Senator Small’s version of ‘Friday fun’

August 1, 2008

A McCain campaign aide described this new web video as “a little Friday fun,” hoping, desperately, that major news outlets will pick this up and air it for free. So, why am I playing along? Featuring the latest inanity from the single most annoying presidential campaign in modern history?

For a few reasons. One, I’m not CNN, so it’s not like my post on the subject will necessarily lead to a viral web sensation. Two, I think it’s always worth noting what the McCain campaign is up to.

And this is what they’re up to.

For those who can’t watch clips online, the video is basically a montage of a bunch of out-of-context quotes intended to make Barack Obama look as if he’s running as some kind of messiah candidate. There’s a huge emphasis on Obama being “The One.” (I kept waiting for Morpheus and Trinity to show up, offering some kind of endorsement. Instead, the ad throws in a shot of Charlton Heston as Moses.) The narrator tells the viewer, “He can do no wrong.”

The most annoying aspect, of course, was the campaign’s use of this bogus, anonymous quote the Washington Post irresponsibly ran yesterday: “I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions.” Obama was actually saying the opposite.

But the big-picture takeaway is the reinforcement of the problem McCain’s had all week: his campaign seems intent on making him smaller and smaller as the campaign drags on.

We talked yesterday about McCain as Senator Small. McCain’s strength as a political celebrity has always been his stature. His larger-than-life personal narrative. His credibility as a serious leader who takes seriously words like “honor” and “character.”

That John McCain has left the building, replaced with a small man running ads about Britney Spears.

The report from ABC News’ Jake Tapper struck the right note.

In case you were wondering if Sen. John McCain was going to end the week on a note of substance and the kind of high-minded politics the presumptive GOP nominee said he would like to see in this campaign, a new web video indicates that wasn’t in the cards.

A new web video called “The One” mocks Obama as messianic, using some of Obama’s words against him — some fairly and others unfairly. The ad even juxtaposes Obama with a scene from The Ten Commandments, with Charlton Heston, as Moses, parting the Red Sea. […]

The John McCain of 2000 would not have run this campaign.

Then again, the John McCain of 2000 lost.

Fair enough. In fact, the 2000 McCain lost in part because Bush and Rove sold their soul and ran a cheap campaign — just like McCain is doing now.

I have to say, when I watch some McCain ads, sometimes I think, “These guys are wrong.” Other times I think, “These guys are lying.” And watching today’s video, I thought, “These guys are assholes.”

Honestly, has there ever been a less-likeable presidential campaign? Ever?

well Steve, if he’s made it so people don’t want to have a beer with him, that should be to our benefit. right? *hopes*

  • Ah, more lying from the McCain camp. But it’s straight-talking, mavericky lying. The poor guy’s only saying things like this because that’s what you’ve got to do to win elections in America; he didn’t really mean any of it.

    See, I can be a pundit too!

  • This is the one “attack” that drives me crazy. I keep getting e-mails from “uninformed” idiots, uh, I mean uneducated people regarding this topic. The e-mail states the Book of Revelation predicts the anit-Christ will have great following, be of Muslim decent, be of dark color, etc. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! I just want to scream.

  • This is barely worthy of Saturday Night Live (I’m talking at its currently enemic level, this wouldn’t even have been mentioned back in the 70s or 80s). This is the kind of stuff usually reserved for comedians like Leno and his ilk. Not a major Presidential candidate.

    This really does make McCain look small and petty.

    The scary thing is that this man has very real chance to become President. This country already elected a small petty to the Presidency one and half times in last eight years so I believe that just enough American’s might buy this crap to get McCain elected.

  • I have to say, when I watch some McCain ads, sometimes I think, “These guys are wrong.” Other times I think, “These guys are lying.” And watching today’s video, I thought, “These guys are assholes.”

    Proof of evolution right there.

  • These guys obviously designed an ad campaign that they’re running pell mell with. They couldn’t wait for Obama to make a statement that fit well with their “race card” segment, so they hopped on the first one that could be wedged into their pre-set campaign.

    I’m just surprised at how many of these “bright” ideas they’re trying to fit in before the Dem convention.

    After reading the glowing article in today’s WaPo about McCain, I wonder if the MSM has any ability to take time out from their pre-set pro-McCain campaign and report on what’s actually going on. and truthfully going on – never mind the crap about “both” sides running negative campaigns, like Andrea Mitchell stupidly stated yesterday.

  • The end undercuts the mockery. “He may be the one but is he ready to lead?”

    Nothing about the rest of the ad raises question about his readiness, just his eagerness. It makes no sense.

  • look what has happened in the last week: McCain lost Joe Klein; Andrea Mitchell and Tapper’s comments are not flattering. McCain is bending his “friendship” with media. the worm is turning.

  • A Matrix reference would be way too modern for McCain. Showing clips from old movies whose actors are deceased reinforces how out of touch he is with the country…

  • A couple of months ago I was fairly neutral about McCain I was not going to vote for him but I did not dislike him. That has changed and I now dislike him almost as much as I dislike his evil twin Bush. I will send Obama some more money this month.

  • In response to John McCain’s rather tasteless “Celebrity” ad, might I suggest as reply one in which The Terrible-Tempered Mr. Bang is likened to none other than the Cherry Sisters–the single-worst act ever in the history of vaudeville whose attempts to moralise the stage made them their own worst joke.

  • From #3:
    The e-mail states the Book of Revelation predicts the anit-Christ will have great following, be of Muslim decent, be of dark color, etc.

    So then these people should actually WANT to vote for Obama to fulfill the prophecy, right? It’s the same mindset that says Revelation foretells a nuclear conflagration in the Middle East, so we should do what we can to make this happen so Jesus can come back. So go ahead, vote for Obama. I don’t really care why they do.

  • CB, you don’t have to worry about making this go viral, McCain’s base will. My local news played his last celeb ad. They don’t need $$ for ads, the media is doing it for them. Walmart is stumping for the GOP. At what point do these things become campaign contributions?

    Rest assured, it will go viral. Brought to you by every news agency from coast-to-coast.

    p.s. Oh, if only Obama could give me Trinity’s ass. That I should ever look that good in latex – I would sell my soul.

  • Ok, I am not religious, not in any way, shape or form, nor do I know much about religion, so do feel free to correct me….

    Wasn’t Revelations written BEFORE there WAS a Muslim religion? Could someone point me to the passage in Revelations that has the anti-Christ prediction?

  • “In fact, the 2000 McCain lost in part because Bush and Rove sold their soul and ran a cheap campaign — just like McCain is doing now.”

    Seriously? You think W and Rove just got around to selling their souls then? Nah … it happend a long long time before that.

  • Oh, if only Obama could give me Trinity’s ass. -MsJoanne

    It always gets a little blue ’round here on Fridays. Must be something in the water.

  • emd- thank you. I have been trying to come up with a response to this stupidity. I have been following Obama’s lead, and “poo-poo”-ing it.

    MsJoane-I actually read an abbreviated version of Revelations online, and cannot find the basis for this scare-tactic. I was hoping for clarification as well.

  • MsJoanne –

    You’re correct that Revelations was written about 400 years prior to the Muslim religion being in existence. The smear e-mail doesn’t correspond to particular verse.

    I know Snopes has an entry about this, so you could find more info there.

  • What do you think? It seems like this type of smear campaign could work near the election, kind of like a new Osama video.

    But doing this now must indicate that McCain cannot afford to wait that long. For instance, If Obama started to consistently poll at 50-55% he might be written off entirely, and then his attacks would look even more desperate. Hillary’s attacks took on that flavor even though she was winning toward the end of the campaign, simply because with each win her chances for an overall win actually went down.

    With McCain, these types of attacks might not swing more than a few percent from Obama and maybe add them to McCain. That is a lot if the race is close, but not if Obama is up by 10-15%.

  • I thought it was kind of funny. I can’t imagine they are going to spend the money to actually run it. Nothing in that ad was even bad. It might have been created by one guy on a pc. Shit quality for sure. I laughed at it’s smallness. Nothing to get our panties in a bunch over.

  • McCain wants to “lighten” things up. As Obama said last month that “they” would say “Oh, and did I mention that he is black”?

    The new line is: “Oh, did I mention that he is black? Ha Ha!” What a knee slapper.

  • This latest ad will fall right into the same trap that the others did, by giving Obama yet another example of “Old Politics”, as devoid of substance as McCain’s brain is devoid of information. And I agree that the media heathers have pretty much started to turn on their BBQ buddy because he keeps lying blatantly, he’s been called on it a few times, and they don’t want to be the last one to say he’s a lying dirtbag.

    Tired Old Politics has a poster boy, and his name is John McCain.

  • So its gone from relentless smears to hostile ridicule. This is what happens when you don’t smash a bully in his teeth. In 2004 they turned John Kerry into a joke, and they’re doing the very same thing to Obama. And the Democrats are cowering, once again, letting them do it. Once you become a joke you’re finished. Of course this will be played over and over and over on every news show for a week or untill the next one appears. The responce from Camp Obama? I’m betting it will be a very piqued, “Its unfortunate that Sen, McCain would stoop to this.”

    If they let John McCain survive this in one piece you can throw the towel in.

    I though Obama promised us he was a tough chicago style politician. I’ve lived in chicago my whole life. He sure isn’t acting like one. Maybe its time to bring in Rich Daley to help out.

  • BTW, if you guys are looking for a rational reason for fundies to believe anything…

  • They’re hypnotized by Mr Obama.

    That’s good. Even a clone of Agent Smalls can’t do any real damage.

  • SaintZak, I share your concern, but if Obama hauls off and slugs McCain for being a bully the heathers will make Obama into a flipflopper for “going negative”.

    I think he has to let McCain hang McCain.

  • If these idiots could be expected to actually read their Bibles and find out that the Antichrist is supposed to be of Jewish descent, they might also read the message of Christ and realize that he is the antithesis of all the Republican Party stands for.

    Jesus is the Republicans’ Antichrist… but I digress. High profile Christian Evangelicals know Obama cannot be the Antichrist precisely because he is not Jewish.


  • Old School: You’re correct that Revelations was written about 400 years prior to the Muslim religion being in existence. The smear e-mail doesn’t correspond to particular verse.

    Despite what they’ll claim over and over, very little of a modern Christian’s world view does.

    Faith always trumps fact.

  • Look, if people fall for this THERE IS NOTHING OBAMA CAN DO ABOUT IT! Running attack ads at McCain that make blogosphere inhabitants feel better will not help. All he can do is what he did, which at least in in the clip I saw was to laugh it off.
    My personal opinion is that the American people are too cowardly to change, no matter how much they say want change. That’s why I’m not running for President.
    Obama is. He’s got to play his own hand. Go out and do something for the campaign if you’re worried.
    Since it’s August 1, I recommend going to the beach first, though. Clears the head.

  • Republicans have never developed any social skills beyond taunting, bullying playground behavior — complete with the whining and squirming that goes on when they get caught by the teacher.

    This is nothing but an attempt to make fun of a decent guy who’s getting better grades. No one associated with this kind of childish behavior deserves to be dog catcher.

  • Psst–John McCain has problems with telling the truth. Pass it on. . .

    beep52, LOL! But that’s ageism, ya know.

  • I must not get the ad.

    Isn’t Moses consider great because he lead his people out of Egypt?
    Aren’t all great lleaders confident in their abilities?
    If Obama can part the sea then wouldn’t by default he be ready to lead?

    I know I would be on the street peddling for Obama and doing what he asked me to do if he made getting my car to Hawaii a little easier.

  • From Wikipedia entry about Moses…

    L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, maintained that ancient Egypt was “a battleground between two space groups” who infiltrated humanity and become integral to Egyptian culture. (What is Knowable to the PC, 1961) In Responsibility and the State of OT, he claimed that Moses had a “disintegrator pistol”.

    If only Obama had that “disintegrator pistol” thingie!

  • For half the audience this video is a joke of which the butt is Obama; for the other half, God just announced that Barack is the anti-Christ. Is there a winning coalition in their somewhere. Johnny hopes so.

  • With Chelsea’s help here’s a little more blog-pimping:
    McCain Blog Outreach Coordinator
    Jenifer D.
    ml johnston
    Roddy McCorley

    Couple of good lines:
    Whine away, Republicans, and make it extra stupid. Your bosses at ExxonMobil don’t pay you to make sense, they pay you to make noise. – Racer X

    “The McCain campaign will obsess over this, the media will be thrilled to have a new chew-toy, and the political process will get slightly more mind-numbing that it was yesterday.” Steve Benen

  • Here’s a thought.

    It was clear last week that McCain’s campaign began to unravel once Maliki endorsed Obama’s position on Iraq. Certainly these negative commercials are a consequence of that, but to what end? Does McCain think that he can win the election this way? Maybe, but his brand will be seriously damaged in the process and without a Republican rubber stamp congress he won’t be able to govern. Perhaps though he now sees his chance of winning to be very slim, and the goal is to leave Obama a bloodied winner and keep the hard right motivated to obstruct the Obama presidency.

    Just a thought.

  • The idea is to inflame the Nationalists opposed to world unity and all the conspiracy theorists addled by amateur occultism and “dajal/antichrist” misunderstandings (in fact the whole thing, the “end times” in both Muslim and Christian texts, is typical mystic symbolism for personal enlightenment).

    Only the sort of childish mind that thinks Adam and Eve were actual people is worried about an antichrist personality, for God’s sake, but unfortunately across the web particularly this superstitious and power-suspicious fear has been inflamed by laughably-selective readings and lurid adolescent imaginations.

    This antichrist BS is also a vaguely-received notion by the sort of people who innocently believe Fox News, and of course the ad will end up there as well very soon. This is the whole ‘secret’ strategy, one that even the most the corrupt and vulgar Republican in the mainstream will never openly reveal–it suggests simply “Don’t vote for him, he was sent by the devil to take over the world.” I mean, really, say it out loud. Ironically, what the McCain camp is doing here is… ungodly.

  • It’s obvious the McCain guys have a plan — my feeling is that

    1) They are going after the very stupid sector of the population that is already Republican or racist. These ads are not targeting swing voters — it’s a consolidation of the base.

    2) The ads are becoming more outrageous to cause Obama to react or become negative himself. This would help them start to convert some people on the edge. They need Obama to stop talking about solutions and start spending all his time DEFENDING himself. This puts the campaign in the direction conservatives want it to go. Things that won’t work:

    a) A debate between the candidates would be a total disaster for McCain.
    b) McCain talking about real issues – -he doesn’t have any kind of plan that would work
    c) Referring to past success. The only past people remember is the last 8 years and they hate it.

    The thinking is simple: Rove’s guy knows McCain will lose. About 99% guaranteed. So they decide to go nuclear. This is a smart decision because it’s the only option. Going nuclear cannot damage McCain as he has no chance. These ads have a small chance of becoming THE focus of the campaign. And possibly derailing Obama. The chance is very small but again — with a 99% chance of losing anyway — the strategy of being insane is better than being civil.

    The real loss will be, when McCain loses — he will become a nobody. He may eventually lose his senate seat if there’s major backlash and he’s probably not thinking it through. Instead of losing gracefully — he will blow up. Well. Good. I have a feeling Obama will only surge as the ads escalate. Obama is no John Kerry. Turning positives into negatives (Is Obama too popular?) is not going to do anything but generate media buzz. Then they need to do a new ad. With YouTube — people’s attention span’s are about 5 hours. Shit — this ‘Messiah’ ad is old news already. Unless they keep up the ad every 3 days tempo — it won’t work.

  • Where are all the Democratic surrogates to dispel this blathering idiot?

    Hillary Clinton? Anything to say about this smear?

    Bill Clinton? How about some of your wonderful rhetorical come backs that will make people pay attention?

    Terry McAulliffe? How about acting like a rabid dog, just like when you were defending Hillary a few days before she dropped out?

    John Kerry? Are you still around? Any suggestions about that swiftboating incident you wouldn’t allow to happen again?

    John Edwards? How about using some of your lawyerly insights about this mess?

    Harry Reid? Anybody home in the Senate?

    Nancy Pelosi? How about some grandmotherly advice?

    the list goes one.

    I apologize if I mist anybody and/or I mentioned someone who actually did speak up

  • @ Tommy
    Thanks for the input ..well thought out. My first instinct when I see that bullshit is to lash out. Thinking how Kerry was railroaded because he did not respond, had me thinking that it could happen again and that we should hit Gramps upside the head with some of his worst flubs (oh to see the viagra /birth control question/interview in a commercial with the tag line “The New Decider” We really do need a debate and soon so that people will see what a tired excuse McCain is. If you get a chance read Matt Taibbi in the latest Rolling Stone (I don’t think it is online yet. It describes how McCain has been disenfranchised by the religious right and is destined to fail. He has his 60’s mentality nailed to a T .

  • @ Bruno …Yeah where are all those son of bitches ….afraid of upsetting the MSM are we. and you forgot Howard Dean the alleged head of the DNC should be apoplectic at this shit they are throwing out. He was on the air every day during the primary. Hello Howard….. this is why I won’t give the DNC any money.

  • McCain has made the ULTIMATE mistake if we forward it and the media picks it up in time for the Sunday gabfests. McCain accuses Obama of playing the race card when saying that “they’ll tell you I don’t look like the faces on the dollar bills….”.

    Well, guess what? McCain posted an AD doing exactly that LAST MONTH!! The video morphs the face of Ben Franklin on a $100 bill with that a of wide-staring Obama, then turns him YELLOW, and finally BLOWS HIM UP!!!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPARec32KMI

    This should destroy anyone’s still idiotic notion that the McCainites are running anything but a complete lie and smear campaign against Obama while using the intellect of sea slugs, but the McCainites are even slimier.

  • It’s “funny”…

    I check
    http://www.electoral-vote.com/
    daily. For the past 2-3 weeks, the numbers (electoral votes) for the Presidential race were stuck, to the point where I thought the Votemaster wasn’t updating them:
    Obama 292, McCain 195 and 51 ties.

    For the past week, McChipmunk has been huffing and puffing and blowing hot air for all he’s worth and, today, there has — finally — been some movement. There are 27 fewer ties than before. How were those 27 distributed? 24 went to Obama, 3 to McCain. The tally is now:
    Obama 316, McCain 198, ties 24.

    At (reported) $140K a day that McCain is pumping into the Celebrity ad alone, it seems like a piddling return on his money. But, hey…. I’m no economy expert.

  • Wasn’t Revelations written BEFORE there WAS a Muslim religion?

    Yes it was, but who ever said Internet e-mails circulated from idiot to idiot have to be true?

  • emd said:
    So then these people should actually WANT to vote for Obama to fulfill the prophecy, right?

    LOL Obama: He’s the Anti-Christ You’ve Been Waiting For.

  • Riddle me this, Batman:

    What’s the difference between Moses and Barak Obama?

    Moses trudged through a barren wasteland of despair before receiving God’s deliverance from his evil overlords 32 more years than Obama will have.

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