The Lie

by ERICK-WOODS ERICKSON

President Joe Biden went to Atlanta this weekend for a two day tour and campaign to lure black voters back to his side. It is an indication of just how badly Biden has gone astray. With apologies to Vicente Fox, whose campaign for President of Mexico inspired this, I have a suggestion for Donald Trump or a related Super PAC.

The Lie

30 second television advertisement

Middle American Town

The commercial opens with a wide shot of a white house with aluminum siding covering the crawl space. There are wooden steps up to a front porch. The paint is peeling from the house. The ceiling and floor of the porch are painted light blue, as are the shutters by the windows. The door is off white. A used car is parked to the right of the house. It is cramped with other houses on both sides. The yard is tidy, but not tightly kept. The camera slowly begins to zoom in.

Cut to a black fist knocking on the door.

Cut to a close shot of the door knocker — a tall, skinny young black man with tall hair. The tips of his hair are frosted. He wears horn rimmed glasses, an unbuttoned flannel shirt, a t-shirt that says “Free Palestine,” skinny khaki pants, and brown dress shoes.

Cut to a wider shot. To the viewer’s left of the door knocker is a very skinny, shorter white girl with purple hair. Her roots have grown out. She has a nose ring and very red lipstick. She is wearing a sleeveless shirt that says “Womyn Power” with a raised red ANTIFA style fist on it. She has torn jeans that are tightly cuffed and black boots.

Cut to the door, which opens slightly and a middle aged black man’s face pokes out. He has glasses, gray stubble, and seems to be wearing a white t-shirt.

Cut to the two on the front porch.

ANDRE: Mr. Johnson? [voice off camera says yes] My name is Andre. I use he/him pronouns. This is my white ally Xander who uses she/they pronouns. We are here on behalf of the Biden campaign. Mr. Johnson, we know you have been a loyal Democrat and Joe Biden has been loyal to people of color. Our community wants to make sure President Biden can count on you.

Cuts to Mr. Johnson.

MR. JOHNSON: excitedly says Yes he can. I’ve already requested by absentee ballot.

Cuts to a wide shot of Andre and Xander.

XANDER jumps up and down smiling and making a little excited chirp.

ANDRE: excitedly says Thank you Mr. Johnson. I’ll check you off and President Biden and Vice President Harris thank you. Andre taps on the iPad he is carrying.

Mr. Johnson closes the door quickly. Cuts to inside the house. From inside the house, Mr. Johnson is wearing jeans and white t-shirt. He turns facing the back of the house with his back to the front door as if he is blocking entry.

Cuts to Mr. Johnson’s wife. She is sitting on a worn velvet couch wearing a casual dress. Above her is a giant portrait of Donald Trump’s mug shot. To the left is a Trump flag. To the right is a framed picture of Donald Trump and a Trump 2024 yard sign affixed to the wall.

MRS. JOHSON: Clarence! Why did you lie to that boy?

MR. JOHNSON: with a firm look on his face Honey, Joe Biden has lied to us for fifty years. My brother and my uncle both went to prison because of Biden’s three strikes law and they got out thanks to Donald Trump’s First Steps Act. Joe Biden has been lying to blacks for fifty years. We can lie to him just once.

Cuts to Mrs. Johnson and slowly zooms in.

MRS. JOHNSON: And under Donald Trump we had good jobs. Under Joe Biden we can barely put food on the table and gas in the car. This November isn’t going the way they think because they think they can take us for granted.

Cuts to a black screen. Text says “Vote For an Affordable America” then “Vote For a Safe America” then “Vote Trump”.

Voice over: PAID FOR BY XXXXX PAC.