A new Harris-Walz campaign ad featuring actress Julia Roberts narrating sparked mockery on social media.
Released Monday by the progressive evangelical group “Vote Common Good,” the 30-second ad was torched by viewers for telling women that they are able to vote differently than their husbands.
“In the one place in America where women still have the right to choose, you can vote any way you want.” Roberts is heard saying as the video shows a woman heading to the voting station after her husband says, “Your turn, honey.”
In the voting booth, women still have the right to choose.
Thank you to Julia Roberts for helping us make the choice clear – November 5th, let’s all choose a new path forward.#progressive #progressivechristianity #voteblue #harris2024 #prowomen #evangelicalsforharris pic.twitter.com/fchO3yj1na
— Vote Common Good (@VoteCommon) October 28, 2024
“And no one will ever know, Roberts’ narration continues as two women cast their votes for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz.
“Did you make the right choice?” the husband asks as his wife returns, to which she responds: “Sure did, honey.”
“Remember, what happens in the booth, stays in the booth,” Roberts says as the video concludes. “Vote Harris-Walz.”
But the ad missed the mark, with many criticizing the out-of-touch message.
“Don’t be that woman,” author and columnist Caryn Sullivan wrote on X.
“This ad featuring actress Julia Roberts encourages women to defy or lie to their husbands because the end (abortion) justifies the means. A fitting way to end a campaign marked by dishonesty and false claims of unity,” Sullivan wrote in another post.
“Julia Roberts does the voice-over for this execrable political ad,” Boyce College Professor Denny Burk wrote. “The gist of it is this: Since men like your husband have taken away your right to choose abortion, you can stick it to them by exercising your right to choose Harris-Walz.”
The ad cost around $30,000 to make, according to pastor Doug Pagitt, the executive director of Vote Common Good, who told the Wall Street Journal the ad will be running in swing states to target women voters. Lest the men feel left out, Vote Common Good turned to Roberts’ fellow Hollywood star George Clooney to narrate another ad.
This campaign ad focuses on men voting for Harris-Walz but not letting their Trump-supporting friends know.
Based on the reaction so far, the campaign ad featuring Roberts may not be having the hoped-for effect.
If you have to lie to your spouse about voting that is the least of your problems…
— Jane (@OrthoA) October 28, 2024
Imagine belittling women this way
— Dan Stringer, SEC Pimp (@Danstringer74) October 28, 2024
This is a great add for shitty relationships. Way to go 🙄
— KT🇺🇸🎗️ (@KT_Bug12121212) October 28, 2024
This is a terrible message. You hashtag Christianity and evangelicals and tell women to be dishonest with their significant other. Is this the only way you can get votes?
— Cheryl D (@cheryldenise787) October 29, 2024
This is so insulting to women. Nobody tells me.. Not a “celebrity” not a career politician, not a talk show or radio “shock jock” and especially not my husband. GFY. Trump 2024!
— Laurie Gehlert (@gehlert_laurie) October 31, 2024
My husband gave me permission to say that I was offended by how this ad implies women can’t voice different opinions than their husbands.
— (((My Jewniverse))) 🇮🇱∞🎗️🟦🚁🐬📟 (@MyJewniverse) October 31, 2024
This ad is both disrespectful and demeaning to women, men, marriage, autonomy- what is the thought process? It is so tone deaf! I’m not sure if I should be worried for the saftey of people in your org or offended that you think the other side is so misogynistic? Stereotype much?
— RedkatMars (@RedkatMars) October 29, 2024
