The Obama campaign has release two new ads, both of which are more aggressive in tone than we’ve seen before.
Check them out here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gG53SH
A friend of mine thinks it’s too little too late. I stil feel the debates will sharpen things up for any undecided.
What do you think of these ads?
It’s actually probably pretty good timing. The furor over the conventions is over, and the furor over Palin is beginning to die down. Had he released these a week earlier, they would’ve gotten lost in the noise over Palin.
I like Real Change a lot better than Still. I suppose attacking the opponent is inevitable, but to my mind Obama outlining why he’s better instead of why McCain is worse comes off as a much stronger ad. It’s an effective rebuttal to those who didn’t watch the convention and think Obama’s an empty suit with no actual plans.
Well why would he have come out with an ad that defines what “real” change is, as opposed to just a slogan, before his opponent tried to hijack his message of change? Since John McCain just decided to jump on the ‘change’ bandwagon at his convention, it’s only now that an ad like that becomes necessary. So the charge of “too little, too late” doesn’t seem to apply in this case.
I like the first ad better than the second, if only because the second has an allegation in it that I feel is a bit disingenuous. McCain never said he doesn’t understand the economy, he said he doesn’t understand it as well as he should. The statement McCain made is damning enough as it stands, it doesn’t need to be truncated in a way that implies a different meaning altogether.
The one I’m afraid will backfire is the things have changed since 1982one. I can hear a chorus of millions of people singing “well I don’t know how to use a computer neither! That mean I’m ignurnt and unimpotent?” and adding to the “Obama’s an elitist” meme. They won’t make it to the tax cut records and substantive stuff.
While I agree that’s going to raise some ire, how likely is it Obama would’ve gotten those votes anyway? Right now he appears to be aiming right smack at the middle class, where computer literacy is pretty strong.
That’s an interesting point. And you know, the truth is, Obama is probably the first candidate who really knows (if he does know) how to use a computer. Strip away all the crap about inventing the Internet, and I am quite sure Al Gore is as un-net-savvy as most 50 year old Dads are. Does anyone here think GWB could do an effective Google search? Could Joe Biden? I am pretty sure none of them could, as my own father could not begin to dream of doing, and it is not because they are “stupid” or “out of touch.” It’s truly a generational thing. If Obama is as computer savvy as some of us, and McCain isn’t, that is another way of saying, Obama’s the latest-born Pres. candidate you’ve ever seen, i.e., he’s younger.
It’s not irrelevant, but it’s not really an additional data point to the “McCain is old” meme.
Well, where’s that ad airing? That might have something to do with the subject matter.
Edited to add: Huerta, “McCain is old” isn’t just a meme. The man is old.
Your larger point is true, but Gore isn’t a good example. He’s a pretty famous nerd. The internet didn’t have much of a role in politics in 2000 when he ran, but I’m sure that when the blogosphere exploded a few years later he knew all about it.
My mom is 77 and could kick most people’s buts in a google-searching contest. She’s learned a lot about computers. My MIL is a bit younger and not quite as good, but we communicate via email regularly.
That is NICE!
I’m fairly confident that he knows how to send an email.
The operative word here being “crap.” You should know better by now that he never claimed that.
I’ve heard that Obama is supposed to be making a speech in New Hampshire today which is expected to show his more aggressive tack. Anybody know when he’s speaking? Is it going to be carried live by anybody?
Memes can be true or false. (Or indeterminate or meaningless.)
They’re decent. I thought attacking McCain because he can’t use a computer was a mistake, not only because he may alienate many who don’t know how to use a computer, but more importantly, because you don’t need to know how to use a computer to run the country. It’s an irrelevant point that dilutes the other good points made in that ad.
Also, I think that if he going to go after McCain and his fake “change” slogan, he should bring up the fact that McCain is using Bush’s speech writers (e.g. for Palin’s convention speech) and is using Bush’s smear campaign gurus (the ones he used against McCain himself in 2000). Obama should say something like “He won’t even run a campaign that’s different to Bush’s. And he expects us to believe that he will run the country differently than Bush?”
I don’t know. . . Obama has spent so much time painting himself as the “good guy” and not like “ordinary” politicians. . . I think these might play poorly, but, it’s worth a shot.
My MIL is 70 and used to make a living doing desktop publishing - not only can she set up an email, she can fix your Mac, create a web page, and install Linux.
My dad is younger, less literate, but has been a salesman through the internetification of the sales force - he HAS to email - and log into web apps in order to submit sales orders, do foreasting, etc. He’s strictly an end user (though he’s stopped calling me until after it doesn’t work after a complete reboot of his system), but he can send an email.
Obama is walking a fine line by risking driving as many people away as he pulls into the tent with more aggressive attacks. One of McCain’s major strengths is his personal history. Just this week, more video of his POW release surfaced. The GOP could easily take some of what Obama is saying over video of McCain limping off the bus in 1973 and say something like “Barack Obama says John McCain can’t use a computer. Maybe he’s not web savvy…but he’s been serving the American people with loyalty and sacrifice for decades. As President, he’ll take on the enemies of our country with the same resolve and dedication he always has.” Sort of like John Kerry tried in 2004…but much more effective.
I’m sure this will kick off a firestorm of backpedaling and justification, but just today the folks at http://www.electoral-vote.com/ turned the electoral vote total to 270 for McCain for the first time. In polling data released this week, McCain has gone from losing to winning in New Mexico and South Dakota. He’s closed the gap to less than five points in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Colorado and even Washington State. He has narrow leads in Florida and Virginia. Say what you will about it being early in the race or quote margins of error if you like…but this is recent quantifiable polling data showing progress for McCain in eight states that carry a total of 106 electoral votes.
Sure things could change…but Sarah Palin is proving to be a very effective weapon in energizing both conservatives and women. If she remains effective and the McCain campaign lives in the rust belt and the west to consolidate gains and try to take Michigan and Pennsylvania, Obama is done.
Not at all sure. Its clear to me that, for some reason, the Obamistas decided that the “high road” was best: let the other guy scream and grebble, stay cool and calm, and let him make a fool of himself. Maybe that’s right, maybe it isn’t.
Thing is, not sure “fighting back” makes any real difference. The McCaininites are not interested in, nor constrained by facts. Their technique, proven in its simplicity, is to “get it out there”, let the accusation hang like a stench in the room, and force Obama to deny it. Now, that works, but seems to me it only works on those already inclined to buy it - somebody already inclined to vote for McCain may become more inclined, but thats not much of a change.
Obama’s challenge is to be un-scary, to appear as reasonable and thoughtful as, well, he is. He has no chance at all of challenging every lie they throw at him, they’ll just come up with ten more.
Obama’s smarter than me, and got his political education in Chicago’s gladiator school. I’m inclined to trust his judgement. Emotionally, I would like to see hard hitting ads that slap McCain upside hs head. But if that would lose, the payoff isn’t there.
I think history has shown that it also works on those who are on the fence, and thus can swing the election.
You can watch it live and in progress right now on his website.
