Step II in defining McCain: He’s really wealthy

April 22, 2008

Progressive Media USA unveiled its first television ad of the campaign season last week, noting the striking similarities between John McCain and George W. Bush, down to the word-for-word talking points they share.

This week, PMUSA unveiled its second spot, a web video that might make it difficult for McCain to accuse anyone of elitism.

As Yglesias put it, “[I]f you’re looking for an elitist in the presidential race you might want to look at the super-rich guy who made his fortune by marrying an heiress…. And of course the couple still won’t release the part of their tax returns that has all the money on it.”

True, true. I’d just add that the ad does something else, too: it subtly tries to define McCain as John Kerry.

I think Jonathan Martin’s take was right.

I don’t usually pay much attention web videos, but the below Robin Leach-inspired spot from ProgressiveMedia USA, the new David Brock outfit hoping to become the major third-party player on the left, is worth posting because it presages what will be on of the central lines of attack against McCain.

In effect, they hope to paint him as the right did John Kerry in ’04 — as a rich guy who married his money and lives a life the likes of which you and I can’t relate.

Making this sell will be significantly more important should Obama get the nomination in light of the already-active effort to paint him as an elitist.

So, in effect, it will be McCain’s “nine properties” (they count multiple places on the same land in Sedona) and AmEx “Black Card” versus Obama’s “arugula” and bowling acumen.

The efforts to “define” McCain are obviously taking shape — he’s the old, angry, rich Bush-clone who frequently gets confused about policy details. Kind of like Grandpa Simpson with Mr. Burns’ bank account.

I’m John McCain, and I’m reporting for duty!

  • Kind of like Grandpa Simpson with Mr. Burns’ bank account.

    Bingo.

    It’s a great ad — PMUSA is going to be a nice addition to the ad wars. They’re 2-for-2 so far.

  • I love it! The British accent voice over suggests “the posh life.” Why is it we equate the British with elitism? Left over resentment from the Revolutionary war?

  • Kind of like Grandpa Simpson with Mr. Burns’ bank account.

    See, *I* was thinking Harry Helmsley, or Ebenezer Scrooge with Ebenezer Scrooge’s money, but your analogy would probably work better with the young kids’.

    I can’t see the ad at the moment, but I hope they point out that McCain will never lose a lot of his vast reserves of money due to healthcare, being that he gets it for free and always will.

  • I really like the concept. The execution could be a bit better, though. For those of us old people who remember, this narrator really doesn’t have the headache-inducing assertiveness of Robin Leach.

  • Great concept, but I thought the narrator really diminished the effectiveness of the ad. At the risk of sounding like a rube, I gotta say that the weird accent was at times hard to understand. Did he say “John McCain” or “Joe McCain”?

  • Another thing about McCain.

    McCain’s also a little fella, too. I hear he’s 5′ 8″ and has a complex about it.

    And you best not mention Milk Crates in front of him.

  • “I’d prefer an American narrator.”

    Wasn’t he? Maybe I’ve been watching too much BBC America lately, but honestly, to me the narrator sounded like an American making a not-entirely-successful attempt at a British accent. It struck me as something that would pass as British for most Americans but would make real Brits cringe.

    –Journeywoman

  • Re Narrator:

    I guess the British accent’s ok if you’re trying to imitate Robin Leach.

    But maybe those faux British accents on Victoria’s Secrets ads would work better.

  • Needs twiddlin’. Even at a slower speed, that fake Brit accent would have been hard to understand. OTOH, McCain’s “it’s psychological” should have been louder and clearer. Though, I suppose… if it’s aimed at kids (being a web video, not a TV ad), maybe their younger ears will pick it all up.

  • The Brit/posh accent is a mistake, I think, especially since the piece ends with “If he doesn’t understand our problems, how will he solve them?”

    Seems to be an example of the perceived need to be creative/clever stepping on the message.

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