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Note there are two major themes: the taxes bit, and the "empty suit" bit. The McCain campaign has been repeating this ALL summer to define Barack Obama their way.

I wonder why Obama's campaign dropped their repetition of "McCain : Bush Third Term" attacks in their press releases, videos, and so on this summer. That narrative has been lost for now.

Seems to me Obama had one message "change" and he stopped delivering it. If he has a message now, I couldn't tell you what it is and I'm a news junkie.

I got a call from the Obama campaign yesterday and the guy tells me Obama is for compromise.

Change agents don't begin by compromising. The change message needs to be strong, simple and clear. The compromise if it comes, comes later.

Didn't the McCain folks have a hissy when Obama said that McCain was "losing his bearings." Didn't they claim Obama was attacking McLooney's age? But they feel free to push this?

When is the slap down gonna happen? I want it. Bad.

Exactly. Obama draws a little blood ... finally. Now, will they hammer McCain for thinking that Georgia is the first international crisis since the end of the Cold War?

Obama must have drawn blood for the McCain campaign to respond to that DHL ad.

Just keep micro-targeting and hammering away at "Country First" by pushing McCain as his own political career first... That was the McCain's original push with energy, but it did not take-- Obama as Dr. No..

The sad part, Greg, is that this probably is working.

I'm not impressed with Obama's campaign right now. Look people, negative ads work, and we can't simply dismiss there effectiveness because we think they are stupid. Four years ago, I thought no one would actually believe the swift boat ads, but sure enough . . .

The thing about McCain's campaign is that he is completely coopting Obama's message, but it isn't apparent that Obama's campaign thinks this is a serious problem. What's going on is McCain is saying he's for something--renewable energy, taking on big oil, job creation--and then Obama is saying that McCain isn't really for that thing, but Obama is!

There is absolutely no message or narrative clarity here, and that works in John McCain's favor. As long as people are able to think that McCain couldn't possibly be that bad, he's got a fighting chance.

This whole celebrity thing is nonsense. Celebrity is not something manufactured, it is something that is bestowed. The crowd in Berlin was not solicited by Barack Obama, it was a spontaneous outpouring of respect and of Hope that he can change the World. McCain couldn't attract a roach--unless Cindy gives out free beer.
The whole celebrity thing is ludicrous. McCain is repulsive.

OMG, will McCain ever have a positive ad about issues........this is beyond nuts.

I keep wondering why they keep to this celeb notion when there is very little evidence that it's getting McCain much mileage in attracting new voters to his side.

One possibility is that they are terribly afraid of his acceptance speech. No matter what else the MSM has done during this race, it will be hard for them not to gush over the first African American to be nominated for a major political party. Even if Obama wasn't great at giving speeches.

Reece,

McCain has said what he is FOR in any of his ads. The vast majority of his ads are attack ads on Obama but no real ads on what McCain will do.

The McCain camp clearly thinks this slow-burn defining of Obama is working. Either that, or maybe all the applause for Obama has gotten to McCain's head...
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3) It's the only thing they've got, and it's not much.
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If the "Celebrity" ads could have an possible effect is rallying the GOP base. McCain maybe found something to attract the conservatives who weren't too keen to support him. The "higher taxes" boogieman has always been a point of consensus for conservatives, even if the claim is not true. Along to the "shallow celebrity" image (just like the "flip-flop elitist" for Kerry), the republican base is starting to come home. They never supposed to vote for Obama, but they needed a reason to support McCain, not just because is an war hero.

If there's a better moment for the polls start to tighten up is now and not in October. Maybe McCain is making inroads, but not enough to cripple Obama for the general election. Also, McCain still lacks the ground game operation that Obama is setting in place.

The campaign' strategy has been good, but I agree that they should response faster, better and stronger. Maybe they knew this was coming and they're adapting to the situation. The real campaign begins with the VP selection and the conventions. Let's just wait and see.

The only thing that the McCain campaign is running on is "celebrity" and "higher taxes". Obama is running on tying McCain to Bush and change for a better economy.

I actually think that "celebrity" does LESS damage to Obama than if they ran on "you can't trust Obama because he says he says he was going to do something and doesn't do it ie FISA". I think the LATTER is much more damaging.

"Celebrity" will only go so far because with 3 debates coming up, it will be obvious to everyone that Obama is not an empty headed celebrity but he is intelligent, confident, and informed.

The debates are going to be the MOST important thing that the candidates do and it CAN turn the election either way.

Luckily for Obama the first debate is on the economy and both candidates will be sitting which I found that Obama is the most comfortable in that setting.

The historical record of the Obama Presidential run is going to look very different from the current national press/blog narrative. Obama is like a world class athlete that realizes the secret to winning is to know when to peak and that the rest of the time you work towards that peak.

Obama's primary campaign peaked in February - when he truly won the nomination. By the second week of March, while people were pretending Hillary was still in the race, Obama was playing rope a dope, putting out fires, and not doing anything to tarnish his own brand. Remember how folks wanted him to go scorch earth versus Hillary? How'd that work out?

Obama is hammering McCain at the grass roots level, keeping clean on the national stage, and doing damage control during the "swift boat month." Meanwhile, McCain is playing it for the national press while doing crap at the grass roots level.

My guess is that Obama knows through crazy kung-fu polling exactly what states are truly in play in November and is getting positioned for the post-convention race. I think it works best to think of this month and compare it to last December, when the Hillary team was on the national stage trying to say Obama was a madrasa attending muslim while Obama was racking up voters in Iowa.

I still think Obama lost his rhythym when he started 'triangulating' by caving on telecom immunity and bashing moveon.org for the Patreus add 10 months later.

The brilliant thing that McCain's goons have done is set Obama up for huge criticism when he has his Denver stadium acceptance speech - they are advance framing it as a catastrophe no matter how good it is. It will be an event worthy of a celebrity...

The corporate media complex will be echoing the 'celebrity' angle when they critique that speech.

I agree that Obama has to stop responding to McCain's inferiority complex and go on the attack. It would also be nice if Obama started being a bit more progressive on the campaign stump and in his voting record as well...

- BrianInMKE

chris, dual citizenship is legal in the united states but not for anyone who wants to be president of the US. you folks need to stop discounting this poster concerns as this is really an issue that is growing. obama has NOT answered these questions and when you say he has you are being dishonest.

Coming in Sept. th Obama "foreign policy" ad:

Footage of GWB quote about nations not invading other nations in the 21st century, McCain quot on nations not invading other nations in th 21st century. Bullying and bellicose Georgia statements,

Text imposition: GWB and John McCain, the same "go it alone, unilateral approach to dealing with the rest of the world.

Shots of the protests when GWB visited Germany, including burning US flags.

Text imposition: It's not about celebrity, its about restoring respect for the America we can be again.

Same Berlin speech footage, close-ups of waving US flags.

That's what the Berlin footage was for, not July polls.

The DHL ad is what touches the tender spot. Watch their reaction. Just pound the populism. It isn't complicated. The smears are just preaching to the choir. I talk to people who say BO's a moslim all the time. Confront it with down home democratic populism. The stars are aligned.

More possibilities:
• Liar
• Reckless
• Cranky
• Senile
• Corporate Greed

I think it's too late for Flip Flopper to work very well. Lobbyist Shill seems a bit to general; it doesn't necessarily imply evil.

C'mon, people, it's almost time to think like a Republican. If you want to stimulate the lizard brain...

McCain is insane.

Besides, it's truth in advertising.

Whistle while you work.
John McCain’s a jerk.
Larry Craig did bite his weenie.
Now it doesn’t work!

Everyday in every way the ObaBots show their vacuous stupidity.
But is OK.
After tonguing ObaAss all this time you are beginning to choke on the ObaShit.
All hail the Lawn Jockey in Chief!
All hail Putin's ButtBoy!

McCain couldn't attract a roach--unless Cindy gives out free beer. The whole celebrity thing is ludicrous. McCain is repulsive.

I find all of this concern over the "celebrity" theme pretty goddamn surprising. The "celebrity" attack is a very dangerous theme for McCain to push. The chances of it back-firing on him seem extraordinarily high to me.

Do Americans hate Tiger Woods because he is the biggest and most popular athlete in the world? No, they love him for it because he is a winner. A superstar. A hero to millions here and abroad. How about Michael Phelps? Do we complain about the applause going to HIS head? Americans like this shit, folks. Americans want to be the best, to be admired around the world, to inspire and lead. Most Americans don't want to be hated around the world. They want to take pride in being citizens of the greatest nation in human history. They want to be loved.

With that in mind, can someone explain: how does John McCain benefit from leading off his dreary, grumpy ad on taxes with the sounds and images of hundreds of thousands of hyped up Obama fans chanting Obama's name like his is JFK reincarnate? Granted, I am an Obama fan, but instant reaction to the ad is: why are all those people cheering? As far as branding goes, there are worse things for Barack Obama to be then the biggest political superstar since JFK.

Don't get me wrong, Karl Rove has his moments. Portraying John Kerry as a bumbling, pompous, self-contradictory fool was a GOOD critique. It made Kerry an object of derision and scorn. It was purely negative and highly effective.

Portraying Obama as a political superstar with massive throngs of energized, psyched up supporters? That is a very mixed message. Sure, it turns off a certain kind of grumpy, skeptical voter. But for the average American exhausted by the Bush years, it delivers another message: millions of people love and trust Obama.

I don't see how the politics of envy can work. The message that resonates from this line of politics is one that McCain is a loser. If he wants to play that game, let him.

OK so I am a totally turned off to the DNC voter. I am pissed off the DNC let Bush steal the presidency from Gore, I am pissed off they let Kerry get Swiftboated, I am angry about the way they treated Michigan and Florida delegates in this election.

And now I am super pissed off that they are allowing that wife cheater, bumbling old mean spirited nasty old white haired cuckold of a man put out these attack ads. He is laughing at Obama and the DNC is taking the "high road". F That!

Obama's and the DNC's camp should be watching the videos and ads this website is doing to counter punch old McCain and fight back and stop being pussies.

If they don't and McCain wins, then the Democratic Party is over. Please call McCain out for what his is and be done with it!

And yes... the reason I supported Hillary was because she has the balls to win this. But I will do everything what i can to make sure Obama is our next president. America as we know it will be over if McCain wins. PLEASE DNC WAKE UP AND FIGHT BACK.

My new ad:

McCain, Cuckold to Big Oil
McCain, Cuckold to Bush (Hehe I like that one)
McCain, Cuckolds his wife at Sturgis
McCain, Cuckold... oh the list goes on.