Election Central Morning Roundup
Obama Running Negative Ad In Indiana
Barack Obama is running a targeted negative ad against John McCain in Indiana, reusing footage of McCain saying during the primaries that the economy was just fine. "How can John McCain fix the economy when he doesn't think it's broken?" the ad asks viewers:
McCain In Colorado Today
John McCain is campaigning today in Colorado, a state that has only voted Democratic once in the last 40 years but where most recent polls have put Barack Obama narrowly ahead. McCain has an event in Aspen, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET.
Labor Groups Filing FEC Complaint Against Wal-Mart
The AFL-CIO, the Change To Win Federation and other labor groups will be filing an FEC complaint against Wal-Mart, one of their biggest corporate nemeses, over reports that the company has been engaging in illegal electioneering. This comes after The Wall St. Journal quoted an anonymous Wal-Mart employee describing a mandatory meeting in which employees were warned of the dire consequences that would follow if the Democrats won the election.
Dems Battling Ticket Scalpers For Obama's Speech
Democrats are working hard to stop an unintended consequence of Barack Obama's big acceptance speech in Denver: Ticket scalpers. Online auctions and Craigslist entries advertising tickets for sale, or from people seeking tickets, have been shut down at the Dems' request -- and furthermore, tickets haven't actually been printed and distributed yet, meaning any offers from people claiming to have one are fraudulent.
Dem Chances Go Up In Nevada House Races
CQ has changed their ratings for the two Republican-held House seats in Nevada, upgrading both of them for the Dems. The Second District held by freshman GOPer Dean Heller has been changed from "Republican Favored" to "Leans Republican," and the Third District held by third-term GOPer Jon Porter has been changed from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite."
Poll: Dem Ahead In Deep-Red House District
A new poll form Capital Survey Research Center (D), the polling arm of the Alabama Education Association, shows the Democratic nominee substantially ahead in the race for the open GOP-held Second Congressional District. Democratic candidate Bobby Bright, the mayor of Montgomery, leads GOP state Rep. Jay Love by a margin of 47%-37% -- even though this district voted 66%-33% for George W. Bush in 2004.
I really like this strategy of doing state-specific "negative ads" and running positive spots nationally.
August 14, 2008 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've noticed that as well. They are micro-targeting their message in each state, while pushing their overall plan nationally. Smart messaging. Has McCain responded to any of the ads?
August 14, 2008 9:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
I love the use of McCain's own words against him. And we have plenty to work with...
How can McCain fight al Qaeda when he can't tell a Shia from a Sunni?
How can McCain be trusted to end the war in Iraq when he can't even find it on a map? Or know which countries it borders?
And I'd love a to just a 30-second montage of McCain's flip flops.
He makes it so easy...
PEACE
August 14, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
And great that it includes people who live in both Ohio and Indiana - it makes it applicable for both states, and also reminds people that this economic recession is being felt hard by people across the different regions of the country, that there is a strong narrative of Americans dissatisfied with the economic direction of their own lives, and of the country writ large.
August 14, 2008 12:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
yeah state specific ads always work well
What Goes on, on the McCain Blog
August 14, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
For those of us who have been waiting for Obama to go on the attack, ads like that which define McCain are like manna from heaven.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
August 14, 2008 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
It is a very *effective* ad, in that it uses the average American voter to voice their concerns, which McCain has opposed in some of his so-called straight talk.
August 14, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Indeed. What I like about these types of ads are that yes, they are negative -- however, they are still issues-based.
Obama isn't calling McCain 'old' or a 'trophy-husband' or other character-based negative attacks. Obama is calling out McCain for major policy gaffes -- in this case the economy.
He's not calling him childish names and running video of sans-panty-pseudo-celebrities.
http://thepajamapundit.com/
August 14, 2008 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
To call the Indiana ad negative is a little bit misleading. It offers a genuine contrast between McCain public statements and the opinion of ordinary americans.
The definition of negative depends on personal perspective and there's no real standards to qualify an ad as such. Given the case, the Celebrity ads are negative because is character assasination and present false informations.
Just a opinion.
August 14, 2008 9:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I totally agree.
If an ad focuses on an issue, then I don't think it's negative. When I think of "negative ads" I think of shallow, personal attacks.
August 14, 2008 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Excuse my bad writing.
August 14, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...a genuine contrast between McCain public statements and the opinion of ordinary americans..."
You mean ordinary Americans that are die hard Obama supporters...right?
August 14, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, only die-hard Obama supporters believe the economy has problems right now.
August 14, 2008 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think geha is referring to the roughly 46% of likely American voters who prefer Obama to McCain.
Those die hard Obama supporters.
August 14, 2008 9:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's accurate to call them all negative ads, but I would put the other kind in a subcategory of "attack ads." This lack of distinction is, unfortunately, endemic to campaign coverage. I believe there's research showing that when people say they don't like "negative campaigning," they actually mean attacks on character and not distinctions on issues, but this is never mentioned in endless news stories about "people say they hate negative campaigning -- but it works!"
(Guess I'm going to have to actually find that research so I can start posting links...)
August 14, 2008 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great ad. It really reinforces the idea that McCain is disconnected from the middle class.
August 14, 2008 9:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am totally loving that ad. Anyone have any ideas why it's only running in IN?
August 14, 2008 9:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is the right way to make a so-called attack ad (I'd argue that its not an attack if you merely show your opponent speaking for himself).
Obama doesn't need to make-up stuff, as McCain is doing to Obama. McCain has enough genuine, self-created negatives where that all is needed is to show video of him speaking for himself.
August 14, 2008 9:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Joe Klein hits McCain hard:
"...But there is no excuse for what the McCain campaign is doing on the "putting America first" front. There is no way to balance it, or explain it other than as evidence of a severe character defect on the part of the candidate who allows it to be used. There is a straight up argument to be had in this election: Mcain has a vastly different view from Obama about foreign policy, taxation, health care, government action...you name it. He has lots of experience; it is always shocking to remember that this time four years ago, Barack Obama was still in the Illinois State Legislature. Apparently, though, McCain isn't confident that conservative policies and personal experience can win, given the ruinous state of the nation after eight years of Bush. So he has made a fateful decision: he has personally impugned Obama's patriotism and allows his surrogates to continue to do that. By doing so, he has allied himself with those who smeared him, his wife, his daughter Bridget, in 2000. Those tactics won George Bush a primary--and a nomination. But they proved a form of slow-acting spiritual poison, rotting the core of the Bush presidency. We'll see if the public decides to acquiesce in sleaze in 2008, and what sort of presidency--what sort of country--that will produce."
Whole article here:
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/08/scholarship.html
Kudos to the Media Matters guy that confronted Jerome Corsi on Larry King last night.
New Obama olympic ad today... Stay tuned.
August 14, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
A new Olympic ad? Shit. He really set the bar high (pun intended) with "Hands."
August 14, 2008 9:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yikes! Klein is pissed. No more BBQ for him..
August 14, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I think that Matalin's comments and Klein's mother say it all.
People believe what they read in books.
Unless there is a massive media rebuttal that runs in a loop like Rev Wright did, folks are going to beleive that Obama is a Muslim. It's not just some email on the internet any longer.
America is going down the tubes and we get the type of leadership we deserve.
Without a massive outcry about this repeatedly this country is doomed to have frat boys for President.
We will have produced two with these tawdry lieing tactics.
I am not proud of this country for what they are doing today, in the name of 'it's just politics'
This is our lives they are destroying along with our nation, democracy and economy.
History will recall the fall of America beginning under the reign of GWBush, spiraling down with McCain two complete assholes with legacy families enabling them to ascend to the most powerful position in the world so as to destroy us all.
I just hope when we get nuked that we are incinerated fast because Lord knows with McCain's saber rattling at Russia we are headed for WWIII.
August 14, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...frat boys ..." Northern Code word for racists?
August 14, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nope, pretty sure its universal code word for 'idiotic mouth breather who isn't fit to lead a horse to water'
calm down dude
August 14, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Acually it's code for an elitist club of rich people who look down on average folk and spend most of their time socializing amongst themselves, along with drinking too much.
August 14, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
You really have to be ignorant of the racial history of this country to be unable to see the racial undercurrent of the celebrity ad. Black men/white women "issues" prompted lynchings and sparked the destruction of Tulsa OK in 1921.
To assume the producers of the celeb ad were unaware of the racial hatred that these images would invoke in some who saw it is just not credible.
August 14, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Code word for people who live by the credo that "its not what you know, its who you know".
August 14, 2008 9:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
When did Joe Klein starting drinking Whoop-ass?
He's been on fire in recent weeks, and that diagnosis of the 'slow-acting spiritual poison' that the GOP campaigners used over the past 20 years is well phrased.
Love the Obama ad -- mostly because it's decent, focused, and concise.
August 14, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
The new Olympic ad which starts tomorrow will discuss what Obama will do for the middle class. I am sure that it will be positive.
I really liked "Hands" which focused on what Obama will do for energy. Let's see the new one for the "middle class" which will focus on what Obama will do for the economy.
August 14, 2008 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Couple of thoughts about the Indiana ad:
1. This is a FANTASTIC ad if it is rotated with an ad that talks about what Obama will specifically do for the economy. Thus rotating between that McCain knows NOTHING about what to do with the economy and here are Obama's plans.
2. This ad is being tested in Indiana to see what kind of a response it gets. If it is effective, expect to see it nationally.
3. IMO, this increases the chance that Obama's VP choice will be Bayh.
August 14, 2008 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think I'd rather see it played in other swing-state markets, especially high-unemployment ones. Keeping the national buys positive seems to make better sense.
August 14, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent ad.
I think this is a tiny preview of what Obama's team will be rolling out after Labor Day.
No fratboy humor. No gimmicky voiceover. Just McCain sounding out of touch, and regular voters setting him straight.
These guys clearly know what they're doing. Even the production values are orders of magnitude better than McCain's cheesy ads.
More of this, please.
August 14, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
'Negative Ads' attack a candidate for made-up bullshit/fake crap or stuff that has zero to do with anything.
Obama's ad attacks the insane Senator from Arizona for his actual expressed opinions, thoughts, words . . . and intended action/inaction.
August 14, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
So by your standards " insane Senator " would be a negative attack?
August 14, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Aw, c'mon. Let's not be scared off by the connotations of the term negative ad.
Positive ads are about the sponsoring candidate. Negative ads are about the opponent. It really is that simple.
There are other words and phrases for differentiating among slimy ads, lying ads, pandering ads, etc. I'd rather keep the terms positive and negative closer to their simple, ordinary, everyday meaning.
This ad is good (effective), truthful, and issue-oriented. But it's still a negative ad.
August 14, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is *exactly* the kind of ads the Obama campaign should be playing.
Don't get down into the stupid "You're a turd", "No, you're a turd" arguments that the Republicans like.
Instead, use McCain's words against him. Show how he has not just "flip flopped", but pandered, lied, and just doesn't understand. Show how his first response wasn't "Let's get the international community together so we speak as once voice and - more importantly - one military block if necessary". His response was "21st century nations don't invade other sovereign nations" - and contrast that with his rah-rah of invading Iraq.
I can't see the ad here (work filters), but the text looks great. More of these - hit him hard, hit him often, and put him away.
August 14, 2008 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP has been lying for decades. There's no point in being nice-nice and ignoring those lies. It's certainly costing our country plenty--on the micro and the macro level. Heck, it's even costing the damned world.
I don't consider it negative to point out these lies; I consider it justice.
August 14, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good ad. But check out this viral ad linking McCain's love to Bush with America's hatred for Bush. The idea is devastating. Polish it up a bit and it could be a real winner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBfngOsvmA0
August 14, 2008 10:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
You beat me to it!
I went back to get link to the video, and when I got back here there's your link. Arrgh!
August 14, 2008 10:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
that's a great ad.
August 14, 2008 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Now THAT is a fabulous ad!!! Thanks much for the link!
August 14, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
JZ,
That's the kind of ad that MoveOn.org should be running and not the dumb ones they have been running lately.
That is one tough ad!
August 14, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is a great ad. I'd like to see versions of it in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania as well.
August 14, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wikipedia defines "negative campaigning" as:
I don't care for the connotation of "negative" in the term "negative ad", especially in reference to this ad, but it is, by definition, a negative ad in that is focuses on the negative aspects of the opponent rather than the positive aspects of the candidate.
I guess I don't like Obama's ads being classified with the same term as McCain's ads. Maybe Obama's ads could be called "negative" and McCain's ads called "atrocious"?
August 14, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's great. They're finally getting a handle on it. Short and crisp and easy to remember.
August 14, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's in Aspen? Elitist.
August 14, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
The most effective ad is the simplest:
JOHN MCCAIN? MORE OF THE SAME. JOHN MCCAIN? MORE OF THE SAME. Should be broadcast 20,000 times between now and Nov. 2.
August 14, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
We've posted audio from the Indiana-targeted ad.
August 14, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think its brilliant. It illustrates how out of touch John McCain is with the concerns of ordinary Americans.
August 14, 2008 9:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dave Adams is misinformed and stupid. See you in the tahadi ring!
August 14, 2008 9:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
There must be two Dave Adams blogging this subject. The second Dave Adams must resent the one who made the 46% crack.
August 14, 2008 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nope, same Dave Adams Captain Dan.
You see some inconsistency in the two posts?
And just what is a tahadi ring anyway, and why do you wnay to to see me there?
August 15, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink