New McCain Ad: "Celebrity" Obama Is Also The "Taxman"
The McCain camp is out with yet another "celeb" sneer ad, this one drawing a shap contrast between Obama's allegedly vacuous popularity and the possession of real leadership qualities: "Celebrity? Yes. Ready to lead? No."
The ad somehow figures out a way of pinning higher gas prices on Obama's forthcoming tax hikes (in fact, he's calling for a middle-class tax cut), without explaining how it is that we now have soaring gas prices, even though Obama's phantom tax hikes haven't been implemented yet.
The spot is running in "key states," according to the McCain campaign. Script after the jump.
ANNCR: Celebrity? Yes. Ready to lead? No.Obama's new taxes could break your family budget.
The press warns the "taxman cometh".
Obama's taxes mean "higher prices at the pump".
Obama's taxes a "recipe for economic disaster".
Higher taxes. Higher gas prices. Economic disaster.
That's the real Obama.
JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.
They're just recycling the same crap, aren't they?
August 15, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
yeah and im kind of sick of the way McCains' ad end. they show that same picture of Obama with the ugly brown backgroud fit for PowerPoint98
Video: Baracky Part 2
August 15, 2008 9:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
YouTube link is broken.
August 15, 2008 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's an effective ad. Strong and to the point. I hope Obama responds quickly.
August 15, 2008 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Gotta agree. It's crap, but it accomplishes its intended effect.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
August 15, 2008 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
It does, and that's why Obama really should've worked to define McCain as being horrible on the economy right from the start. Phil Gramm should NOT have been a one-day story.
Thankfully Phil Gramm has popped back onto the McCain campaign by attending meetings, which gives the Obama campaign an opportunity to attack McCain on the issue of the economy.
August 15, 2008 9:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama need to have a comeback for this or else McCain will get away with this nonsense. Obama should counter the Ad by featuring McCain's economic disaster + Phill Graham comments
August 15, 2008 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree.
Do you think the McCain campaign is being ineffective by not playing up that "bitter" remark in commercials time and again? How about about Jeremiah Wright's rants? You save some arguments for later.
Barack Obama had to take that foreign policy trip. Had he gone on the attack on the economy before that time, that would have taken away from his successful trip.
The attack has to match the candidate and the moment.
August 15, 2008 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not so much. For a branding to stick, it really helps to keep throwing punches from the same angle, over and over. McSame has been doing that.
The best counter for BigO that I can think of is to brand McFeeble as a joke. Totally confused. Subliminable™ connections to his advancing senescence.
Very low-road, but likely as effective as McCranky's low-road shit. Definitely a contact-sport approach.
August 15, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Definitely low road, but with elements of truth in illuminating his frequent instances of confusion. Not a picture of health and vitality.
August 15, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree that this is a strong ad. Where's the beef? It just makes a bunch of silly claims intended to scare you but doesn't back up anything. Look at Obama's ads about McCain. They link him to the DHL deal in Ohio. They use his words showing that he thinks Bush has done well with the economy and that we're not in a recession, showing he doesn't understand economics.
The Mccain ads sound like Dubya during the 2006 elections: "the Democrats are going to raise your taxes and let the terrorists git ya!" So played out!
August 15, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
It works because it scares you. That's why it's effective---the point is to scare you about the other candidate.
August 15, 2008 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly flufferwink. It plays on the class republican fear tactic: the democrats are coming to raise your taxes!
It's for that reason, that it will resonate with "Reagan democrats". As you've pointed out, Obama needs to tie Phil Gramm around McCain's neck until he chokes.
August 15, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
That might make sense if the Republicans had any credibility left. They don't! Most folks know that Bush cut taxes but feel they are much worse off than they were 8 years ago. Screaming "taxes, taxes, taxes" after the devastation of the Bush years is lame.
They ran these same scare tactics in 2006 and we all know how that worked out.
August 15, 2008 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Very true. And most Americans aren't as rabid about taxes as the Republicans would like to think.
August 15, 2008 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Undoubtedly this approach will work its magic on weak minds everywhere. No one expects Obama to get every vote. But as someone else said, where's the beef? Obama's tax plan so clearly does NOT do those things, so clearly DOES help the middle class, etc., this "Ooh, ooh, we're scaring you! Boo! Boo!" type approach isn't going to be effective ENOUGH.
August 15, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is no beef. But it doesn't matter. If they keep repeating the same few Big Lies over and over, some of it is gonna stick.
Good production values in this ad. Only a few short text messages on the screen, and the voice-over repeated them as they appeared. No having to read. No long- or multiple-sentence screens; in fact, it was mostly just sentence fragments.
August 15, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I forget is Joseph Goebbels the patron saint Karl Rove or was he a Nazi?
August 15, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
effective? No. I don't think so.
I agree with HyperRevue, the McCrap camp is recycling the same garbage every week.
August 15, 2008 9:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. If they are going to lie they should take the time needed to be original, this is just the same old shit.
I'd like to see Obama air an ad questioning McCain's temperament. Many of McSame's fellow congresscritters, both Republicans and Democrats, don't think he has the temperament to be President. McPain says he is better now, but how did he get better? Is he taking mood altering drugs to control his temper?
August 15, 2008 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama should say, "McCain is lying about the economy again. He thinks he can fool you just like all the other Republicans have done. He's got Phil Gramm back on his campaign who called us Americans "a nation of whiners" (show short clip of Phil Gramm) for feeling pain at the gas pump, the high price of groceries, and the cost of inflation in what we buy.
McCain doesn't provide the middle class with a tax cut, only tax cuts for the wealthy who make more money off our pain. (show pictures of oil company executives).
August 15, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
"The ad somehow figures out a way of pinning higher gas prices on Obama's forthcoming tax hikes..."
Simple economics: Costs + Profit = Price
Obama proposes Tax hikes on Oil profits so...
Costs + Profits + Obama Tax Hike = Price + Obama Tax Hike.
August 15, 2008 9:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
..this ad is weak, all the Obama camp has to do is throw Barney Fife's words back at him - just keep playing him admitting that he doesn't know anything about the economy on a 30 second loop.
August 15, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
This raises a question I've wondered about. Why isn't Obama doing more to attack McCain with McCain's own words? It's the most simple and effective thing you can do, especially in an age when virtually every remark a public figure has uttered is on video somewhere.
There's so much to work with: the extreme flip-flopping, the geopolitical gaffes, the admissions of knowing nothing about economic matters.
August 15, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with you about using McCain's words against him. That's why I thought the commercial they released yesterday for IN - where McCain was saying that the economony was in good shape - was so effective.
My hope is that they're going to really ramp these things up after the convention.
August 15, 2008 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Of course, one could argue that the stupid gas tax holiday McCain proposes isn't going to provide relief either.
That said, it doesn't follow that taxing profits is going to necessarily increase prices at the pump. And if it were, it would be a few pennies.
Moreover, those taxes will be reimbursed to the consumer in the amount of $1000 rebates, more than compensating for the few penny increase in the cost of gas.
In short, I don't buy your argument. The benefits out weight the costs.
August 15, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
You, like most right-wing know-it-alls, obviously failed economics. The tax is a one-time tax on profits only. A permanent tax causes behavior to change (i.e. by raising prices), but a one-time, one-off tax does not.
August 15, 2008 10:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know it all but I do know enough to know that corporations don't pay taxes, consumers do and I got a B in economics.
August 15, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Um, not really, the incidence of the tax is partially offset from the elasticity of the supply and deman in the market. This means that the tax is partially absorbed by both the profit-takers and the consumer, depending on myriad other factors. All of this is beside the point, as Obama hasn't yet proposed a gasoline tax. But hey its easier just to be stupid and not think about these things. Long live the GOP! Party of Ignorance!
August 15, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
The ad clearly states that "Obama's new taxes will lead to higher prices at the pump" it's not refering to the current price...
August 15, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Celebrity - check
Not ready to lead - check
Higher taxes - check
How this ad any different than the other 2 or 3 "celebrity" ads?
August 15, 2008 9:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
It has vignettes of "worried-looking" voters in the ad.
August 15, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
No teenage white girls or scandal plagued black guys...still looking for the "Dog whistle" though...I'll let you know when I find it.
August 15, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
..yeah, the McCain campaign didn't use racism this time - I think they deserve a prize.
August 15, 2008 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
"I think they deserve a prize."
I do too...how about the Whit House?
August 15, 2008 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nah, do you know how hard it is to get old person smell out of a house?
Besides, we don't want to go from a stupid President to a senile President, do we?
John McCain: A leader with Depends on!
August 15, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
"John McCain: A leader with Depends on!"
That's funny!
August 15, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, the "White House" would just perpetuate the same racism that they have been exhibiting - how about the "Roots" boxset.
August 15, 2008 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
...in Beta.
August 15, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
..whatever format is best suited for racists.
August 15, 2008 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Beta might be well suited for the Depends crowd.
August 15, 2008 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
"This is one house his wife can't buy for him."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEmPZoRVRII&eurl=http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/
So good.
August 15, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry- that prize probably won't be available. McCain will have to settle for a consolation prize, like Oil Industry contributions.
But if he's really feeling left out, he can have one of Cindy's mansions painted white.
August 15, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain complains about Obama and taxes. Coming from someone who flip-flopped on taxes and wants to make permanent Bush's tax cuts.
And why are the Free Republic Party always whining about "tax and spend"? When they want to tax CUT and spend. And spend. And spend. And spend. (repeat ad infinitum)
August 15, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Very ineffective ad. For all the hand-wringing about how great these "celebrity" spots are, it's worth noting that the daily tracking numbers are right back where they were three weeks ago.
August 15, 2008 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Kenny,
I agree.
And correct if am wrong, but McCain had a cameo appareance in " Wedding Crashers " ? I'm not understanding how that 'old fool' can label Obama a celebrity.
August 15, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Because he has money to produce such ads and air them. It's really that simple. Accuracy matters not.
August 15, 2008 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ugh. What more can I say?
http://thepajamapundit.com/
August 15, 2008 10:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is basically the same ad.
All Obama has to do is do an ad that shows that the middle class has less taxes in an Obama tax plan than McCain.
It is that simply.
Hopefully they will come up with that ad soon.
August 15, 2008 10:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I don't know why we haven't seen that ad already.
August 15, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
From the female announcer with the overly serious and concerned voice to the totally uninspired visuals, to the economic fear mongering without any real basis or any actual program from McCain, this ad is like a not very well done parody of a campaign ad.
I think the public understands that we already have an economic disaster and whose policies are largely responsible for it. Given this trying to frighten voters with Dem positions is a joke well past its sell by date.
This ad will probably make people laugh more than scare them and won't convince anybody not already planning to vote for McSame.
If this is the best old John's got, he's toast.
August 15, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's not the best ol' McCranky's got. But he's toast anyway.
August 15, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well we tried dumb and incompetent for 7+ years and it didn't work so well for the USA. Now the Grand Old Party wants to add doddering to the equation. Wow talk about the desperate gambler! Loses for 7+ years and instead of moving to a different table with a different dealer, they stay where they are and insist on doubling down?!It would be comical if their stupidity only affected their own lives, but it doesn't. The ONLY people who have benifited under George "the incompetent" Bush have been his and McSames major campain donors.
If you make less than 250,000 a year and you vote republican, it's like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders.
pathetic...sigh...
August 15, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
For all the Armchairmen on this thread suggesting what type of ad Obama should produce in response, I say: make the ad. You've got all the tools you need and a method to distribute it. Make the ad. Or STFU. One or the other.
Yeah, I said it.
August 15, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Publicola Hussein, wow...that time of month again?
August 15, 2008 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not at all. Just tell folks to put up or shut up. YouTube is open to all and with some basic video skills there's more than enough material for them to make this super-duper killer ad that they have in mind. It's the 21st Century.
Now, get off my lawn!
August 15, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it appears that the McCain camp has successfully defined Obama as someone who is going to raise taxes on regular folks. Obama had a chance to slam McCain over that lie, but he didn't. The meme has been ongoing for weeks and it's going to stick.
August 15, 2008 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
I want proof that he has successfully defined Obama as the candidate who is going to raise taxes on regular folks. Got any?
August 15, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
These are some of the lamest ads I have ever seen. The people that these ads are having an affect on, probably should not be allowed to vote!
August 15, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Something good happens for Obama, like the trip to Europe and the Middle East, then McCain produces 3 ads hoping one of them will capture the media. Attention. Obama responds with one ad. Then McCain comes up with 3 more. The media bites every time. Since we know the media can be manipulated, especially by the Republicans, let's answer ad for ad then start attacking on our own. Otherwise Traitor Joe and McSame win again.
August 15, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Taxman Cometh".....is this a reference to the Messiah biblical bullshit they put out earlier?
Empty false rhetoric,....no ideas left in the tank for McCain.
Might as well say this:
"Not ready to lead", trust me, I'm with Bush
"Economic Disaster", trust me, I'm with Bush
"Higher Gas Prices", trust me, I'm with Bush
August 15, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yikes, I know the low-angle shot at the end is supposed to make McCain look bold and presidential, but that weird jaw bulge thing he's got is *really* accentuated in that shot.
And if McCain's camp is really pushing that celebrity thing, can't they find a more appropriate image? The two thumbs up image of McCain on the Tonight Show that Obama's folks used was a *perfect* celebrity moment. But Obama smiling broadly (besides being the exact same shot as they used in the previous ad) strikes me as a *positive* image. Turn off the sound for a moment, and you figure it's a *pro*-Obama ad. Can't believe McCain's folks can't get their basic message right, but I'll keep laughing about how ineffective these things are right up until November.
August 15, 2008 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cheer up. Look at a good Obama ad that was emailed
to supporters yesterday.
http://foxattacks.com/virus/?utm_source=rgemail
August 15, 2008 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where is McCain’s plan on anything? He attacks but never offers any solutions because he hasn’t got any.
Nice ads. Keep proving just how popular Obama is by showing tens of thousands Americans cheering for him you dope. McCain is so out of touch. He has no idea that people tend to really like celebrities. That’s why they are famous and have millions of fans.
McCain doesn’t realize that in the realm of politics FANS equal VOTERS. Show keep showing just how many Americans will be voting for Obama you feeble jealous asshole
August 15, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Man that big honkin goiter or whatever it is in McCain's cheek isn't doing him any favors. Why would they use a photo taken at an angle that makes him look like he's got a big ol' chaw of "spitting tobacci" is his mouth?
August 15, 2008 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
We have no idea what McCain's plan on anything is.
August 15, 2008 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Check out the audio clips from this ad here.
August 15, 2008 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
MSNBC's First Read tells it like it is:
Another day, another McCain ad hitting Obama on taxes. And to the McCain campaign's credit, as we noted earlier, it has been much more likely that it releases its negative ads to the press than the Obama campaign.
This ad, “Taxman,” is another example of that, and it paints -- yet again -- a bleak picture of Obama’s tax plan and what his plan would mean for families.
“Obama’s new taxes could break your family budget,” an announcer says as a mother hugs her child. And, even worse, Obama's plan would mean “economic disaster.”
Foreboding, certainly, but for whom is the question.
As First Read has noted previously, Obama's tax plan proposes larger tax cuts for those making between about $19,000 and less than $112,000 than McCain's plan does, according to the Tax Policy Center’s analysis.
The wealthiest in the country would benefit most from McCain’s tax cuts and would be hurt most by Obama's plan.
Families/individuals making more than six figures certainly may be concerned about their family budgets, but those who are at the breaking point -- those on the brink of “economic disaster” -- are not those making six- or seven-figure salaries.
In that upper echelon, those making an average of $2.9 million -- the top 0.1% -- would get a whopping tax break of $269,000 from McCain. Under Obama’s plan, the millionaires would take a serious hit, their pockets lightened by $702,000 on average. For those making $2.9 million-plus a year, perhaps that would constitute an “economic disaster,” but then the image in the ad should probably be of an anguished CEO clutching his Mercedes key chain not a middle-class mother clutching her child.
August 15, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink