The Fabricator
A source in mayoral hopeful Karl Dean’s campaign says that internal polls and focus groups have shown that the candidate’s recent television ads are scoring big with viewers.
“We are hearing in these groups that Karl’s message is really hitting home,” says the Dean insider. “The results are so positive that it kind of surprised us.”
However, a further look at the comments from focus group participants indicates that enthusiasm for Dean’s commercials seems to be based on confusion of candidate Dean with country-singer-turned-sausage-magnate Jimmy Dean. For example, when participants were asked about Dean’s proposals for schools, a transcript includes this exchange:
First participant: “I agree with Dean. I’m all for kids getting a hot breakfast, including a serving of delicious sausage, before school.”
Second participant: “I agree, and pigs-in-a-blanket are good for growing boys and girls too. You just pop them in the microwave and they’re ready to eat.”
Third participant: “I can smell those sausage and biscuits now. Man, just thinking about Dean is making me hungry.”
“It’s like [viewers] find the campaign practically mouthwatering,” says the source in the campaign. “The people of Nashville are clearly hungry for Karl Dean.”But one focus group participant, reached at home, wasn’t ready to commit to a candidate yet. “I really like what Dean stands for,” he said, “but I like Howard Gentry too. I’ve followed his career ever since he had that song about throwing something off the Tallahatchie Bridge.”