We'd pay more attention to Herman Cain's points about the economy in his latest ad if we weren't completely baffled by the creepy, goldfish-abusing child and suffocating goldfish starring in it. The Cain Team (remember them?) uploaded the clip above about the economy and the  stimulus effect on Tuesday, and like Cain's other ads (only this time it's not that weird smoking man at the end) people seemed to be more concerned about the ad itself (in this case, the goldfish being tortured and gasping for air) than they were about Cain's very blunt points about the economy.

Talking Points Memo got the scoop on the goldfish in question from Cain spokesperson Brad Marston. "It is actually swimming happily in the pond at the home of the videographer Chris Burgard," said Marston, adding by e-mail that "if it was harmed it didn’t complain. :-)". Possibly sinister emoticon aside, it should be noted that in September 2009, Scientific American found that fish do experience pain consciously. And yes, while Marston is completely correct that the goldfish in question can't complain, it also can't tell you its "swimming happily" either. 

Now what was that about the economy?

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Alexander Abad-Santos