New VoteVets Ad: Veteran Claims McCain Let Him Down
VoteVets goes up, mostly in Virginia, with a new spot that quotes a young veteran lambasting McCain for skipping a vote on Jim Webb's G.I. bill.
"When John McCain was about my age, our country paid his way through college," says Iraq vet Jason Bensley:
The allusion to McCain's government-funded education strikes me as effective. But Bensley then segues into an attack on McCain's many houses and rich friends, which seems like an overly canned recitation of the standard Dem message and detracts a bit from the power of the vet-versus-vet confrontation.
VoteVets is also up with another spot attacking McCain over care for veterans, and the group says it's spending $350,000 to run its ads in Virginia, another $40,000 to run them in New Mexico, and another $700,000 on direct mail hitting McCain on this front.
Late Update: VoteVets is also spending $200,000 to run this ad in North Carolina attacking vulnerable incumbent Senator Elizabeth Dole for voting against body armor for our troops:
Wow. Killer.
October 8, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm almost starting to feel sorry for McCain....ALMOST... Another bucket of water for the drownining man please...
October 8, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Disturbing because it's true.
http://pufferfish.typepad.com/
October 8, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ouch.
October 8, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
BRUTAL!
October 8, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
The ad should point out that McCain didn't just skip the vote, he openly opposed the bill saying it was too generous!
October 8, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know. Seems like that would have some traction. Maybe they're sitting on it?
October 8, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yikes!
October 8, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
SMACK!!!
wait...what was that?
SMACK!!! SMACK!!! SMACK!!!
October 8, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is something I'm surprised Obama doesn't mention more. McCain has been a beneficiary of taxpayer-funded healthcare and education _his entire life._
October 8, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Funny how we're not hearing much at all these days from the ol' POW card.
Didn't do much for him, so they moved to Ayers...not doing much for him, so what's next? Obama's thin physique or Biden's hair plugs will be the next attack??
October 8, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
It is Biden's hair plugs. Did you catch that in the debate last night?
October 8, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think this is an excellent ad.
October 8, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
OMG, yes!!! McCain knows no bounds when it comes to subtle insults - I'm shocked the pundits didn't mention the hair plug line at all!
October 8, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
McSame just isn't the same man since (ahem) cranial circumstances forced him to abandon the comb-over.
October 8, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
If anyone missed it last night, when McCain was talking about the health care plan Senators received, he subtly mentioned that it covers pre-existing conditons and pretty much everything else, including hair plug procedures.
October 8, 2008 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
You know, I thought I heard that but I thought, nah, even he wouldn't go there...maybe he did.
October 8, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, he did go there. Pundits were too obsessed with "That One!" to make mention of it in the post-debate coverage.
October 8, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree that the segue to McCain's houses and lobbyists detracts from the vet-to-vet confrontation. The point seems to be that McCain is no longer truly a vet, but is now instead just a disconnected Washington type.
October 8, 2008 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
This ad in NC should get some attention - strong, specifically targetted message:
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/tough_ad_one_obama_north_carol.php
October 8, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very good ad -- it will play well in both Virginia and North Carolina, where a lot of veterans like myself highly admire Senator Jim Webb's leadership, maturity, and obvious concern for vets -- he also has a son who is currently serving in Iraq. Webb isn't in the pockets of any lobbyists or trying to practice ideology in looking for solutions to the diverse mess that this nation is in. Webb says "thanks" to veterans for their service with more than lip service. Again, very good ad!
October 8, 2008 11:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just sent a donation to vote vets to help keep their ads going. Hope you all do the same!
October 9, 2008 7:02 AM | Reply | Permalink