Obama stays on the offensive, takes on McCain’s ‘original maverick’ claim

August 6, 2008

Last week was all about John McCain’s campaign going on the offensive, launching negative ads, and trying to define Barack Obama by exploiting cultural insecurities.

This week, apparently, is all about Obama turning the tables and going on the offensive himself. On Monday, the Obama campaign unveiled its first “contrast” ad of the general election, highlighting the very generous support John McCain has enjoyed from Big Oil, and the lavish tax breaks McCain would extend to the oil industry. Yesterday, we saw the second “contrast” ad from the Obama campaign, emphasizing the fact that McCain has been in Washington for 26, but he hasn’t done anything on energy, except vote against alternative energy and fuel efficiency standards.

Today, the Obama campaign drops the “contrast” and goes straight at McCain’s “maverick” claims.

The spot begins with an excerpt from McCain’s new “broken” ad, quoting the portion in which an announcer calls McCain “the original maverick.” Obama’s spot counters with the word, “Really?”

It then shows McCain boasting, “The president and I agree on most issues. There was a recent study that showed that I voted with the president over ninety percent of the time.” A voice over tells viewers, “John McCain supports Bush’s tax cuts for millionaires, but nothing for a hundred million households. He’s for billions in new oil company giveaways, while gas prices soar. And for tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. The original maverick? Or just more of the same?”

Also note the speed with which the campaign turned this around. McCain’s ad was released yesterday. By last night, Obama’s response ad was making the rounds.

And while we’re at it, this ad wasn’t formally unveiled by the campaign to the media, but it started popping up on the air in a few select states in recent days.

It’s similar, of course, to the first “contrast” ad, except it emphasizes how baseless McCain’s attacks have been.

The theme underlying each of the ads is pretty obvious: more of the same, third Bush term. The hope has always been that this election would become a referendum on the current president, and this week’s ads suggest Obama’s campaign is still thinking in that direction.

“Also note the speech with which the campaign turned this around.”

I’d be a lot more interested in the speed with which the campaign turned this around.

This is how it should be. Attack and counter-attack. Be ready for what they throw and be clever in your responses.

I still think that we should point out that JSMcC*nt is branded with the Republican’t brand now, and thus is no longer a Maverick.

  • I just read an interesting comment on another website, if the republicans keep saying Obama is an outstanding young man, is it fair to respond that McCain is an outstanding senior citizen, but is he ready to lead?

  • Inery ad. Obama should use Bush/McCain/Cheney.

    McCain wants to stay the course. He wants to continue what Bush and Cheney have started.

    If a bank fails. Its due to the current Bush economic policy. And McCain wants to continue theses policies.

    Its that simple.

  • The theme underlying each of the ads is pretty obvious: more of the same, third Bush term. The hope has always been that this election would become a referendum on the current president, and this week’s ads suggest Obama’s campaign is still thinking in that direction.

    Better yet, this week’s ads suggest that, rather than just wishing and hoping, Obama’s campaign is working to ensure this election will become a referendum on the current president.

  • People have been hearing for years that McCain is an “independent minded” Republican. He was branded a long time ago and that brand will be tough to dislogde. Tough, but not impossible.

    In time, so-called “independent minded” voters will have doubts about McCain’s bona fides as an independent and that, coupled with the enthusiasm gap, will give Obama a bigger win than it looks now.

  • As easy as falling off a log. McBush’s reputation as a free thinker is profoundly bogus and bashing that silly perception is harvesting low hanging fruit. Plus it’s a bumper crop.

    Keeping McBush and Shruby joined at the single brain cell they share will cause sweet, ongoing, foot stamping tantrums and whining that McBush is his own incompetent RepubCo puppet and not a clone of the current incompetent RepubCo puppet.

    It’s about time.

  • Given that the MSM has gone to great lengths to push the McSame “Maverick” meme, I’m glad the Obama camp is finally, finally, debunking it.

  • Excellent ad, and the soundbite has been getting broad circulation lately.

    OT, but I was over in the comments section at Jake Tapper’s blog, and they kept deleting comments from me and other people that were critical of McCain. Not vulgar, not violating any speech codes, etc. — just critical. One was a comment about McCain breaking FEC rules, and mine was a note about NASCAR supporting the tire-inflation argument. Both scrubbed. I noted that in another comment, and that was scrubbed too.

    http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/

  • is it fair to respond that McCain is an outstanding senior citizen, but is he ready to lead?

    That was pretty much the front part — and funniest part — of the Paris Hilton rebuttal.

  • Dale, that’s a hell of a good line there.

    “Obama may not have totally passed the leadership test yet, but McCain has already failed it.”

    How much more Republican “leadership” can America take?
    (show McCain hugging Bush)

  • Some five or six years ago, McCain actually was a maverick of sorts. But he’s not one today. Which means he’s merely a former maverick.

    I think that from now on, whenever I hear someone refer to McCain as a maverick, I am going to immediately interrupt them and correct them by saying “former maverick.”

    Maybe if enough of us use the term “former maverick,” it will catch on.

  • “McCain has been in Washington for 26, but he hasn’t done anything on energy”

    I think you mean “26 years.”

    So good to see Obama finally fighting back!

  • I had a similiar experience as TR, mine was at CNN Wolf Blitzer situation room, anything I said critical of McCain was scrubbed, also anytime I said Wolf was pro McCain, my comment was scrubbed. And they say there is no media bias!

  • “McCain is a fine grandfatherly figure…but is he still able to lead?”

    I like that meme, it implies respect, but is explicit that perhaps his time has passed.

  • Racer X said:
    Dale, that’s a hell of a good line there.
    “Obama may not have totally passed the leadership test yet, but McCain has already failed it.”
    How much more Republican “leadership” can America take?
    (show McCain hugging Bush)

    Thanks Racer X. Film it, Dano. We need a Youtube rapid response team that can put spots together in a couple of hours and post them.

  • They’ve really gotta stop using the phrases “more of the same” and “politics as usual” and “4 more years” etc. Those are so very tired – they were used often by the local nickel-and-dime politicians in my area for the recent primary election, and they are really meaningless. I think Obama has a great message here, and he needs to be strong, but putting “Or just more of the same?” at the end weakens the message, IMHO, by inserting a badly cliched election material phrase.

  • slappy magoo said:

    “McCain is a fine grandfatherly figure…but is he still able to lead?”

    I like that meme, it implies respect, but is explicit that perhaps his time has passed.

    That is a good one.

    I’d like to see a spot of a vital man about Obama’s age striding purposefully through a house with voice over saying, “We need vital strong leadership in an age of spiraling challenges.” With the camera on the guy who looks youngish and vital. Then more abou the t high-pressure job of the presidency needing a man of vaitality. Then at a dramatic point the man opens a door and sitting in a rocking chair is a McCain figure dozing off and the man says, “Grandpa will you lead the nation for us?” The old man looks a little confused then says “I guess so.”

  • The Republicans think that a Senator who only voted with Bush 90% of the time IS an independent.

  • The picture of McCain and Bush together is fantastic. Obama needs to put it on buttons or something.

    It’s funny. I showed a McCain supporter the other quote in which McCain claims he’s essentially Bush v.2, and the guy accused me of taking the quote out of context.
    Shows you how much trouble the McCain camp is in. It’s dug itself a hole.

  • McCain would be a total disaster to the US and the world. This man is in old age senility! He cannot give a speech with out reading from script provided by his handlers. There are no doubt a large flow of Bush\Cheney funding supporting McCain for obvious reasons. And don’t forget! Many of the psychotic bunch of world conquering NEOCONS are still embedded in the government, and are waiting too continue that program should this war mongering individual McCain be elected. Bush was a puppet to Cheney his handler for the oil Barrons and neocons. McCain will be a walk in the park for a feeble Pupetier to control, for a continuation of the buisness as usal of the GOP.

  • After offering up Cindy for the Miss Buffalo Chip pageant in Sturgis yesterday, I’m thinking “McCain has the dirty old man/ creepy elderly uncle thing down, but is he ready to lead America? might be more apropos :-/ OY.

  • Boy, how easily people are duped by the media. This report is so obviously slanted to back Obama, and the Kool-Aid drinkers are sooo eager to follow the lead. Is there anyone, a democrat anywhere, who can think for himself?

  • In a surprise move today, the McCain campaign agreed to stop lying about Barack Obama, provided the Obama campaign would please stop telling the truth about John McCain.

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