New Batch Of Ads Suggests Outside Groups Are Gearing Up
A new spate of ads suggests that outside groups are finally getting serious about gearing up to assist the Obama and McCain campaigns in a vital task: Attacking the opponent.
Here's an ad from Born Alive Truth, pushing the smear that Obama is pro-infanticide when it comes to babies born in botched abortions:
The ad features a woman born from a failed abortion over 30 years ago: "But if Barack Obama had his way, I wouldn't be here."
And here's a MoveOn ad going after John McCain, revealing who he really means when he talks about "my friends" -- lobbyists:
So when it comes to gas prices, John McCain won't be taking care of you. He'll be taking care of--" the announcer says, followed by footage of McCain saying, "my friends," over and over.
(TV ads via Ben Smith.)
And the RNC has a new pair of radio ads in Nevada, one in English and the other in Spanish, courting voters in this swing state.
Here's the English one, saying that it's Obama who is "more of the same" on earmarks -- and pushing the false idea that Sarah Palin is some kind of fiscal conservative:
"As Governor, Sarah Palin vetoed nearly half a billion dollars in wasteful spending and cut earmark requests by hundreds of millions of dollars," the announcer says. "Barack Obama? In three short years in the Senate, Obama requested nearly a billion dollars in earmarks."
Of course, an examination of per-capita earmark requests shows that Obama is in fact below the national average on earmarks, and Sarah Palin is way, way, way ahead.
And here's the Spanish ad, pitching McCain as the true pro-immigrant candidate against a do-nothing Obama:
"And while the bill didn't pass, only McCain demonstrated a real commitment to reforming immigration in a way that honored our laws as well as our immigrants and traditions," the announcer says, according to the RNC's official translation -- notable in that McCain and Obama voted almost completely alike on the immigration bill, and McCain has since distanced himself from it.
MoveOn is coming back with a vengeance!
September 16, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nice...they made the ad I was asking for! Demonizing the phrase "my friends...", McCain's rhetorical crutch! The fundamentals of this attack ad are strong.
September 16, 2008 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, if every time he uses that phrase -- and you know he can't stop himself -- people hear "my lobbyists" it can only drag him down. Just as a lot of people will never be able to listen to Palin's Northern twang again without hearing Tina Fey's spot-on parody. This stuff works, and it isn't even nasty or dishonest. How 'bout that?
September 16, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've already written to the Obama campaign and suggested that Joe Biden swipe the "time for a little straight talk" phrase. Any way they can think of to annoy McCain and push his buttons is good.
September 16, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
At least Obama has been good about getting his facts/information straight. If I was a Republican, I don't know who I would turn to or what I would do trying to even convince myself to vote for McCain because of the lies. I couldn't repeat them as fact with a clean-conscious.
September 16, 2008 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
That "born alive" ad is creepy. Does anyone think that will sway an undecided voter. "Barack Obama wanted to murder me, do you want him in the White House?" I mean that's a bit much.
September 16, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dude who's running here against Tom Udall has a "partial birth abortion" ad running against him.
That whole thing is a big fat fucking lie and I wish to hell someone would call these guys on it. There is no such thing as a "partial birth abortion." No such thing.
There are emergency medical procedures that are like late term abortions and they are performed only under emergency circumstances - when the mother will die if it isn't done.
I am sick to death of that fucking lie about a procedure that Does Not Exist.
September 16, 2008 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Democratic counter to this, which hopefully we won't see, would be a soldier with his face blown off, telling the camera that if it weren't for George Bush and John McCain and their ilk, he'd still be...and then show a picture of what he looked like before he went to Iraq. We could do it, sure -- but then we'd be just like them.
September 16, 2008 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, think you're right. The only mouth-breathers who will be impacted by that ad are the ones already voting McCain. That plays strictly to his base.
Pufferfish
September 16, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Its crunch time now. I hope those pro Obama 527's show no mercy on McCain. I am also glad to see those daily tracking polls starting to show McCain's bounce coming to an end. By Friday BO will have his lead back.
September 16, 2008 10:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Reminder: this is a state-by-state race. We've still got a bit of work to do there (though it's not that dire; shore up PA and NM, then pick off CO or VA or OH and we've got 270).
September 16, 2008 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
You all should get a kick out of Mitt Romney's comments about McCain's lying:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY5Plqs5d98
This should be up on the main page.
September 16, 2008 10:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'd still like some verification that that video is not from the primaries.
September 16, 2008 10:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good point.
September 16, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
After a second viewing, you're right. That's from the primary. Romney also made a lot of pro-Obama remarks after Iowa trying to win the argument that he would be more electable vs. Obama than McCain.
Still, it shows the consistency in McCain's record of lies.
September 16, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
So what? It's equally applicable today. Let the McCain camp explain that Romney was against McCain's lying before he was for it.
September 16, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
From:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/proposed-commercial-mac-vs-pc.html
Sunday, September 14, 2008
A Proposed Commercial: Mac vs. PC
(White background. Childlike piano music plays)
(A picture of Barack Obama appears against the background)
VO: (Similar to voice of "Mac" character): Barack Obama is like a Mac.
(A picture of John McCain appears against the background)
VO: (Similar to voice of "PC" character): John McCain is like a PC.
(Picture of a bank against the background)
VO: McCain likes the old economics, corporate welfare, and tax breaks for the wealthy of George W. Bush. He says "the economy is fundamentally strong."
(Quick cuts: Picture of Countrywide Branch, Picture of Bear Stearns, Picture of IndyMac, Picture of Lehman Brothers against background)
(Picture of Obama)
VO: Obama doesn't like old systems that crash.
(Picture of a mother, father, son and daughter against the background)
VO: Obama thinks that when it comes to health care, every American should have the access and support they need.
(Picture of family fades to blank background)
VO: McCain is against these health benefits for children, families and the elderly. He believes that when it comes to access and support for health, it's an "ownership society"--you're on your own.
(Picture of a woman standing against background)
VO: For women, McCain talks a good game, but he is against a woman's right to choose, would repeal Roe v. Wade, and even voted against equal pay for women.
(Picture expands to show many women standing behind her)
VO: Barack Obama believes that every woman should be paid the same for the same work as every man, and that every woman has the right to make her own choices.
(Picture of George W. Bush)
VO: Barack Obama has called for an end to the distortions, mismanagement, and failed policies of the Bush Administration that have left so many families in distress.
(Famed picture of McCain hugging George W. Bush)
VO: McCain has agreed with George W. Bush 90% of the time.
(Picture of McCain)
VO: John McCain. Do you really want to spend another four years with the same old system?
(Music outro. Fade.)
Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/proposed-commercial-mac-vs-pc.html
September 16, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
John McCain isn't a PC. He's a friggin' Underwood manual.
September 16, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
For the 37,824th time: tying McCain to lobbyists sways no votes, persuades no voters to stay home
September 16, 2008 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
well you're obviously convinced. Do you have any kind of back up for that opinion?
September 16, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just don't think this will change anyone's mind -- either they're pro-life or pro-choice and most voters I know are pretty strong in their stance.
http://www.entertonement.com/collections/3591/BornAliveTruth-org-Ad
September 16, 2008 1:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd like to see an ad that shows that McCain?Palin OPPOSE teaching children to beware of sex predators. Do they want to leave children completely unprepared to avoid talking to strangers? getting into cars with possible predators? Do they have any interest in educating small childen for their own protection?
TM
September 16, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
John McCain is more of an abacus than a PC. My pc does a lot more good things than McCain will.
September 16, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
More like comparing a Mac to a typewriter.
September 16, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink