Yes, There’s a Cat Video Promoting the DNC Convention in Charlotte

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More cats, more views. At least that’s how common Internet wisdom goes. And it appears politicos are wising up. Only days removed from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., the host committee, Charlotte in 2012, dabbled in a little meme-making of their own. They’ve whipped up a handy travel guide to the city, starring Fernando, your friendly feline sightseeing leader.

Though he’s a seemingly unwilling tour guide, Fernando spotlights all the cat-centric landmarks in the Queen City. Surprisingly, there are more than a few. (OK, there are five.) So there’s Fernando in front of the stadiums for the city’s NBA franchise, the Bobcats, its NFL franchise, the Panthers, and spotted on the the Charlotte Area Transit System — which is abbreviated, of course, C.A.T.S.

It’s hard to argue with the committee’s “why not?” rationale for the clip: “We thought it was time to release a cat video,” reads the official blog post promoting the video. That time, of course, being a week before Democrats descend on the North Carolina city. Buzzfeed’s Andrew Kaczynski deemed the thirty-second spot “Comically Awful,” which could be the point. The clip plays like a winking joke, complete with a tagline “We make it Pawssible.” Fernando, for his part, appears to be basking in his newfound online popularity, the committee’s press secretary Suzi Emmerling tweeted.

Just as the coincidence of location isn’t lost, nor is that of timing. The video hits YouTube as the Republicans gather farther south in Tampa, Fla. for their confab this week. While we’re unsure of the cat-friendliness of The Big Guava, perhaps it’s time for conservatives to issue their own video in response. Isn’t that how it usually works with political advertisements?

(MORE: Our Nominations for the Internet Cat Video Film Festival)