I wasn't impressed with this ad. Is his war record all he has to run on?

Ubama supporter here. With all the drama in the dem party, that was kinda...refreshing....

Still....I'm voting blue this year.

It sounded like a bad movie trailer to me. I kept waiting for them to tell me that John McCain is coming to a theater near me.

How's he paying for this, out of curiosity? Does this mean he won't be "pursuing" public financing, or does that only kick in after the conventions?

John McCain- the Moron president Morons have been waiting for. (After all, Moron-Americans are a large voting bloc.)

Hmmm, he has "walked the walk".

No doubt, McCain is an American Hero.

But he's old. And a war monger. I just don't think the majority of Americans want to stay in Iraq, and possibly invade Iran.

Also, very few references to the Economy, Issue #1.

But, a good solid ad for the base.

Although, to me, the music sounded almost scary. I guess "deep voice" narrator typically signals an attack ad, so that was my first reaction. Anyone else feel this way, or just me?

The ad foreshadows two attacks against Obama, patriotism/nativism and the idea that he hasn't paid his dues (different from inexperience--the idea is that Obama hasn't earned the Presidency/suffered enough to earn it).

Right. It also seems to be intended to be a contrast to Obama's line, "We are the change we have been waiting for"--the contrast between an individual leader who "stands for" things and Obama's trope of the "working majority" . . . which could "stand for" anything.

But also, as Eric rhetorically asks above, that adjective "American" is troubling, too.

Looks like the vid has been pulled from Youtube. Is it available anywhere else?

What I find interesting about this ad is the overzealous attempt to disguise Johnny’s deformed left jaw - first with the mic, then by using a right profile shot, then with enhanced, ultrawhite spotlighting, and finally by just cutting off the left side of his face in the last image. Can’t be the Ideal American President if have a physical imperfection, of course.

He's not contrasting against Obama. He's contrasting against Bush!

John McCain: one of the most arrogant warmongers on the face of the Earth.

With everything he experienced as a Vietnam war veteran, you'd think he'd know something about stupid, failed wars, but no. He's like the chronic gambler who keeps losing at the roulette wheel but can't walk away from the table. Loser!

When you lose, you lose. Learn something from it!

McCain has learned nothing. He is a coward.

He's going to have to perform the triple-axel version of the good-war-incompetently-fought dodge, well enough to get 5.0's from all the judges, in order to have any hope of distancing himself from the "success" the surge is currently enjoying as our stooge Maliki goes down in flames. Good luck with that, gramps.

"American owned & operated"

My first reaction was that this was a slam against Bush.

The President Americans have been "waiting" for? Since when?

2000?

My second reaction was that all McCain does is rattle off a string of cliches and wait for his narrator to make the case for him. Not exactly convincing.

Count me among those wondering how he's paying for this. And how he expects to win if this is the best he can do. McCain has stretches where he is extremely likeable and convincing, and others where he shows his indifference and his age. This is one of the latter times.

I was wondering how McCain would run a national campaign when he supports an unpopular war and he has no real plan for fixing an economy that is likely to be in recession in November. This is the answer: He never mentions Iraq but he is appealing to the American values of faith, courage and perseverance. American's also value liberty, honor and optimism for the future. He then wraps himself up in the flag as a person who shares the values of the American people. The message is simple: buy the packaging and, by the way, the person that is wrapped in it/the flag.

The risk for the Dem's is that they have to educate an electorate on how their policies will make things better and McCain doesn't have to educate the voters on anything. Most share the values to which he has been connected by the ad. I'm afraid that this will be a very effective way for him to run. He certainly can't run a campaign as Bush 2 (which is what his policies are all about).

Eric is exactly right: "The American candidate Americans have been waiting for" is a
clear suggestion that Obama is not entirely American, with all its concomitant implications: unpatriotic, Muslim, Kenyan father, you name it. It's a low blow. I have always liked John McCain and would probably have voted for him in 2000--but this is what Obama can, unfortunately, expect from the Republican dirt machine as it presently exists.

I've read that McCain has hired the very person who orchestrated the attack against him in the 2000 South Carolina race. If so, it's just another example of what candidates will do when bitten with the Presidential bug. It's not good for the character or the soul.

Though I voted for Hillary in the Texas primary, I believe Obama would make a good president. And I dread the election season if this ad (and worse) is what it will bring.