Big Union Blitzes Battlegrounds With Unusual 13-Minute DVD Attacking McCain Health Care Plan
In an unusual move, one of the largest unions supporting Barack Obama is blitzing some 250,000 senior households in the battleground states with a 13-minute DVD that's solely devoted to attacking John McCain's health care plan in a level of detail that far outdoes your typical direct mail piece.
Here's a first look at the DVD, which has been sent out to the quarter-million households in 18 battleground states by the Service Employees International Union and was sent our way by an SEIU official:
What's interesting about the union's investment in a campaign of this kind is that it's banking on the willingness of voters to sit through a 13-minute policy discussion -- a pretty big gamble in our sound-bite era. It reflects a conviction that the state of our economy has left the election so issue-focused and left voters so hungry for real solutions that they'll willingly muster the attention span required to absorb the DVD's message.
The DVD -- whose existence was previously known about but hadn't reached reporters yet -- offers a very detailed policy critique of McCain's plan. It watches like a documentary, with footage of McCain and lots of interviews with ordinary voters about their health care problems. It also digs deep into the record to accuse McCain of voting against seniors' interests on health care in multiple ways.
Ordinarily I don't think voters would sit through it, but I think it's an excellent gamble right now. I think they will sit through it because I think everyone is scared to death and especially seniors.
A lot of them live off of investment income in addition to social security. There was a time in America when you didn't have to be rich to be able to invest enough to have a nice nest egg and even pass some of it along. Even if you never finished high school!
These people relate to that.
October 10, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just watched it through. A well-done video, I think. It should resonate well with many average Americans. The only challenge would be if they will sit through it, but once they somehow set the disc and play it, they would be into it.
October 10, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's official, McCain camps GOES THERE:
Barack Obama’s attacks on Americans who support John McCain reveal far more about him than they do about John McCain. It is clear that Barack Obama just doesn’t understand regular people and the issues they care about. He dismisses hardworking middle class Americans as clinging to guns and religion, while at the same time attacking average Americans at McCain rallies who are angry at Washington, Wall Street and the status quo.
October 10, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope the nurse shows up with your meds real soon.
October 10, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
regular people...yup
October 10, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
and by the way mans best friend. I didn't say that, McCain spokesman said that:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/Defending_the_crowds.html#comments
October 10, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
The King has no clothe...
October 10, 2008 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is gonna be frog-marched into the Senate Chambers and forced to answer to an Ethics Committee about his disrespectful conduct during this election cycle.
October 10, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
He should be alright.
October 10, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
This response is so over the top that it's ludicrous, and will continue the erosion of "the base".
October 10, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's a parody anymore of an angry little man. That's what he is, but he's so far over the top with it that he's gone over into parody.
October 10, 2008 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
And Obama has never even attacked the supporters of John McCain. No one has. This retort is just plain stupid.
Obama hasn't even mentioned the hate that permeates the McCain "rallies". It's everyone else who has mentioned it.
And are they even aware of how poll after poll after poll indicates that the voter thinks Obama understands their situation better than McCain? Are they even aware that John McCain never even mentioned the "middle class" in the debates?
It's just so outlandish and hyperbolic. Which, I guess, means maybe it will stick.
October 10, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
and do they really wanna be touching that 3rd rail talking about those who want obama dead are "regular people"
that makes NO sense
October 10, 2008 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm terrified.
And I just don't get it -- the news organizations are willing to give air time to those hate rallies as "campaign rallies" whereas rejecting ads that question McCain's health, which is a legitimate question?
Those feeling-good-about-their-objectivity MSM guys really, really piss me off.
October 10, 2008 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Those feel good about their objectivity...
Yoo hoo, David Gregory!! We've got a pissed off viewer over here at Election Central....
October 10, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously? He's not only failing to admonish the people who shout hate speech at his rallies but taking their side in a public statement? We're now officially in Southern Redeemer territory.
October 10, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
McSame & Co. says...
Holy shit! the McSame campaign uttered the phrase middle class???
Boy, they are desperate, aren't they?
October 10, 2008 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
They can never be coherent throughout the campaign. Seriously. They just haphazardly spout whatever comes to their mind at each moment. The only thing they stick to is POWPOWPOW, but who fucking cares about that?
October 10, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
sweet!
Time for Keating Enconomics DVD? Or McCain's lies about Iraq DVD? McCain's lobbyists DVD?
October 10, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder if it's too much to expect that more Americans than just me are dying for FDR to step in right now? I hope Obama morphs into a 21st century FDR - I wonder if more people aren't starting to think along those lines...
October 10, 2008 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
If the Green Jobs idea can work ...
October 10, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love that idea.
October 10, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
my friends, it's a mark of barack obama's desperation that he must focus on distractions like health care when the american people are screaming, literally screaming, with threats and epithets, screaming to concentrate on the issues that matter to them, like the madrassa that senator obama founded with the money he made from freddy mac.
October 10, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
DVDs for seniors? 90% of them will think it is some sort of shiny coaster. The other 10% will stick it in their VCRs.
October 10, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Zod, if you run into my Mom she'll cut off your balls. She's a tech savvy senior; I may have her hack your computer this evening just for fun. Don't be dissing my white haired friends.
Mom lives in Arizona, has an Obama sign in her front yard, risking armed retailiation from the wingnuts in her retirement community.
Damn, I'm getting worked up. Mom and I are jumping on my Triumph. We'll be right over!
By the way, Mom just called. She downloaded the video.
>:-D
October 10, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your mom's the tops, but many senior moms out there are still trying to figure out why their VCRs are blinking 12:00.
October 10, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kazart! The point is conceded.
October 10, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Insider Advantage - Georgia
McCain 49 Obama 46
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/docs/IA_Georgia_101008.htm
October 10, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
No one cares about either Georgia - US or Eastern Europe.
October 10, 2008 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
With MOE 4%...
And yet those idiots are still campaigning in WI, IA, etc.
October 10, 2008 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm telling ya, it's his farewell tour.
October 10, 2008 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Another celebrity endorsement:
Angelina Jolie: "Obama Would Be Great For My Family".
October 10, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin schedules bus tour of West Virginia:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/10/palin-schedules-bus-tour-of-west-virginia/
If Palin is campaigning in WV, their internals for WV must show serious movement towards Obama.
October 10, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Welp, looks like it's over kids.
If Obama is tied in WVA, then we're looking at a landslide of epic proportions.
October 10, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Behold the hypocrisy.
McCain Already Scheming to Play Bush-Style Politics
http://thetruthburns.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/mccain-already-scheming-to-play-bush-style-politics/
October 10, 2008 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am going to wait for the release of the special edition, director's cut, with all the deleted scenes, alternative endings, and interviews with the cast members.
October 10, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Semi-victory on another Alaskan front:
Judge: Palin must preserve e-mails on private accounts.
October 10, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lookit Obama roaring down Route 66. Holy Shit! DVDs from unions; 2:1 advantage on air time; rock solid speaking points for every McMove; full court schmooze by leading democrats; Conservative Republicans bailing like rats on a sinking ship; coat tails could be growing to size LBJ.
Give the O'Campaign some credit for McCrumple's sploundering. Jumpin' Barack Flash it's a Gas Gas (windsolarhydro)Gas!
October 10, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Have you ever wondered why McCain does not want a national health care system?
Check out how many lobbyists for insurance companies he has working on his campaign staff.
Here is a list of lobbyists and employees of major companies working in major positions in the McCain campaign. It will answer any questions you might have about the people who are advising and influencing him.
http://mccainsource.com/corruption?id=0006
October 11, 2008 12:55 AM | Reply | Permalink