McCain, Obama Ads Trade Blows On Taxes
It's instructive to compare the two ads that the campaigns unleashed today attacking each other on taxes.
McCain is up with a new radio spot that keeps up the attack line that Obama is a "celebrity" who would hike your taxes, to boot.
"Celebrities like to spend their millions," McCain's ad says. "Barack Obama is no different. Only it's your money he wants to spend." It's unclear where the ad is running.
Meanwhile, Barack Obama is up with a new spot attacking John McCain on taxes:
"Can we really afford more of the same?" the ad asks. It runs through the familiar charges that McCain would give tax breaks for huge corporations and oil companies, and concludes that Obama's plan "cuts taxes for middle class families three times as much as John McCain would."
Both ads try to weave the tax attacks into the campaigns' larger themes: McCain's with yet another repetition of the "celeb" sneer; Obama's with the "more of the same" line.
Obama's ad has the virtue of being, you know, true, while McCain's is false -- Obama is actually calling for a middle-class tax cut. But only one of the ads also launches a character attack on the opponent. There may be good reasons for this. But it's worth keeping in mind.
It's nice they went back to the "more of the same" line. That's a key idea they need to hammer home at every turn.
August 20, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
ditto, he should keep it up.
I think he should also create an ad that say mcbush mcbush mcbush over and over again to drill it in peoples minds
PUMA Dorks Listen 2 Rush Limbaugh, No Wonder They’re Idiots
August 20, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
The proper "sneer" is to note that McCain's out of touch because he thinks his measly $318 tax break is enough for hardworking Americans.
It's not enough. That's why Barack Obama provides a tax break of $1600 for hardworking families.
August 20, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Barack Obama. President.
P-R-E-S-U-M-P-T-U-O-U-S!!!
August 20, 2008 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah. I don't get that.
August 20, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not bad. But...
OK. Zero tax relief.
Uh, three times zero is how much?
August 20, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Different people. The "middle class" gets triple cuts under Obama.
August 20, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I understand there's a lot of non-overlap between the two groups. It's just that zero followed by three times as much gives me a bit of cognitive dissonance.
Maybe just mentioning his $1000 tax break would be better, but I've been having some worries about that, too.
I mean, $1000 just sounds like too much. It's high enough to be dismissed as just another pie-in-the-sky promise that politicians never deliver on. I wonder how many people actually believe that'll happen if BigO wins.
Maybe $800 would have been a better target. There's a reason why that $9.99 stuff works. Only here, it seems to work in reverse.
August 20, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Middle class gets $319 vs $1000+ under Obama. Under McCain's plan 101MM people don't get anything.
August 20, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see why Obama doesn't turn the whole "celebrity" attack back on McCain. He should do the same thing with the whole being out of touch attack line.
Not everyone can achieve success by dumping thier first wife and marrying a rich Stepford Heiress.
Not everyone has appeared 3,457 times on the Sunday talk shows over the last ten years (this is, of course, not the real # of times, but I sure would love to know how many times he has been on the Sunday shows over the last decade, wouldn't you?)
Not everyone has made cameos on 24 and wedding crashers. I'm starting to wonder if Team McCain understands what "celebrity" means.
Not everyone has 10 houses and $500 shoes. I'm starting to wonder if McCain's real reason for wanting to be President is his want of an 11th house. Maybe Cindy drew the line at 10, and told him if he wants another he needs to pay for it himself.
August 20, 2008 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
The "celebrity" slur is meant cause voters to associate Obama with the Black celebrity class instead of to the political class in which Obama actually is. Basically, they are calling him "Puff Daddy".
Imagine if Obama and McCain met for a debate and McCain walked up to Obama and said, "What's up Kobe?"
But, that is what they are actually doing.
August 20, 2008 11:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
It looks like one of the labels for McCain the Obama team is going with is out-of-touch.
Try this on for size:
August 20, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Instructive indeed.
McCain: On taxes, Obama is like Paris Hilton going shopping.
Obama: zzzzzz blrlrlbelbhrlrl zzzzzzz
Why is it that even when Obama has a great point to make about an important issue, he's doing it in such a flat-footed way? Same with his stump speeches on econmy.
August 20, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
What do you think was flat-footed about that ad?
August 20, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
..nothing in particular, just clumsy Hillary dead-ender speak.
August 20, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's boring. It's not memorable. It doesn't create any associates, it doesn't define McCain. It deals with number-crunching and counting who cuts more taxes.
Meanwhile, McCain is saying: would you trust Paris Hilton to manage your tax money?
That's the problem. Even when it comes to specific issue ads, McCain continues to define Obama. And Obama looks like a librarian that he was at Warren's forum.
August 20, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is treating us like we are stupid jus like Bush did. If it works again we get what we deserve again.
August 20, 2008 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Because he's attacked when he's uplifting and animated. Then he's called an empty suit. So he tries to be even keeled and presidential and now he's "boring".
He's not only fighting the Republicans, the Clintons and parts of the MSM, but he's also fighting his own supporters.
August 20, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well said.
August 20, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Josh is right, Obama has no narrative. He has turned into McCain in July with all these little tailored adds and sticky upbeat stuff, while McCain has only said 2-3 things all month.
Get with it Chicago!
August 20, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
..where's Hillary right now?
August 20, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hopefully on her way to becoming the Democratic vice presidential candidate since it's the only chance Obama has of winning.
August 20, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think Mo Dowd had it right; Hillary is, right now, probably planning her run in 2012.
And no, she can't be the VP nominee, her husband could not suvive and will not submit to the neccessary vetting. She's a non-starter.
Obama would have better luck with John Edwards as VP than with Hillary as VP. At least the dirt on Edwards is already out there.
August 20, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
If that's true then I'll do all I possibly can to take down Hillary in 2012.
August 20, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's exactly what she is doing. Where was their support for Kerry in 2004? Kerry winning in 'o4 would mean Hillary's Presidential dream was over.
If Barack is going to win this election it will be in spite of the Clinton's best efforts to sabotage his changes while trying to give the overt appearance of support.
August 20, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
And if he loses, it will of course be due to the same reason. Whichever way you look, Hillay's in the running.
August 20, 2008 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well given Hillary's brothers actions last night it is looking like it is true.
Let's not forget, Hillary's brothers are well connected. They mangaged to influence Bills pardons, and that is a pretty big deal.
August 20, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're sure to be happy Saturday when the 2.0 narrative is unveiled and the campaigning actually, you know, begins.
Not to call you out in particular, but I'm actually a little bit jealous of the rush some of you folks who are so deep in the weeds on the minutiae of the daily cycles are going to get when the roll-out takes place.
The Obama media team has stated in no uncertain terms that their biggest concern re: the general is peaking too early. Obama himself said yesterday that the McCain campaign doesn't know what they're dealing with. The chorus of concerns on our side of the aisle, along with the GOP base echoing an "I'm sure McCain's quaking in his boots" response simply prove the simplistic truth of that statement - even some among us don't know what's happening.
To assume that nothing is happening or that it isn't being orchestrated with a deft media cycle awareness is to simply ignore the operational reality of the campaign. If the 2.0 stage had started mid-summer and driven McCain's numbers to his running floor, a good many of you wouldn't have concerns - no argument there. But a great deal of the population would simply stop caring by the first week of November - exactly what we don't want if we're to capitalize on ground investment and assets.
August 20, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
TrollCritic, I hope to God that you are right and the feeling in my gut is wrong.
Because if the feeling in my gut is right and you are wrong, I will be spending Election Night pounding icepicks into me forehead.
August 20, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm betting on the team that beat the Clinton machine to be able to beat McSame.
August 20, 2008 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, so maybe they've got a plan, and it's all under control. But even if they do, I don't think it's inconsistent with this. If you don't disagree, digg it.
August 20, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sexism. If Obama defines McCain as a sexist pig he'll pick up Hillary's supporters and the majority of the female swing vote.
August 20, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
In addition, it has the virtue of being true. McCain is capable, after all, of calling his sugar mama wife a cunt in public.
August 20, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can't believe more people don't know about that.
for more info wach this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euu_DMhsXQo
August 20, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
John McCain: Chairman of the old boys club in Washington. Treats his rich wife like trash. Has voted against womens' interests--equal pay etc.--at every turn. John McCain: Sexist, Old, Pig.
August 20, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
It is not like there is not ample evidence of it.
Remember that great joke he told about the gorilla raping the woman? Or how about the Janet Reno joke?
Or you could just look at his voting record.
August 20, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. The democrats need to embrace being the mommy party. Why fight the republicans on there own turf. Obama's never going to convince the voting public--especially the male 48%--that he's tougher than McCain on defense issues. Play for the female 52% plus democratic men.
August 20, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Coming out of the convention, Obama has to portray himself sharper as the candidate who will FIGHT for the disappearing middle class, while McCain wants to take care of the rich.
August 20, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why does he have to wait until then?
August 20, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well said, Debra.
August 20, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's Magoo's ad:
Obama
Pretty boy
Not ready to lead
Higher taxes
Higher gas prices
Fewer jobs
Hear that ten times a night in the stupor of your after dinner couch potato t.v. meditation and it sinks in.
I hate to be the presumptuous one here but how about:
McCain the Maverick has been running for president since 1996.
What has he learned since then?
How to keep more money for the rich and take more from the middle class. (list votes)
No one does it better.
How has he changed since then?
A lot and not at all. (list campaign promises and flips)
The Maverick or master flip flopper
What have we learned?
That we have had anough. (picture of Obama)
This is our time.
August 20, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
We put up audio from the new Obama ad. This is really an angle the campaign should keep exploiting.
August 20, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
You want show typical middle class families and say they will get a $1,600 tax break if Obama is elected, and ask what will you do with the money.
We want to make it real to voters that they will get the benefit. If you just talk about Obama's tax program taxpayers will be worried that they won't qualify for any benefit for some reason they haven't heard.
August 20, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
This leaves an opening you could drive a truck through to speak to the McCains' lavish lifestyle: the multiple homes, the large credit card bills, Cindy McCain's tax returns, the $500 shoes.
Someone in the Obama/527 community - please hit that hole faster than Marshall Faulk in his prime and take it to the house!
August 20, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
We need stronger ads.
How about this ad?
ANNCR: John McCain is lying about taxes.
The non-partisan Tax Policy Center says Barack Obama will cut taxes for the middle class by 3 times more than McCain.
John McCain, one of the richest U.S. Senators, will cut the taxes of John McCain's friends, the very rich and big corporations, by trillions of dollars, but nothing for 101 million Americans.
What's more, McCain will add 1.2 to as much as 4 trillion dollars of additional deficit spending.
That's 4 TRILLION dollars!
John McCain says he will cut spending, but for only a tiny fraction of that deficit. Trillions will come out of education, health-care, or ruining our children's future.
John McCain wants trillions more dollars for the very rich and big corporations, but less than nothing for you!
Barack Obama: I'm Barack Obama and I approved this message.
August 20, 2008 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you want a toughter ad what is wrong with this one?
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/never_ad/
August 20, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink