McCain Campaign Devoting One Third Of Its Total Ad Spending To Britney-Obama Spot
A couple days ago we promised to try to nail down precisely what the McCain campaign is spending on its Britney-Obama ad.
Well, it looks like McCain is sinking a significant proportion of his current ad spending into it.
Evan Tracey, who tracks national ad buys for the Campaign Media Analysis Group, tells us that McCain is spending over $140,000 a day to run the spot. That accounts for roughly a third of his current overall TV ad spending, Tracey says.
The ad is running in McCain's 11 target states -- a list of them is after the jump -- so it's not a huge buy when spread across all those states, though it's certainly not insignificant.
But the fact that a fairly large chunk of his ad spending is going to a spot comparing Obama with Britney Spears and Paris Hilton is kind of surprising and seems awfully suggestive. Either the McCain camp thinks it's working, or this is the best they can do on messaging right now.
McCain's 11 target states are Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Comments (155)
i cant believe they are going to spend that much advertising on an ad thats completely ineffective.
New Disgusting McCain Ad, “The One”
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/new-disgusting-mccain-ad-the-one/
August 1, 2008 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama is being turned into a caricature of an empty-headed empty suit; he's being painted as arrogant and elitist and all the Obama campaign and DNC are doing is whining about how "unfair" these ads are.
Why aren't they trying to define McCain? I guess Obama has bought into the meme that this race is all about him and, therefore, isn't bothering to show how confused and muddled McCain is and how horrible his policies are.
August 1, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Read this:
http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=08&year=2008&base_name=assignment_desk_37
Ezra Klein answers your question very well
August 1, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's a difference between the primaries and now. Before Iowa, Hillary never attacked Obama or tried to caricature him. She let him run his campaign and she ran hers. He was behind but he wasn't being turned into some "other" you can't trust. He was able to keep his head down then but not now because McCain is turning people off of Obama and he's just sitting there allowing it to happen.
August 1, 2008 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
FreeRider says, "She let him run his campaign and she ran hers. He was behind but he wasn't being turned into some "other" you can't trust."
FreeRider did you miss the part of the Hillary campaign where she stated that she and Sen McCain had bona fides to be Commander and Chief and Sen Obama had a "speech?" If that isn't trying to define Sen Obama as "another" I don't know what is.
August 2, 2008 8:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Another reason the Obama campaign is not 'going negative' is that the corporate press would make THAT the focus of the report, NOT what Obama would say about McCain. The press would tear Obama apart for 'going negative' and minimize the negative facts about McCain. The net result being to make Obama look bad, not McCain. It is sad that MSM has forsaken their responsibility to report the truth objectively, only to resort to promoting propaganda to influence the subconscious mind of the people.
Bring back the fairness doctrine and break up the corporate monopoly in media.
August 2, 2008 10:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's idiotic ad is defining McCain more than it is defining Barack.
The good news is that Obama has leveraged the Britney ad for fundraising.
You McCainiacs just keep this up, please.
August 1, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is for sure. I look at every ad McCain wastes on this sort of muck as a way of running his treasury dry. Obama can outlast him for ages. And Obama is getting a lot of free time answering these scurrilous charges. Look at how many interviews and exerpts Obama got just answering this ridiculous charge, And these ads from the McCain camp ruin McCain's straight talk express and make him into a 3rd term Bush. How is that so wise of McCain. Be sure to send the McCain Campaign a note to let him know how like Bush he is becoming with his noxious ads.
Mari
August 2, 2008 1:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Very perceptive. McCain is not talking about his ability to succeed as the President only negatives if Obama is elected. I think Obama is going to have to let McCain have it on his Keating 5 mess and some of his other shady deals. McCain does not have the stellar resume he might like us all to believe. I should know, he is my Senator. Besides all that, he has missed so many days in the Senate during his entire career, if we only paid him for the days he attends, he would have very little salary. Let's start a movement that Senators and Reps have to be in the Senate or in the House or working in their office to get a days pay. We would save a lot of pay that way and we would still be ok that way.
August 4, 2008 1:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
I could see them running this ad. Easily.
I'm sorry, but it is time for the Dems to get their hands dirty. The Republican framing technique is time tested, and according to the book "Political Mind" plays upon how we think. Many of us think that McCain is a liar, continues the Bush admin's twisting of words, and will continue to spend lives and money on stupid wars. It's time to stop thinking this and spell it out. Outright.
August 1, 2008 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
YES first of all, McCain raised a pittance 8f campaign money compared to Obama, even though the National committee (NRC) is pushing money into the McCain campaign, Frankly, I am surprised that his conjoined twoin, Lieberman, a practicing McCain did not pitch a tissy-fit about the next ad that likens Obama to Moses. Strange that Liebverman sighed off on the ad or worse yet, Lieberman is nothing but dressing on the arm of McCain and his Jewish leaders may understand that Lieberman is simply a cipher for the McCain camp and only there
for dressing with McCain so they think they can take the Jewish vote away from Obama. Aparently they did not see Barack with the Israeli leaders. Incidentally you can tell McCain is so angry about Barak's campaign trip that showed Obama meeting and having great discussions on a variety of subjects with a variety of leaders representing the biggest hot spots in the world. With McCainm's loose cannon temper, I think McCain's control is going to blow to pieces and then everyone can see, just like I have SEEN it here in Arizona in the midst of his out of control temper tantrum. Nuff said.
August 3, 2008 2:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is McCain's equivalent of the "3am" ad in terms of potential impact.
John Kerry looked French, Obama is a Celebrity.
Gotta give it to Republicans, they have a formula that has worked every single time.
August 1, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes. This is IT. The Big Thing that will doom his upstart candidacy once and for all. If only we'd heeded your advice and nominated Hillary. Blah blah blah blah blah de blah blah blah.
August 1, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe this is IT, maybe "The One" will IT, maybe they are putting together more as we speak. You be the judge.
But it's interesting you bring up the point I didn't make. Reveals what might be going through you dedicated faithful mind.
August 1, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you call Obama "The One," then in fairness you should call McCain "The Leftover" -- GOP's second choice after Romney and Huckabee knocked each other out and left McCain by default. That says a lot, that Johnny couldn't unite the economic and social conservatives that voted for those two. No wonder GOP enthusiasm in polls is in the tank.
August 1, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Worse than that; McCain is second-hand leftovers. He's Republican's JV backup to Dubya from the 2000 election.
August 1, 2008 6:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
OMG, millions of people want to vote for Obama. Something MUST be wrong with him. This from the person who was backing the candidate flogging her 18 million voters to anyone who would listen.
August 1, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
ditto.
LOL
August 1, 2008 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
why you dressed up as a Republican?
August 1, 2008 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
We can laugh, but they must think they're having an impact in terms of branding Obama as an empty suit.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: we laugh and mock, but they're not all idiots over there. They wouldn't be doing this unless they thought it work as part of a long-term strategy.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
August 1, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I completely agree. But then I'm called a Chicken Little.
The GOP really like this attack and are running with it. Obama can rise above and try to stay on message, but GOP polling must have this ad working or they would have cut it loose. They're no dummies - I mean they got George Bush elected twice and have McCain running way closer than he should be given the current state of America under the last eight years of Republican rule.
August 1, 2008 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Correction: They got George Bush re-elected. The SC appointed him the first time.
But, I agree that we can't laugh this off, and need to respond forcefully in a way that reveals this attack for what it is, a distraction. Republicans have no plan for America, and their candidate is a disaster. Obama better get out there with a consistent message, and define himself as above this bullshit, and focused on the real issues that actually matter.
I have faith in Americans decision-making, and I think they are wary of this bait and switch, but Obama can't rest easy, and must get ahead of this now.
August 1, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I should clarify, I have faith in Americans' decision-making when they are presented with the facts. This is why Obama better get his response and his message out now, before this BS sinks in.
August 1, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
das2003 -
Can you please link to concrete signs that they are not idiots over there? I think that's exactly what they are. Worst campaign ever. It's only because media talking heads and nervous-nelly blog commenters obsess about this silliness that we're talking about it at all.
Obama's a celebrity! He's the One! Um, ok. If you say so, Grandpa Simpson.
August 1, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's wonderful! Now every time I see McBush, I will think of Grandpa Simpson. It really fits! Thanks. :-)
August 1, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Old Man Yells At Cloud"
LOL!
August 1, 2008 8:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I must be in the minority, because I think the gopers are a bunch of fools.
The grocery store photo-op was a week ago. The green jello speech in KENNER (because they couldn't afford a venue in New Orleans) was made by this same campaign?
and they are pinning their hopes to this brittany ad?
I have full faith in the Obama campaign, that they have a plan and the plan will be rolled out professionally. He's been able to recover from the Wright thing that was probably the worst thing.
The 30 percent that won't shake George W Bush are not going to vote for Obama no matter what. Who CARES that these 30% like the brittany ad?
The race will always be close, but this is not a "daisy" ad.
The problem for McCain is that Obama self-deprecates himself and also let's his light shine.
Also a problem is that McCain is doing the negative shots HIMSELF - you always, always rely on a surrogate while you keep yourself busy pounding away with a positive message. Problem is McCain hasn't come up with a plausible positive message. and he's doing the trash talk himself.
This brittany add is not like Dukakis where they have footage of himself acting like an idiot. He's not out mowing the lawn, taking a vacay from campaigning, while being skewered with a willy horton ad.
The only thing that raises my eyebrow are the black protesters at Obama's town hall today. That was just way too organized and convenient. I am willing to bet the farm that they were paid.
August 1, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
When I saw this play out on TV today, my first thought was that they were put up to it by the McCain Campaign! It's terrible that I've become so cynical lately.
August 1, 2008 8:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
So this is to be the equivalent to 'windsurfing' Kerry?
It's Britney/Paris..Obama?
Geez.
August 1, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
The question is, will the voters in these states see the racism/race card that Team Obama has been hootin and hollerin about?
Or will they see it as for what it is, an attempt at comparing Obama’s empty celebrity to that of Britney and Paris.
It remains to be see how effective Obama's Racial Wambulance will be at countering the GOPs empty celebrity/suit framing of Obama. Time will tell
August 1, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gop+troll&search_type=&aq=f
August 1, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caPBxhOVCl8
that's the one!
August 1, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whats wrong Joseph, Obama hasn't handed out the talking points yet. Troll, Troll is all you can muster. You can do better than that.
August 1, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
who doesn't like parades?
August 1, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Parades are great! Is that footage from Queens? Was the float after that the one with the white firemen dressed in blackface with a Blackface titled "BLACK TO THE FUTURE"?
August 1, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would say you could do better than lying and distorting reality to make whatever troll point you make on a given thread. But then I would be lying.
Seems McCain played the race card first (by his definition) with this little ad.
August 1, 2008 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's what you and the chorus believe(playing race card). But are you so sure the voters in these 11 states will come to the same conclusion?
August 1, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not sure. Obama lays out his case and that's all he can do. McCain can't lay out his message because he KNOWS that a majority of voters will reject it. That's why you and his other supporters have to lie and distort . . . the truth is not your friend.
Lacking a moral center probably helps you get through the day or intellectual dishonesty, take your pick. Either way, I'm doing everything I can to get Obama elected and push back on inane and bullshit spewed by folks like you on and offline. I consider it my patriotic duty.
August 1, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Again, the DNC needs to learn to fight back. They cannot truly believe the voters in this country are smart and above all of this, they aren't. That is how we got Bush.
How about ads 24 Hours a day with McCain and Keating? The Keating 5?
The RNC is so damn good at making folks not want to vote, will this happen again?
August 1, 2008 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
They've obviously tested this, so it must be working with someone. Is Obama's response ad going up in the same places, do we know?
August 1, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
It absolutely will.
August 1, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama's response ad is lame, just like the ones by the DNC. All they're doing is putting up their hands to block McCain's punches, instead of throwing their own.
McCain got $1 million from the oil industry right after he came out for off-shore drilling. Where's that ad?
McCain said it doesn't matter what the Iraqis want (when he said something different in 2004) we should stay in Iraq. Where's that ad?
McCain opposed the GI bill because he said it was too generous. Where's that ad?
I'm so frustrated by the Obama campaign that my disappointment is quickly turning into disgust--Kerry style.
August 1, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not frustrated with the Obama campaign, but I agree some of those suggestions would make good ads. Especially the one about how much money he's taken in since announcing his newfound love of drilling.
August 1, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bait taken. Well done. When do you start making phone calls for McSurge?
Tit for tat in TV ads is a waste of time and resources. Obama is doing fine. What so many of these commenters forget is that slightly less than half the population of this country is conservative. They're going to vote for McCain even if Obama announces he's personally discovered a cure for cancer. A 4-5% lead is the best you should look forward to, and - newsflash - it's enough to win.
Quit worrying about these increasingly desperate ads from an intellectually bankrupt campaign.
August 1, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jesus Christ, you really hit the Chicken Little Soup hard today.
Look, the response ad to this and the others is pitch perfect. It doesn't get in the weeds of McCain's ad, it demonstrates that others think they are dishonest and then trumpets his plan. He's given people a reason to vote for him not to vote against the other guy.
Obama is hitting all of the points you mention, it's just getting drowned out in blogs and on cable news. You know where it ISN'T getting drowned out? Missouri, Iowa and Florida today.
Like I suggested to you earlier, put your energy into the campaign and not into worrying whether Obama has sufficiently rebutted every comment coming out of McCain's mouth. You'll live longer.
August 1, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Stop lecturing me about where to put my energies. I have put and continue to put tons of energy into volunteering for e campaign. I put a lot of my money there, too.
If you want to pretend that everything is fine, go ahead. It's not fine. Obama is being turned into something unacceptable while Obama keeps talking about how honorable McCain is.
August 1, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
My bad, but your chicken little bit is wearing a little thin. I was trying to give you a bit of pep talk since it seems your spirits are sagging. We are on the same team, so if it came across as lecturing, I apologize.
Ben Smith has a post that gets to what I was trying to say in my response to you (that this isn't resonate they way it is being portrayed on blogs and the cable news)
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Local_papers_shrug_at_race_card_dispute.html?showall
The Republicans are going to do what they do. You can't control that or stop that. Obama's job is not to define McCain--it's to get himself elected POTUS. He's gotten himself this far without my campaign advice, so I'm going to continue trusting that him and his inner circle know what they are doing.
August 1, 2008 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm with you, Publicola. Chicken Littles are of no use to the campaign and need to be called out on it. They're like a pox on the Obama mojo. If you need a Chicken Little-free zone, head over to Al Giordano's The Field. His stuff is great and he has no tolerance for hand-wringing like this.
As for the ads? Small potatoes, neither here nor there. Keep in mind that the campaign has spent the past two days just trying to explain to the media what they even mean. Never a good indicator of effectiveness.
August 1, 2008 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
They'd better spend the other two-thirds of the advertising funds before McCain's next trip to Vegas.
August 1, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
when is the mccain campaign going to start running ads about john mccain?
i mean, what does he stand for except "not obama"?
i think its childish, as weaver said. our country is facing some very serious problems and challenges and we deserve a debate that is worthy of those challenges.
brittney and paris, and "hey, obama's too cool to be president" doesn't tell us one single thing about how mccain is going to solve our problems.
to rip off a line: "where's the beef?" in john mccain's candidacy?
August 1, 2008 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rick Davis does kind of resemble Rick Moranis. And with this new campaign strategy, it's going to be "Honey I shrunk the candidate", all the way!
August 1, 2008 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
These ads are too stupid to even comment on, and unfortunately, most of the troll-rific comments on these threads are as well.
All a distraction to keep us OFF the issues b/c McCain and the GOP have NO, none, zip, zilch, issues to run on.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2008/08/01/pew_research_obama_leads_nationally_by_5_points.html
A new Pew Research poll show Sen. Barack Obama leading Sen. John McCain nationally in the presidential race, 47% to 42%.
Key findings center on the economy: "Just 10% say the economy is in good shape, while 72% say the economy is either in a recession (54%) or a depression (18%). On a personal level, concerns about rising prices have surged. Beyond widespread anxiety about energy costs, a growing number of Americans say it is difficult for them to afford food."
GOP to the Good Citizen's of America: People can't afford food, let's talk about Britney and Paris instead.
August 1, 2008 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
josephcast -
I'm with you. Why anyone is bothered by any of these ridiculous ads is virtually impossible to figure out. I'm glad the McCain campaign is committing serious coinage to them. The other option would be to just set fire to their ad budget. This direction at least makes a little sense.
Meanwhile, while McComplain channels Nero to run his campaign, Obama's ground game heats up, he stays focused on the issues, and continues to mock and belittle the McCain campaign. Good on him.
The other canard being circulated this week is that Obama's daily tracking lead is within the margin of error. As long as his lead on election day is also within the margin of error, I say, who cares?
August 1, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
or, maybe;
People Can't Afford Food: McCain Responds With Britney, Paris Hilton
August 1, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
He was leading by 8 points in the last Pew poll. Get real. Obama is blowing it.
August 1, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're freaking out over polls? Get a grip. They shouldn't even be looked at until after the 1st debate, Chuck Todd himself said so.
The point here is that people can't afford food. Somehow I think that will effect voters more than any stupid ad.
August 1, 2008 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
the latest polls have Obama winning in all the major battlegrounds, including Florida! It doesn't matter whether the national polls move a couple points one way or the other--Obama is always ahead, McLame can't crack 45%, and it would actually be an electoral landslide for Obama if the election were held today. Check the map and the polls that Kos has up today.
If this is "winning the week" for McLame, he can have it. We're headed into the Olympics(with a major national ad buy from Obama), most people will be paying even less attention than they already are this summer to the daily back and forth and McLame's negativity, and then boom, it's convention time and I guarantee Obama will be ready.
August 1, 2008 8:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for saying the obvious. I get so annoyed at all the shrieking hysterics, oh no McCain has got him on the ropes, oh no this is going to hurth Obama etc. Bullshit times ten. These ads are geared to the most hardcore GOP slugs only, who aren't going to vote for Obama anyhow. It's third rate Rove tactics and completely reeks of desperation, and as you mentioned, the McCain side has pretty much conceded the election at this point. They know they cannot run McCain as a candidate, so they have to make it all about the other guy and you do not win elections if you cannot sell yourself on your own merit.
Let's dig up that interview with Cindy McCain where she talks about how her husband will run an honorable campaign without having to resort to going negative, and how they would rather lose than go negative.
Of course, she could just claim she was high on oxycontin the time of the interview, and she doesn't remember saying that.
August 1, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Either you're 3 years old, or you have really short memory.
This is exactly the way Bush won, twice - against the Inventor of the Internet and against the French Windsurfer. That's how McCain is probably planning to win against The Celebrity.
"3am and the phone is rining. Hi Barack, it's Paris. Hit some clubs tonight?".
August 1, 2008 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
...and he'll still lose.
August 1, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's trying to bait the GOP base, showing them that he too can be hardcore. Nothing more.
August 1, 2008 6:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hit the nail on the head, exactly. But the problem is that the general public is not looking at this like this, much as Obama has actually tried to get people back on track. It's really pathetic that McCain, after promising a civil campaign, has reduced himself to this. A total distraction from what really matters. Of course he's so proud of the ad. It's all starting to make sense.
August 1, 2008 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama needs to play the response ad. This can also be a bait.
August 1, 2008 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
...If it's working, where are the indicators? I'm confused why they would be spending so much money on an ad that hasn't proven to be anything except a shit storm. The only thing this shows to me is that McCain & Co. really are that proud of the ad. How pathetic.
August 1, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why are you making click "Read more" just to read the last two lines of the article?
Otherwise, good work, as usual.
August 1, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a sorry and ineffective ad and I don't know why Obama is complaining about being compared to Britney and Paris. If I was him, I would complain that McCain is being unfair to Britney and Paris. They didn't ask to get dragged down into this scummy political ad. Sure people get caught in the crossfire all the time but in this case it looks like McCain was calously aiming at Britney and Paris in the hopes that the shrapnel might hit Obama.
August 1, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think that what they are up to is to try and blunt the force of any of the footage from Berlin in any future biographical ad that Obama might run before, during or after the convention. This is very powerful footage that trumps any leadership visual that McCain has to offer. So what do they do they muddy up its symbolic power for Obama by turning it into a minstrel fluff piece. All other dogwhistling and subliminal intent is just gravy on what their pre-emptive strike against Obama. This is psych warfare.
August 1, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry for the gabbled last sentence. In addition they are also running a new web add that targets Latino voters in which they isolate all the countries and cities that Obama mentioned in his Berlin speech, then claim in their voice over that he has neglected Latin America. The result? Obama globalism is not inclusive enough. This is all to damage the 200 k in Berlin footage. Pure and simple.
August 1, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ooooh. Scary. Obama didn't mention a Latin American country in a speech in a country that the McSurgians ridiculed him for giving...just last week.
You know, there's no requirement for anyone to take any of this seriously. Please return to mocking and ridiculing and pointing out that the distance between the McCain campaign and the issues Americans are facing grows wider every day.
August 1, 2008 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
About that Berlin footage in the McCain ad--this is why I think the ad fails, because it's showing how popular Obama is, here and around the world. I would hope most Americans would like to have another President that's actually well-liked and respected around the world. Bush can't even show his face in public when he leaves the country, and angry old McLame will never be able to attract that kind of crowd--even if he by some miracle manages to win.
August 1, 2008 8:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's worth noting that Britney and Paris were both born in 1981, making them actually older than the 26-year-old drug-addled bimbo McCain had an affair with to end the marriage to his crippled first wife.
But McCain was a celebrity in those days.
August 1, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
"But McCain was a celebrity in those days."
McCain EARNED his celebrity. He was a war hero.
Britney and Paris are airheads, with no accomplishment, famous for being famous.
This is what the ad is saying. That Obama is like Briney and Paris, someone with no accomplishment built up by media hype into a big celebrty.
August 1, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
he earned his celebrity? you're not saying he worked to get his plane shot down, are you?
I'm not saying being a POW for 5.5 years is fun, or easy - but there were hundreds of guys in the Hanoi Hilton - they haven't spent the rest of their lives taking advantage of it to get votes from simple-minded people.
August 1, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can't take it any more! We are being bitchslapped and it's working!.
The one thing the Republicans now how to do is make you hate someone. They take a trait that is slightly objectionable and then magnify it to the Nth degree. Gore = serial exaggerator. Kerry = French effete snob. Obama = self-involved celebutttante.
Obama, if you can hear us, please run a series of devastating ads against McCain. Hit him on his alleged honor.
Ad 1: Tagline "McCain was for being honorable before he was against it."
Ad 2: Tagline: "McCain once said that he opposed Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy as a matter of conscience. But McCain mortgaged his conscience to get the Republican nomination."
Ad 3: Tagline: "McCain's top economic advisor said that the problems Americans are facing are all in their head. [Clip of Gramm: It's a 'mental recession.'] This is the man McCain relied on for years to advise him on the economy? Who is really ready to lead?"
Keep em coming one after the other.
August 1, 2008 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, but the snob stuff didn't really hold. The swift boat stuff did. I haven't seen anything near swiftboat quality yet. Not worried.
August 1, 2008 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
insta-reply from the McCain camp:
John McCain served with great honor as a soldier and POW. He commanded thousands of troops in the navy. Now Barack Obama attacks his honor & readiness to lead.. blablabla
Followed by a media shitstorm that sinks Obamas campaign.
Thank good bloggers don't run Obamas ad department :P
August 1, 2008 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not particularly relevant but isn't McCain's daughter a Britney/Paris wannabe?
August 1, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Team Obama has spent the last 3 days and likely the whole weekend playing out this little race game. Do you folks think that by Monday, Obama will really be declared the race card vc race bait winner? Then whats the point?
With sooo many better things to talk about, spending 5 days debating the race card does him absolutely no good.
Waa-Waa-Whine. With the Olympics coming up and the news cycle shutting down, this is what Obama is gonna leave in voters minds until Conventions.
August 1, 2008 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nah, the current race baiting will blow over sooner than that, although we can expect McCain minions to keep raising it in one form or another. In any event, Team Obama will be running their big Olympic ad buy. That will give them an opportunity to change the narrative.
August 1, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your ability to pull shit straight out of your ass never ceases to amaze me.
Where the fuck is he debating the race card? It is McCain who is screaming "race card" at every fricking opportunity because he is the one who stands to gain the most by this faux outrage. I guess by republican standards Obama is not allowed in any way shape or form to refer to the fact that he is "not white" because that is now "the race card". The next thing is if he says he is Christian to try and downplay the muslim rumor that will be playing "the religon card".
You then have the audacity to talk about us whining? Spare me. Republicans have the martyr thing down to an artform....someone mentions Mary Cheney in a debate and every republican twists themselves into a pretzel that her name was even muttered. Somone remotely thinks that being a POW does not automatically prepare someone for being CIC and every republican gives birth because we're "attacking" his service. Obama mentions the fact that he's black and he's automatically playing the race card. Meanwhile, John McTemper gets to crack jokes about Chelsea Clinton, rape, bombing Iran and calls his wife the "c" word and all is well. Give me a fucking break.
August 1, 2008 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Three days? Really? I know Republicans struggle with math (cf. the budget deficit), but the race charge - such as it is - came up yesterday. And Obama has spent almost no time discussing it.
You guys suck at this. The Clinton campaign were much tougher customers.
August 1, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm beginning to have a bad feeling about how this campaign is playing out.
The Obama camp has been late in defining McCain, they are on the defensive now.
The McCain/Rove folks know the large amount of subtle, "just under the surface" racists there are in America, and they know how to "dog whistle" them.
Todays polls show a tightening race. I expect to see McCain starting to take leads in a few polls in the next 4-5 days.
and another thing, Robert Gibbs is a joke.
August 1, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
51,000 jobs lost last month and citing 460,000 jobs lost over the last seven months.
August 1, 2008 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama response:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aWu6R_8sVVB8&refer=home
McCain: Crickets.....
August 1, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
The ad is very effective because it reinforces people's doubts about Obama.
The ad argues that Obama is a puffed up celebrity, like Britney and Paris, with no accomplishment, famous for being famous.
It is drawing a contrast between celebrity and leader, The One as celebrity and John McCain as leader.
August 1, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you, Captain Obvious.
August 1, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
folks...this is where McFuddle is trying to get Obama to go negative and "dirty" w/ ads. It is bait from them. I don't want him to go for the bait! Obama needs to maintain his position. How do we know that the ad is working? No Panic here! If McFuddle keeps saying he is proud of the ad and pundits kick it up to a level of a race war, then their approach will indeed backfire! Let them spend all of their freakin money on this stupid ad...Fuck..the GOP is scared and realize they have nothing going for them except to make Obama the issue! This ad will do nothing for the economy...the Iraq war...Iran...Rove in jail....collaspe of banks...exxon's 12 billion this quarter...GM's loss of 5 billion...huge numbers of newly unemployed....$4 gallon gas...inflation and food prices...WAL-Mart's Union Busting meetings...should I go on????
August 1, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
So far the Obama people have done a good job. McCain has destroyed his relationship with about 1/2 of his media base.
McCain's only chance is to stir up his base. Make them want to come out in November. Obama handles this effort to turn him into an airhead by being serious.
I am far more concerned about Obama's weak response to McCain's off shore drilling proposal. I know it is a meaningless proposal, and it might not be playing on the coasts, but McCain is gaining ground with it in the Midwest.
August 1, 2008 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain has fielded a little criticism from the MSM during the past day or two, which seems like a lot, since we are used to none at all. Don't get too used to it, most of the MSM are still jostling to squeeze into McCain's crack, right behind Graham and Lieberman.
August 1, 2008 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
For the last time, people, show some damn spine!
Why are these ads cause for worry? Seriously?
This is the difference between