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The Response Ad I'd Run If I Had A 527
John McCain has released his first real "negative" ad of the election season. In it, he attempts to hit Obama on, among other things, voting against funding the troops. (Never mind that the Straight Talk Express did the same thing.)
If I had $50 million or so to spare, I'd form my own 527, specifically to roll out truthful response ads for GOP nonsense. (I know, Obama doesn't want third party ads. But, damn it, it's my hypothetical $50 million.) And this would be the script for my first ad.
John McCain says that Barack Obama has changed his positions on supporting our troops. But what do the FACTS say?I'm not Barack Obama, but I approve this message.
Barack Obama called for pre-emptive air strikes against Pakistan. George Bush and John McCain disagreed...but then launched the strikes.
Barack Obama called for using a phased withdrawal in Iraq to allow more troops in Afghanistan. George Bush and John McCain disagreed...but now they agree a timetable is needed.
Barack Obama called for using strong diplomacy to defuse Iran's nuclear ambitions in advance. George Bush and John McCain disagreed...but now they are all for meeting with Iranian leaders.
Barack Obama called for a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq. George Bush and John McCain disagreed...but now they think a timetable is needed.
George Bush and John McCain have been arm-in-arm, making one blunder after another for eight years. It's time for a President who has the temperament, judgment and intellect to make the right call - the first time.
The campaign will eventually go after this guy. I'm going to use every keystroke I can to put the lie to the "Maverick" right now, and every chance I get. Who's with me?
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Comments (20)
Straight up.
This needs to get forwarded to all our e-mail forwarding grandmothers
July 18, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent!
July 18, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama is crafting our foreign policy even before he takes office. Nice of the Bush administration to listen. It amazes me the spin Rice and others are putting on the current stance of "talking" to Iran. Not long ago Obama was being trashed for the very idea.
July 18, 2008 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I had 50 million, I'd fork it over, in a heartbeat.
Perfect script - tight, concise, to the point. And it makes the point. Obama campaign should hire you.
July 18, 2008 6:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ditto. That's good stuff.
July 18, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Awesome post Boyd, the Obama campaign should put you on the payroll.
July 18, 2008 6:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's all very well but it's defense as usual. The best method of defense is attack. Since the MSM is doing everything it can to cover up McCain's gaffes, it's time the Dems did their job for them.
July 18, 2008 7:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're looking at this the wrong way. This is NOT just defense. The script combines defense with attack.
Defense says, "That's not true, and here's why." Counterattack says, "This is why Candidate X sucks." Each paragraph of the script shows Obama's correct judgment AND rejects the GOP ad's claim of McCain's leadership. It actually shows McCain is the one who's not putting country first.
If you leave their misstatements and lies unchallenged, you are allowing conventional wisdom to form around them. It's the constant rebuttal of GOP attempts to tar Dem candidates that really stops their crap from becoming CW.
July 18, 2008 8:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's brilliant. Don't worry, this "we can change too" is going to be McBush's script for a while, and it's going to be torn to pieces by your very argument. Matter of fact, I'd bet you a nickel that we'll see at least one big speech with your nice rhythmic punch...maybe at some large venue in Denver?
July 18, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
And now that the Republicans are going after Michelle Obama again with ads, it wouldn't hurt to hit back with this video in your 527:
McCain Really Didn't Love America Until I Became A POW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dAaR_s1Txo
July 18, 2008 8:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like that you put together these examples of Obama's vision, independent thinking and effective leadership. These examples illustrate Obama's willingness to stick his neck out to suggest a different approach from strategies that haven't been effective. Better yet, they expose that the same people who are calling Obama inexperienced are following his lead. This makes an excellent case for Obama's fitness to lead this country to a better place.
July 18, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Way to go! I love it!
July 18, 2008 10:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent!
July 18, 2008 10:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I find it amazing that so many posters think this is some brilliant response. Let's take a look at it:
>Barack Obama called for pre-emptive air strikes >against Pakistan. George Bush and John McCain >disagreed...but then launched the strikes.
Air strikes against Pakistan, our 'ally'? When has this happened? There have been a couple predator attacks in the tribal border area when Taliban or Al Quaeda forces were firing from there, but PRE-EMPTIVE AIR STRIKES?
>Barack Obama called for using a phased withdrawal >in Iraq to allow more troops in Afghanistan. >George Bush and John McCain disagreed...but now >they agree a timetable is needed.
Obama called for a withdrawal based on nothing more than his desire to quit and run away, not based on success on the ground. Talks are now in progress about leaving because of the success of the surge that Obama opposed. As far as moving troops to Afghanistan, do you now support that war? Democrats said at the start that it would be a quagmire and a bloodbath. Are they for it now? Is that one Bush was right on?
>Barack Obama called for using strong diplomacy to >defuse Iran's nuclear ambitions in advance. >George Bush and John McCain disagreed...but now >they are all for meeting with Iranian leaders.
The State Dept has always wanted to talk, because they are stupid enough to think it will produce results. Obama wanted to talk directly with Ahmadinejhad, with no preconditions. That is also stupid. The man is intent on building nuclear weapons, he has invested billions, he wants to destroy Israel, he doesn't care if his people are destroyed. You can not talk him out of it. You can't talk crazy into rational.
>Barack Obama called for a timetable for >withdrawing troops from Iraq. George Bush and >John McCain disagreed...but now they think a >timetable is needed.
Obama wanted to set specific dates to leave while the war was in progress. That is just stupid. The war is nearly over now, the surge worked, Al Quaeda is in shambles, the Iraqi gov't is now leading 70%+ of all operations. So now things are winding down. But no thanks to Obama.
>George Bush and John McCain have been arm-in-arm, >making one blunder after another for eight years.
This is just silly, McCain has opposed Bush numerous times.
> It's time for a President who has the >temperament, judgment and intellect to make the >right call - the first time.
You're right. Too bad Romney isn't running, we'll have to settle for McCain.
July 19, 2008 9:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dude, you could at least make this a little challenging. You may want to take this to RedState or NoQuarter, where synapses aren't used as much, and therefore the following obvious retorts wouldn't harm you.
(1) Fighter planes launching missiles would be....oh yeah....an air strike. Pakistan is not a country with which we are at war, or even unfriendly with its government (see: Musharraf, Pervez). Hence, any strike against such a country is a....(get ready)....pre-emptive air strike.
You're 0-for-1.
(2) "Success"? Interesting. We're STILL 15,000 troops over pre-surge levels. The surge reduced violence - but, as recent casualties on all sides (including civilian) show, it's hardly over. And, Obama's claim that the surge would NOT resolve the basic problem (that Iraqis are not doing their part to hold up their new government) is borne out - by al-Maliki (!!!), who called for a US withdrawal timetable. THAT'S why Bushco responded - see Bush/McSame comments that "we'll leave if the Iraqis want". They're boxed in now, because they'll be caught in ANOTHER lie if they DON'T talk.
You're 0-for-2.
(3) The State Department previously said it would only talk IF Iran met a long list of preconditions. Notice that the State Department is no longer insisting on all those preconditions (which only makes sense, as Iran has emerged as a major Middle East player, courtesy of our Iraq invasion.) That last cease-fire? Had nothing to do with Dubya. It was IRAN who negotiated with al-Sadr and al-Maliki. Now, who suggested the State Department's current approach, well over a year ago? Oh yeah....Obama.
You're 0-for-3. (Damn, at this rate, you could come play for the Pirates.)
(4) Um...."Mission Accomplished"? Remember that? Sure wasn't a Democrat who put up that banner. There hasn't been a "war" for about 4 years. We're getting our men and women killed in an OCCUPATION, not a war. Obama has always proposed a timetable for leaving - because it's the only way to really let Iraq get established. Here's a clue, Einstein: When you have to call for MORE troops, your plan is probably not working. (See: Vietnam, Westmoreland, et al.) Of course, you make no mention of the fact that Obama's draw-down in Iraq is needed because of our horrid troop levels in Afghanistan. (But don't take *his* word for it - ask Secretary Gates or Adm. Mullen.)
0-for-4. Hell, you could probably start for the Pirates.
(5) In the last two years, McCain has voted with Bush over 95% of the time. And McCain's been moving closer and closer to Bush - ever since Bush slandered him out of the 2000 GOP primary. And on the most important issues - our economy and Iraq, to say nothing of the foreclosure crisis, torture of military prisoners, and No Child Left Behind - McCain's had Bush's back 100%. Thick as thieves, they are - and you can't wash those facts away with the harshest acid.
0-for-5. Hey, Bulldog that collar you're taking looks great on McCaincient's leash!
(6) Romney? BWAHAHAHAHAHA! If you have any independent brain cells left, ask yourself why Romney isn't available. Maybe it's because the McCain campaign slandered him straight out of the primary - and now Romney has his lips firmly attached to McCain's teat.
Well, I give the Mittster credit. He learned that ass-kissing, supreme-sycophant behavior from the "Maverick", way back in 2000. It's the fastest way to get a GOP Presidential nomination, don'cha know? Romney 2012, baybee!
In the meantime, you're 0-for-6. *snicker*
July 19, 2008 10:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Boyd Reed,
Great script. Good consise writing, which is not easy to do. You could do a great Youtube ad for free using image grab, I-movie or Moviemaker software. FREE. You don't need millions. DNC has a website offering free footage to anyone who wants to use it, encouraging the very thing you are describing. So don't loiter here w/ obstructionist canine avatars, who want to keep you preoccupied to distract you from your project.
July 19, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Boyd: go here:
http://www.democrats.org/page/content/FlipperTV/
p.s. I do know how to spell "concise."
July 19, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good source - thanks!
I'll have to see what I can do with it in my spare time. :-)
July 19, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like it. I think you should add that you are glad that Bush & McCain are learning from Obama about military and diplomatic tactics, but as you said...it's better to have someone who can get it right the first time.
I also would love to see something about the complete idiocy of labeling McCain as "Presidential" --> show video of him jokingly singing "Bomb, bomb, bomb, etc."
Experienced diplomatically --> Again, video of him joking about killing Iranians with cigarettes -- the kind of joke that very young teenagers find amusing.
Truth is, that McCain, with his clueless behavior would extend the disgrace and embarassment Bush has but us through these long 8 years.
I have a great idea! Why doesn't he run for President Of Czechoslovakia? Since he believes it still exists, it is yet another example of his brain atrophy, or just ignorance of the world. Maybe he should learn to use "the Google." He could spend a few days on Wikipedia learning random facts.
July 19, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, this is great. I've been thinking this for the past two days and you have summarized it perfectly.
The less well informed American voter needs to hear this message too. Bush and McCain keep beating him up on his Foreign Policy positions and then adopting them.
What about adding that McCain followed Barack's lead in calling for an increase in troop levels in Afghanistan? (except of course Barack has a plan on where to find the additional troops)
BTW - Here's the clip of Barack hitting a 3 pointer first try in front of a military crowd in Kuwait. For me its a "Bill Clinton Saxophone" moment...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKFmifLCtv4
July 19, 2008 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
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