroundquot; this time, Mr. Hanley said.