Obama, facing a vet, opens his election ads with patriotism

Weeks after his presumptive Republican presidential competitor, Sen. Barack Obama is launching his first general election national television ad. And the subject -- patriotism -- shows where his campaign may feel he's weak right now.

It's a 60-second biographical spot that will run in 18 states. Candidates like to start off with bio ads so they're setting the stage with their own narrative, not responding to someone else's versions.

The ad, entitled "Country I Love," seeks to highlight Obama's biography and patriotism. Without military service, he stresses the upbringing of his family in the Kansas heartland and the values of working hard taught in his single-parent home and by his grandparents. He does not mention his life in Hawaii or Indonesia.

His campaign said it will start running the commercials Friday in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Virginia.

"America is a country of strong families and strong values," the ad begins. "My life's been blessed by both.

"I was raised by a single mom and my grandparents. We didn't have much money, but they taught me values straight from the Kansas heartland where they grew up. Accountability and self-reliance. Love of country. Working hard without making excuses."

Our colleague John McCormick over at the Swamp has the ad's complete text.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Andrew]

Clearly these sorts of ads will be run quite a bit during the GE (maybe even run...ad infinitum?), but I wonder if there's any data suggesting they do make a difference in the end. It seems like most of the hits Obama's campaign has taken--most of which I think lack any credibility, such as playing up his non-existent Muslim background and the equally non-existent Michelle Obama "whitey" video--seem to have already taken with certain members of the public and accepted as fact.

Does anyone know if ads like these do sway those voters and get them to change their minds? Or is the affect directed more toward indy voters? I'd like to see this covered in a future Ticket post.

[Wm Tate]

"the subject -- patriotism -- shows where his campaign may feel he's weak right now"

It strikes me as highly telling that one of the country's two major political parties has nominated a candidate whose weakest point is considered to be that most vital of attributes for a national leader--his patriotism. What does that say about both the man and his party?

-Wm Tate,
http://www.atimelikethis.us/

[Kent S. Rose]

Mr. Obama has an extremely pleasant, reassuring voice and manner. So many political ads I cannot wait to be over. This I found I wanted to hear over and over. Plus it was interesting to see photos of his mom and grandparents, and of him growing up. I hope he becomes our president.

[Robt]

Anyone have a bucket so I can hurl. Who is this guy kidding. He loves this country like I love brussel sprouts. I'll eat'em; but only if thier shoved down my throat. He "loves" the country; only if that what he has to say to get elected. He is a person with a 20 year verifiable history of intimate relations with people who are clearly racists , communists, and anti-Americans - and oh yeah, he LOVES this country too.

[Obamafan]

So now if we were not in the military we are not patriotic?? So what does that say about Bush?? Oh wait, he was in the National Guard and did squat.

I was in the fricken Army and it does not mean I am too proud of my country right now, that is for sure.

Be strong Obama. We know you are VERY patriotic!! Those loser Reps. are really grasping at straws here.

Go Obama!!!

[Cindy]

What a flipping liar.
There is not one thing in that ad that is the truth.
He is an anti-American, anti-white anti-semitic bigot.
If he gets elected God have mercy on the USA.

[Ray Gerard]

His mom was an atheist, come on Barack Obama you can do better than reinterpreting your past.

[savemygreenbeans]

He's a great talker that has a very soothing and affable presence about him. That doesn't necessarily translate into Presidential material, but I understand why most people are wow'ed by him. He talks about accountability, but why is he then the most liberal Dem in the senate?

[William Klein]

My first presidential campaign dates back to the 1940 presidential campaign which pitted Roosevelt against the moderate Republican, Wendell Willikie.

There is something in Barack Obama's nature that reminds me of Rooselvelt's new vision for America, and Willkie's civility and decency. Senator Obama's character is remarkably manifest and tengible in this, his first national campaign ad.

William Klein
Mill Valley, california

[TiMac]

Wow. Awesome.

[NinaK]

Senator Obama wil serve our country very well; he is a man of great intigrity, wisdom, good judgement, outstanding leadership and managerial skills. He is an honest man who has risen from the bottom up; he and Michelle were people like you and I, they were not born to wealth and silver spoons. They have worked very hard and I love their story! Anyone of us can do with our lives as we wish and to succeed it takes lots of hard work, dedication, and commitment, and plenty of self-sacrifice! Michelle and Senator Obama knew this before they ever met. They were taught strong values which they live by today. The fact they are a wholesome, loving family is definitely a role model for all of us.

[Peter Bolaji]

Awesome

[Saphron]

Robt - it's funny, I remember an ad that the Dallas Morning News published right before JFK visited the city that questioned his patriotism using the exact same hyperbole.

I guess right-wing extremists haven't come up with anything original in the four decades since.

Cindy - your accusations are just too ridiculous and vitriolic to be real. If you're a democrat in disguise, you're doing a brilliant job parodying rabid Republicans. Keep up the good job! That's a great way to drive people away from the archaic, obtuse right-wing agenda.

[Heather]

So he is emphasising his upbringing by the "typical white person" grandmother as his patroitism?

I thought his grandmother was afraid of black men, uttered racist remarks that made him cringe, crossed the street and clutched her purse to herself when she saw black men.

This is what he said wasn't it?

[sean]

Just vote Mccain and you don't have to worry about patriotism, secure borders, war, economy, alkeeda, and so on he will solve them with his racid experience.

[Denver Dave]

Wm Tate made a good point, that patriotism is vital for a President. It's vital, but also unmeasurable. It's telling that McCain chooses to attack Obama's patriotism. McCain knows he can not win on any metric that can be measured. Competence, knowledge, record. Obama's been in the forefront of protecting America by locking up Russian nuclear weapons. Meanwhile McCain's been flip-flopping on the war, flip-flopping on offshore drilling, flip-flopping on torture, flip-flopping on habeus corpus, flip-flopping on amnesty for illegals and flip-flopping on every principled stance he's ever taken. Cindy McCain challenges Michelle Obama on a poorly phrased sentence, while ignoring her drug addiction and the fact that she stole those drugs from the foundation she lead.

Sure, patriotism is important. And easy to attack. McCain and his pill popping wife should question the patriotism of a man who wants more illegal wars, more torture, more years of Bush.

[John]

Surely people realize that political operatives posing as average citizens scour the internet to criticize and demean any blog, article, video, etc. about their opponent. Don't take the hate bait.

[marco antonelli]

Americans: vote for Obama. Those who do not see he is an intelligent, thoughtful, prudent candidate are not seeing what the man really is; you will be putting the country in McCain's hands, an old man who slips from one senior moment to another, gunning away with cocky slogans showing he's just a risk taker who will experiment, not what the USA needs right now. Trust the voices of your European friends: Obama is the man to get America out of the worst mess it has ever been in.