When I saw that ad, I thought it was clever but honestly couldn't think of any recent Big Three cars that would spark the imagination in a way that justified the evocation of and juxtaposition with an idealized, mythical America. So the overall effect, at least for me, was to evoke puzzlement.

My theory is that maybe the import car show has "classic" cars too. Or maybe the import car show target demographic really loves SUVs or something.

I've never been into cars and frankly can barely tell one make or model from another. But the Ford Taurus I drove as rental the last three weeks was fairly sweet. (OK, I'm easy: give me a CD player and a sunroof and I'm sold.) Was fairly easy on the wallet fuel-wise as well, even with the current "high" prices.

When I was checking in at the Hertz counter in Cincinnati, they offered me the option of upgrading to some SUV thang at no extra (rental) cost. Having no urban assault activities on the agenda, I naturally chose the "car".

Actually, looking at the web page, and thinking it over a bit, couldn't this ad be a paean to the lost dreams of youth? Not so much a political statement, as "now I have a family and my dreams are dead, but these cars will remind me that I was once alive with hope" kind of thing.

Interesting, btw, that on the web page, they have Infiniti as an "American" car.

Well, keeping in mind that I'm still FOP from the Homeland, it seemed a bit silly to me as a political statement. In the sense of casting the first stone and, perhaps more to the point, à la James Lileks, "What of consequence have you done of late?"

(Which is not to say that I support or am in any way proud of the actions of my country under recent administrations.)