21 January, 2016
This is What's Trending Today...
In less than two weeks, the state of Iowa will vote on its choices for the 2016 Democratic and Republican presidential nominees. The Iowa Caucus begins a months-long process of selecting presidential candidates.
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is one of the Democratic presidential candidates. On Thursday, he released a new ad targeting Iowa voters. The 60-second ad is set to a famous song from the 1960s: the folk rock band Simon and Garfunkel's "America."
The video shows images of Iowa farms, coffee shops, families at kitchen tables, and thousands of Sanders' supporters. The ad is designed to show Sanders' growing crowd of supporters made up of "everyday Americans."
"Simon and Garfunkel" trended worldwide on Twitter and on Facebook. "Simon Garfunkel and Bernie Sanders" was also a Top-10 Google search on Thursday.
On social media, people praised Sanders for his choice of avoiding attacking other candidates and instead "focusing on voters," as one New York Times headline said.
As Simon and Garfunkel's famous line, "They've all come to look for America," plays, so, too, does video footage of Sanders' supporters.
Twitter user @Hilary_Crisan tweeted: "This is what political ads should look like. No intimidating. No trash-talking. Just Simon and Garfunkel."
And @dsfriends tweeted: "Not in any way an endorsement - but this is a well done political ad #emotionwins."
Twitter user @STrimel said: Best political ad of the season! Brings a tear to my eye. Maybe yours, too."
Bernie Sanders himself tweeted: " This campaign is not about Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump. This campaign is about you."
And that's What's Trending Today.
I'm Ashley Thompson.
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Words in This Story
trash talk - n (informal). insulting speech intended to intimidate or humiliate someone, especially an opponent
endorsement - n. a public or official statement of support or approval