(Editor’s note: Are all or some facts in political ads phony or true? It’s “fifty-fifty” as noted by the author.)

In the last 30 days, all the portraits in political ads about personal success, phony or not, could be called a kind of blitz to “terrorize” people’s minds. The common stories about humble birth, struggle, and crowning success – mostly in politics and in Congress – are all of a kind.

Self - serving?

It does not follow that readers, viewers, and listeners take them as gospel truth. But according to spokesmen of various parties the stories tend to lift those with self-serving tales as indicated in opinion surveys by two national pollsters.

Without remorse

There was a thunderclap of angry protest nationwide from political and law enforcement quarters. Rogers did not say "sorry" but showed ridiculous remorse by adding: "not all cap...and politicians..."

With one word, Rogers made all America roar in laughter, including its new leader President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Reliable endorsements

But in RP, there’s no maverick to challenge most political ads with good-natured but sharp criticism of current affairs, especially the reliability of political endorsements.

Product endorsers like tennis star Roger Federer, basketball magician Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Brad Pitt, Leonardo de Caprio, etc., have undisputed views on the quality of items they’re recommending to buyers. They’re not in politics but admirers of tried and tested items of commerce.

Speaking for itself

Watches like Rolex and sports shoes like Nike are called res ipsa loquitur (the thing speaks for itself). This is not the same as saying that “in the old days food was barely enough for us, kids and elders” or as claimed by one candidate, “nagpapakain ako ng baboy noon.” Telling us all some forty or fifty years after the fact may not be as reliable as seeing Rolex on a display window.

Hecklers and drunks

In the old days, candidates on the hustings or platforms were within view of the audience standing some two to four meters from the stage. There were hecklers and drunks who were prone to ask insulting questions.

Only one or two police officers were seen keeping the peace in a crowd 300 to 1,000. There were no political ads and pollsters then.

Grenade from a flower box

Barber Julio Guillen of Tondo was watching the speakers from the edge of a platform at Plaza Miranda in 1947 when he dug a grenade from a flower box which he buried earlier. He lobbed or rolled the grenade at President Roxas and party.

Maj. Gen. Mariano Castañeda kicked the grenade that exploded below the platform and killed two in the audience. Guillen was executed by electric chair and Castañeda earned the nation’s highest Medal of Valor.

Young man’s platform In September, 1935, Quezon was running for election as the first Commonwealth president. There was a small common platform north of the Manila City Hall facing Taft Ave. One young lawyer was with a group opposed to Quezon, and from the platform he denounced the Senate President as a “dictator and played politics for more than 30 years” (since 1905 as Tayabas Governor).

Facing the accuser One account placed Quezon as a guest at nearby Metropolitan Theatre.

He asked the aide if there was a rally at the back of the Theatre.

The aide shook his head a number of times, but Quezon left his friends to watch the rally against him.

Speakers then (as well as school teachers) were flashy dressers with jacket and tie even in summer. Quezon quietly slipped through the crowd mesmerized by the speaker. But his presence within the small audience was instantly noticeable as the speaker on stage was fast losing his voice and eloquence as Quezon drew nearer to the stage.

Doppler effect

He listened but his presence produced a Doppler effect – the change of frequency of sound waves or light waves, varying with the relative velocity of the source and the observer.

Years ago, my law school classmate swore his father stood a step behind Quezon who silently faced the young lawyer on the platform.

On September18, 1935, the Quezon and Osmeña – Roxas factions of the NP won an overwhelming mandate against Aguinaldo, Gregorio Aglipay and Pascual Racuyal (the first of the independents without a visible following).

(Comments are welcome at roming@pefianco.com)