Obama Hits Back With “Celebrity” Ad Against McCain
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, Barack, Democrats, McCain, Media, VideoTurnabout being fair play and all, you knew this was coming…especially since the core message is accurate. I mean, nearly every other Republican nominee (with the exception of maybe Giuliani) could have credibly called out Obama as merely a political celeb and gotten away with it, but McCain’s political celebrity status has been evident for years and as such it made his ads completely hollow.
Basically, you can’t accuse your opponent of something that you yourself are guilty of and not expect to be slapped back for it.
In any event, here’s the ad…
What do you think? Effective push back? Too little too late?
And one last note for those who will characterize this as Obama taking the low road. I’ll remind you that this ad never would have been created had McCain not attacked first. And that has been a pretty consistent theme with Obama. McCain attacks and he responds. But he hasn’t attacked first yet. I expect that day to come sooner or later, but so far he has tried to keep this campaign as positive as McCain has allowed.
More as it develops…
UPDATE-
Alan rightly points out in the comments section that this ad contains a unsubstantiated cheap shot at McCain…
Also, what was that whole part about McCain giving away money to corporations and giving nothing to the people. That’s just blatant demonization. Might as well draw horns and a pitchfork over the photo of McCain.
If Obama would have left out the line that the people got almost nothing, there wouldn’t be much to say, but given that McCain now backs the Bush tax cuts, it’s a distortion of his record.
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August 11th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Whether justified or not, this ad plays into the “no real substance” problem Obama still has. Its good that Obama is hitting back, but where’s the beef? Hit back on policy more strongly first, then maybe attacking on style won’t seem so light. Yes, I know there is policy detail on the websight, but it’s not reaching into living rooms. I’m afraid that in the absence of more policy detail and clarity on Obama’s part, this kind of think plays right into the McCain strategy. I’m holding my breath!!
August 11th, 2008 at 11:43 am
One more thing – this ad kind of makes McCain look good. It reminds us of the time when he was a media darling when we all kind of liked him.
August 11th, 2008 at 11:55 am
You know, I don’t think McCain’s point is that Obama is a celebrity, but that Obama is a vapid celebrity (a la Paris Hilton). For Obama to come back and say McCain a celebrity too just seems silly. Most national politicians are celebrities. The point is: what kind of celebrity does America want?
Also, what was that whole part about McCain giving away money to corporations and giving nothing to the people. That’s just blatant demonization. Might as well draw horns and a pitchfork over the photo of McCain.
This campaign has turned puerile and it’s not even the end of August. Ugh.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I’m sensing that as we move towards November, the site here is delving deeper and deeper into “Obama apologist” territory. The pre-emptive admonishment in the last paragraph is pretty telling….
August 11th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I don’t care who you’re voting for, these ads are distracting from the important issues.
August 11th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
People already accuse me of being an Obama apologist, so this is nothing new. Do I like ads like this? No. But do I think they’re necessary to win? Yes.
To me, McCain offers very little change from what Bush has brought us. Sure, he has some more alternative energy policies and he actually believes in global warming, but the differences between him and Bush basically stop there.
If Obama goes for the jugular in the same way McCain did with his celebrity ad (i.e. without being provoked) I’ll call it out.
But Alan, you’re right, that was a cheap shot. I’ll post something to that effect.