Friday, August 1, 2008

McCain mocks Barack

The McCain campaign posted a new attack ad on the Web today. Seems like there’s a fresh one every day.

What seems peculiar to me is McCain’s tactic of choice: ridicule.

Do you think this ad is smart and effective? Or clumsy and desperate?

13 comments:

blackink said...

I think McCain sounds like a jilted girlfriend or something.

This is not the serious "straight talk" of a presidential contender.

It's something more like a dweeb trying to play the dozens.

Francisco said...

Well, Obama did say the quote in the ad, which made me raise an eyebrow at homeboy's head to make sure it wasn't getting bigger by the minute. But the ad fails. It fails the same way with the 'Celebrity' ad McCain's campaign had last week. All Obama had to do is remind McCain than past and present beloved Republican figures were celebrities first (Arnold and Reagan) Anyway... At this point, I'm ready for Obama to start peppering his speeches with more realistic expectations. If I wanted fluff and pink ponies all the time I would've voted for the Winfrey-Stewart ticket instead.

Christina said...

It put a smile on my face, but I guess I'm not in the core audience.

This commercial suffers from the same problem as the "celebrity" commercial, in that it shows too many relatively positive images of Barack. The clips shown are only immediately negative to someone who already doesn't like BO, not people who are somewhat on the fence.

It's only the last 15 seconds that the commercial gets to the point! And even then, the point is kinda weak. "He may be the one, but is he ready to lead?" Dammit, John, don't tell us "he may be The One." You're already conceding the point! Tell us he's NOT ready to lead, and here's why - boom, boom, boom.

Why am I able to come up with better anti-BO commercials than McCain's staff? Right now, I feel like he's playing on everyone's jealousy of the Popular Girl in School. But I'm not in high school anymore.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure this is a terribly effective ad. It gives no reason why McCain might be a better president. I think the whole thrust of the Republican attack on Obama is designed to make working class whites think Obama considers himself better than they are. That he's an Uppity Negro who doesn't know his place. It's a sad, cynical strategy. Maybe the media will finally see McCain for the hack politician he is.

Undercover Black Man said...

^ You nailed it, Doug! This is clearly an "Uppity Negro" ad... that's the message.

I was a bit puzzled before... wondering why they'd want to remind everybody how popular and inspirational Obama has been.

Michael Fisher said...

They're just channeling Jon Stewart.

Kellybelle said...

All day to day, my nerves have been tapped danced on by some people who happen to be white (I don't want to make a blanket statement like "White people been getting on my nerves all damn day"), so it only makes sense that McCain wd put out some bullshit like this.

If I remember correctly, Oprah called him The One back in Iowa. It had a touch of "Is he 'The [Black]One' who's gonna get elected in our lifetime?" but Oprah transcends race, so I took it as she meant he was the one who was gonna be elected. What's so messianic about that? George W. Bush was The One who won in 2004.

This ad looked corny and like a crazy old man hired a bunch of youtubers to patch together some craziness. If he's The One then hell yeah he's ready to lead. Barack's The One. McCain's just dumb.

Anonymous said...

The Britny ad I just didn't think was all that effective, but what do I know?

The proper response from the Obama camp is ridicule, and when are they going to start DEFINING John McCain as the out-of-touch elitist that he is? They say "John McCain is an honorable man doing dishonorable things"? What a bunch of pussies!

They'd better get off the stick or they're going to lose this thing.

LISA VAZQUEZ said...

Hey there!

I think ridicule will backfire....it smacks of pettiness...

In a presidential campaign, it's more effective to stick to the core issues that Americans care about...McCain has been handling his campaign as though he's in a state race....he has proven over and over and over that he is NOT and will never be ready for the big leagues!

Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa

LISA VAZQUEZ said...

Hey UBM,

Do you remember when Jesse Jackson was running and the Republicans tried to ridicule him because he was born out of wedlock? That surely backfired because it came across as being mean spirited and insensitive of the situations of millions of constituents...the Republicans wrongly assumed that they were only going to stab the blacks with such attacks...how wrong they were!

It totally blew up in their faces when Jesse said in his speech, "Jackson is my third name...when I was little my grandmother gave me her name...to hold me over..." Now THAT was touching.

Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa

Anonymous said...

The quotes were taken out of context especially the shinging light in which BO was making fun of the sarcasm about his campaign.

I think the Moses one may piss off evangelicals and religious folk who are already upset with McCain as is.

I've heard seniors say "he's too old. I know. I speak from experience." How'd he like a mashup of those testimonials?

Phelps said...

It is effective for its purpose. It is another batter at the "you can't criticize Obama without being racist" defense. Since it (like the Brittney ad) obviously isn't racist, the more people use the "uppity code" defense, the more empty that defense becomes.

McCain has to take Obama on in stages, like a siege. These are the initial artillery strikes against the ramparts. The undermining and the assault on the breech come later.

Obama has never had to run a competitive campaign. He's won the primaries in Dem controlled districts via judicial shenanigans, and won against his one real competetor (Ryan) by getting his child custody records unsealed (the dirties of dirty tricks.) All the dirty tricks have already been pulled on McCain in prior campaigns, so Obama is getting his first real fight. And he is unprepared.

Undercover Black Man said...

... the more people use the "uppity code" defense, the more empty that defense becomes.

You mean people like white Southern Republican male David Gergen?

And what the heck you mean Obama's never had a real opponent? He beat the Clinton Machine, dawg!