McCain vs. Obama: Still fighting the '60s culture wars?

If you ever want to know whether someone is really a Democrat or a Republican at heart, just ask them what they think about the '60s. As Bill Clinton, the shrewdest of all judges when it came to divining voters' subconscious political loyalties, memorably put it: "If you look back on the '60s and think there was more good than harm, you're probably a Democrat. If you think there was more harm than good, you're probably a Republican."

I was reminded of Clinton's axiom watching a new John McCain political ad--see below--that seems to foreshadow a renewed GOP effort to pin the excesses of the '60s on Barack Obama, even though he was just a tyke when the Yippies were battling Chicago police at the Democratic Convention and unwashed hippies were making the mythic trek to Woodstock. Obama is a fan of mellow funk and hip-hop, not Sly Stone or Jimi Hendrix.

Still, the ad's coded language is a dead giveaway. It opens with grainy newsreel footage of long-haired '60s protesters, with the narration: "It was a time of uncertainty, hope and change. The summer of love. Half a world away, another kind of love. [Cue photos of a dashing war hero] John McCain. Shot down, bayoneted. Tortured. Offered early release. He said no. He'd sworn an oath...."

Geez, hope and change--whose issue is that? Are people who believe in hope really soft-headed acid heads? Is that what people will get by voting for Obama--a return to psychedelia and "Helter Skelter"? For a far more in-depth analysis, see Michael Scherer's smart take on the subject at Time's Swampland political blog, where he notes that the Republicans have had great luck pinning the excesses of the '60s on Democratic candidates:

"Every presidential election since Vietnam has, in some ways, been a retread of the '60s culture war. Bill Clinton smoked pot, remember. Gary Hart internalized the free love thing. Michael Dukakis was a card-carrying member of the ACLU. Republicans like this theme because it unites the nation's hinterlands against the cultural elite, the liberals of New York and California. But ... does the theme still work with a post-baby boom candidate? Or for post-baby boom voters?"

It would be easy to dismiss this as a desperate attempt to turn Barack Obama into Abbie Hoffman. But hey--take a look for yourself:

Comments

[haymaker]

groaannnnn

you saw how successful the attempt to link obama to ayers was.
is this ad gonna do anything besides remind people that john mccain is 3 or 4 generations TOO OLD?

[Commenter]

It doesn't matter what sort of music Obama listens to or when he grew up. The point being made is that his wellfare, socialist slanted, policy proposals are just a rehash of the era's failed ideas coupled with the word 'change' to make it sound like something new.

[Elizabeth Lewis]

Republicans should be reminded that they voted twice for the never do well ex alcoholic and pot smoker George Bush. Karl Rove is up to his old tactics again- this time in a desperate attempt to smear a good and honest candidate in favor of his peanut brained 100 years in Iraq, no nothing about economics "war hero."

Not this time.

[Observer]

I don' t think it is as simple as you put it here....there are lots of themes

Courage and sticking to an oath....even when it was not in his personal interest

While we are enjoying freedom and living our democracy...someone is still defeding this country.

Some chose to party as a way of showing their love for the USA....and freedom....

And some chose to go to the battle and stick it through no matter how rough it got....

By the way, there was a lot of drugs in Vietnam to cope with the problems over there too.

Life is not as simple and black and white or red and blue as you might like to illustrate.

Regardless, he stuck with his men instead of going home to party.

I think the theme here is really Commitment vs "Refined" Positions.

[roman]

This is beautiful. He's completely out of it. Runs on his legend, nothing more, and that can be easily dismantled. I used to think McCain would be formidable, but, clearly, I was wrong.

There really is only one candidate in this election, and either he will win or he will lose.

[Hucares]

It is easy to forget that these tactics worked for George Bush twice. You recall that he was going to lose, twice, each to Gore and Kerry.

[Lawrence Collins]

The problem is that John McCain will "stick" to "ideas" and "committments," even when they prove to be wrong and misguided. He is a stubborn, angry curmudgeon who still believes that if we had stayed in Viet-Nam until the last man was standing, that we would have "won" in that little country that was never a threat to America.

Now he wants to repeat this nightmare scenario in Iraq. Two billion dollars a week flushed down the drain while our economy is cratering. Are we going to fall for this stupidity again? I hope not.

Viet-Nam Veterean U. S. Air Force 1963-1968

[PacificGatePost]

AMERICA HAS EXPECTATIONS,

Obama’s impossible road ahead:

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/07/why-obama-will-win-but-cant-deliver.html

[hesingswithfrogs]

It's amusing how McCain and the Republican Right threw a hissy fit last week about how McCain's military record is off limits, and this week they're busy using McCain's military record to attack Obama. Tactics like this scream for scrutiny of McCain's military record, including his actions as a POW. McCain should not be allowed to get away with using his military record as both a shield and a sword at the same time. Either his military record is off limits, in which case, McCain needs to stop making claims about his military record, or his military record is fair game, in which case, McCain can make as many claims as he wants about his military record, but should expect and support full scrutiny of it. He can't have it both ways.

[Sally White]

I'm supporting Obama this election. He's able to reach out across the lines to all ages and backgrounds and kinds of people. He's a leader who can set things right and give us hope. Vote for OBama!!! Go to WHYOBAMA08.ORG!