just my impression (4.00 / 1)

every time I watch a clip at CNN or MSNBC that is of Obama on the campaign trail stumping, I feel like he is always saying "We can't take 4 more years of Bush/McCain policies".

and it was definitely said over and over in the Biden introduction speech.

So I feel like this is a constant message out there. but that's just me from watching a few hours of tv a week.

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare

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by: Will @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 20:41:36 PM UTC

It isn't just you (4.00 / 2)

It happens to be in every ad. And every speech. I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall the number of times I see people saying it isn't. Totally beyond me how they miss it.

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 21:12:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

McBush (0.00 / 0)

Biden pushed the Bush=McCain theme pretty hard. Supposedly it will also be a theme of the convention. I think it is a core component of the Dems attack plan, even if it has been a little ignored up until recently.  

"Don't hate the media, become the media" -Jello Biafra

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by: LandStander @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 20:47:17 PM UTC

One very big theme of the convention is (4.00 / 2)

That McCain is just more of GW Bush.  

See here.  The Obama people know that there is a core of Dem voters who don't exactly trust or like Obama, but they mistrust and dislike Bush much more.  So the easiest sell is to identify McCain with Bush. Tell/show folks that McCain is pro-life--very much so.  Bad on the economy.  Etc. This was part of the thinking behind choosing Joe Biden.  As I said a number of times, Biden is a very reassuring pick to certain demographics, particularly older white voters and working class white voters.  It's like the gruff old guy at the bar or at the jobsite vouching for the new kid.  And it is reassuring for more intellectual voters who care about fopo and national security issues and revere Biden.  He is kind of a two-fer in that he is an attack dog for the folks here and a reassuring presence for the other kinds of voters.

And Obama has been tying McCain to Bush in his stump speeches all along.

John McCain--He's not who you think he is.

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by: Mimikatz @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 20:50:57 PM UTC

So Says Versailles (0.00 / 0)

Biden may be Versailles' idea of working class, but to claim
he "is a very reassuring pick to certain demographics, particularly older white voters and working class white voters" is simply false.

It's elementary that someone most low-info voters can't tell from Adam cannot be "a very resassuring pick" to them.  He may well become very reassuring to them, once they get to know him, but he does not bring that to the table as something he already is.  Neither his presidential runs nor his past public polling support this claim.


"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

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by: Paul Rosenberg @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 21:44:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

You're saying that (0.00 / 0)

older white voters and working class white voters are low-information by definition?

You got any evidence that the assertion that Biden is a reassuring pick to these groups is "simply false"?  I respect your opinion, but your opinion isn't proof.

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by: Querent @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 23:59:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Where is this ad running? (4.00 / 3)

Does anyone know where this ad is running? Or has it only been released on the internet?

I like this ad a lot.  It is very aggressive.  Bowers calls his other ones five paragraph essays and that's pretty close to true, but what I like about this ad is that it isn't about Obama at all.  It's 30 seconds of attacking McCain.  Most of Obama's other ads, at least up till the 7 houses ads, included a short description of Obama's policies.  So, I like this one because it's all about mocking McCain's economic ineptitude and linking him to Bush.

Besides all that, who can resist a jaunty tune?

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by: Reece @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 21:01:36 PM UTC

Are you kidding? (4.00 / 2)

Hey Chris, go back and watch the last 5 or 6 Obama attack ads. They almost ALL include McCain and Bush standing together.  One even included McCain riding in the golf cart with Poppy Bush.  

Just because not every ad has been as up-front about how much McCain loves Bush doesn't mean the story hasn't been there.

Here are some examples:

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by: existenz @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 21:06:15 PM UTC

McCain/Bush (4.00 / 1)

"One problem I do have with the ad is that it feels like it is out there in isolation. Perhaps I just haven't been paying close enough attention, but Obama hasn't really been calling McCain a third Bush term in a couple of months."

They may have dumped the words "third term" but it seems like every time they mention the word McCain, they put the word Bush right after it, or vice versa -- the Bush/McCain policies, the McCain and George Bush plan, etc.

Someone who didn't know anything about these people might think the guy's name is McCain Bush after listening to Obama talk.

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by: ergotist @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 21:13:24 PM UTC

Also on defense with regard to Ayres (0.00 / 0)

Not falling into the Kerry trap and fighting back. I really do think they have turned the corner.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talk...

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 21:16:19 PM UTC

ROTFL (0.00 / 0)

I'm not a huge Obama fan, but that ad is brilliant - had me laughing out loud in my quiet office.

Well done.

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by: green in brooklyn @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 21:50:53 PM UTC

This Really Is MUCH Much Better (0.00 / 0)

Light-hearted mockery is precisely what's called for.

More, please!

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

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by: Paul Rosenberg @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 22:18:23 PM UTC

Theory of the man (0.00 / 0)

They need to offer their theory, their definition of McCain:

McCain is a double talking, lying, Bush/GOP more of the same, elite/out of touch, erratic hothead.

Every ad should cut to these themes and tell America the true story of who McCain is. So far, they've only hit on 'more of the same' with any consistency. It's not rocket science -- just tell America about the real McCain.

McCain has relentlessly been spinning their theory of who Obama is -- to the point where everyone here could cite precisely what their key points are. Even those of us who live and breath this stuff can't do the same for Obama's theory of McCain...

...Adding, it's still just criminal that Obama lets McCain use the "Straight Talk" brand unfettered and with impunity...

Self-refuting Christine O'Donnell is proof monkeys are still evolving into humans

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by: Steve in Sacto @ Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 22:58:18 PM UTC

The Left fianlly taps into Emotion (0.00 / 0)

It seems that Obama finally read Lakoff's book. Not only are they no longer reacting to McCain's negative framing, but this commercial is a great example of "telling a emotional story" with a liberal frame. It does depart from the traditional Democratic "posit a fact and then defend it with five proofs" type of ad. By telling this story through the lyrics of a popular song, humable by millions of likely voters and by tapping into their existing pleasant memories generated by it, and by turning the ironic point upon McCain/Bush, it's a refreshing and I believe powerful change for the better. Please Sir, I'll have another.

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by: JetSetter @ Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 00:04:06 AM UTC

Liked it more the second time (0.00 / 0)

I just watched this for the second time and found it more "charming," memorable and potent than the first time.  And I also noticed that the "1 and 1 is 2" line is sung when McCain is standing next to Bush and the "and if I could just be like you, what a wonderful world this could be" line is accompanied by that classic "McCain bearhugs Bush" photo.  Though I'm obviously biased, the lyrics and music made "strong macho" McCain seem sad, sorry, hapless and somewhat pitiful.  I wonder how many people more accepting than me of the McCain myth would have a reaction anywhere near my own.

Though I didn't feel the impact so much the first time, I hope this gets lots of paid airplay and/or free-media and/or web-viral exposure.  One of the nice things about it is that it plays off such a catchy and familiar song, and the singer's got a pretty good voice.  I can see it getting imbedded in people's consciousness.  I've watched it a few times now and already find myself humming or singing it, at least in my head.

I also like that they leave the McCain quote on long enough for it to sink in at the beginning, then musically link it to "the price of gas" and "what has happened to the middle class".

I'd love to see this smartly paired with a more hard-hitting but not too harsh/nasty negative ad with the same basic message.  That will drill in the message even more forcefully, but with a more intense and outraged emotional tone.  The hope would be that the musical message will become an ear-worm that keeps repeating in people's heads, accompanied by some of the more hard-hitting and emotional elements of the other ad.  Then again, I don't know anything about political ads, so maybe I'm all wrong about it.  But I'll still be singin' it till November.

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by: mitchipd @ Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 02:06:47 AM UTC

This is a great ad. Please get it to Obama folks! (0.00 / 0)

It should run every 15 minutes during the Republican Convention.   I've been working on a paper all evening and watching key parts of the convention.  This ad is a wonderful ending to the day.  Thanks so much.

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by: cando @ Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 05:45:44 AM UTC