Yesterday, 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. “After one president in the pocket of big oil, we can’t afford another,” the ad explained.
Today, we see the second “contrast” ad from the Obama campaign.
The voice over tells the viewer, “John McCain. He’s been in Washington for 26 years. And as gas prices soared and dependence on oil exploded, McCain was voting against alternative energy, against higher mileage standards.”
The ad continues, “Barack Obama — he’ll make energy independence an urgent national priority, raise mileage standards, fast-track technology for alternative fuels. A thousand dollar tax cut to help families as we break the grip of foreign oil. A real plan, and new energy.” The ad ends of course, with the obligatory, “I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message.”
Not bad. The spot tries to do a few things at the same time — highlight McCain’s awful voting record on energy issues, remind the audience that McCain is just another cog in a broken-down DC machine, and argue that Obama offers a superior alternative. Use of the phrase “new energy” has subtle meanings — Obama’s policy will offer new energy alternatives, and Obama himself will offer new energy as compared to the guy who’s been part of a failed Washington system for a quarter of a century.
I preferred the first ad, because it explained why McCain is so awful on energy policy (he’s in Big Oil’s back pocket), but this one’s not bad.
That said, it’s apparently part of a broader offensive on the issue.
After not having any negative/contrast ads, the Obama campaign has unveiled two in two days, both on energy policy.
Just as importantly, Obama delivered an aggressive anti-McCain message in Michigan yesterday, and will hammer McCain again today in Ohio.
“Unfortunately, in this election, Senator McCain has proposed an energy plan that’s nothing but four years more of the same.
“He’s offering a plan with no significant investments in alternative energy. He’s offering a gas tax holiday that will pad oil company profits and save you – at best – half a tank of gas over the course of an entire summer. And he’s offering $4 billion more in tax breaks to the biggest oil companies in America – including $1.2 billion to Exxon-Mobil, a company that just recorded the largest profit in the history of the United States. A company that, last quarter, made the same amount of money in 30 seconds that a typical Ohio worker makes in a year. All while here in Ohio, you’re paying nearly $3.70 a gallon for gas – two and a half times what it cost when President Bush took office. Senator McCain not only wants oil companies to keep every dime of that money, he wants to give them more. Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that’s the change we need…
“And while Senator McCain’s plan won’t save you at the pump anytime soon, it sure has done a lot to raise campaign dollars. Senator McCain raised more than one million dollars from the oil industry just last month, most of which came after he announced his plan for offshore drilling to a room full of cheering oil executives.
“So to sum up, under Senator McCain’s plan, the oil companies get billions more, we don’t pay any less at the pump, and we stay in the same cycle of dependence on oil that got us into this crisis. The oil companies have placed their bet on Senator McCain, and if he wins, they will continue to cash in while our families and our economy suffer and our future is put in jeopardy.
“That’s the choice we face in this election. We can choose four years more of the same failed policies that have gotten us where we are. Four years more of oil companies calling the shots while hard working families are struggling. That’s what Senator McCain is offering.
“Or we can choose a new, clean energy future that gets us where we need to be. We can make a different bet – a bet on the ingenuity, industry and determination of the American people. That’s what I’m offering.
“Because after one president in the pocket of the oil companies – we can’t afford another. For the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, we must end the age of oil in our time…”
“We all know that this is the great challenge of our time. If we fail to act, there the implications will be grave for our economy, for our security, for our planet.
“But if we seize this moment, and meet the challenge, we can open to door to a new economy for the 21st century that will bring new energy, new jobs and new hope to Youngstown and communities across Ohio and this nation…”
Sounds good to me.