Now, RNC ads attack Obama in Paris -- Michigan, Missouri and Maine
John McCain bin ein Berliner too.
As the Associated Press has reported, to commemorate Barack Obama's visit to Berlin, Germany, today the Republican National Committee is running a new ad in three U.S. cities named Berlin -- in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.
Now, first thing this morning, the RNC will announce that to continue the fun it's expanded these minuscule buys to U.S. cities named Paris -- in Maine, Michigan and Missouri. Because, you might guess, Obama will also visit another Paris, the one in France.
The ad (see video below and text on the jump) attacks the freshman Illinois senator for voting last year against a second attempt to fund the Iraq war with $120 billion. Obama voted for the first try, which was vetoed by President Bush because it contained a timetable for troop withdrawal. The second version had no timetable, but did fund purchases of helicopters, body armor, ammunition, veterans rehab programs and other war-related costs.
Obama was one of 14 senators who voted no. The ad says he chose "Washington politics" over supporting the troops. To read the complete text of the 60-second commercial, click on the Read more line beneath the video.
-- Andrew Malcolm
John McCain radio commercial sponsored by the Republican National Committee:
"There are few votes as important as funding our men and women in uniform.
But when our military needed necessary resources, Barack Obama failed to stand up.
Obama said that nobody wanted to play chicken with our troops on the ground.
But when it came time to act, he voted against critical resources: no to individual body armor, no to helicopters, no to ammunition, no to aircraft.
The bill Obama opposed even had funding for veterans’ medical facilities and rehabilitation programs.
And why did he say no?
Obama chose Washington politics over the needs of our military.
And Senator McCain?
As a veteran and someone who has always put the public interest first, John McCain stood by our troops.
If Obama can’t rise above politics to support our soldiers in a time of war, then how can he claim to have the strength to change the way Washington works?
John McCain is ready to lead. Barack Obama is not."
"I'm John McCain and I approved this message."
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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Nice they're having their little fun with these cute, cheap media buys, in most of the towns named Paris. Y'all should have noticed they skipped a Paris. The expensive one. Remember that movie? Paris, Texas. But that's in the DFW media market, fifth largest. Ain't cheap.
Posted by: Claudia in Texas | July 24, 2008 at 06:26 AM
Why don't we ask veterans who've been in Iraq and Afghanistan which candidate does a better job of supporting them?
http://www.iava.org/full-ratings-list
Posted by: Redeye | July 24, 2008 at 09:02 AM
Could America be in a bigger mess!?
Republicans have us at war in two countries as a result of Republican lies and deceptions, and we might be in two more wars--Iran and Pakistan--by November. We have alienated the entire Muslim world and most of the rest.
The dollar has lost 60% of its value against the euro, and the once mighty dollar is losing its reserve currency role.
The Republicans’ policies have driven up the price of both oil and gold by 400%.
Inflation is in double digits. Employment is falling.
The Republican economy in the 21st century has been unable to create net new jobs for Americans except for low wage domestic services such as waitresses, bartenders, retail clerks and hospital orderlies.
Republican deregulation brought about fraud in mortgage lending and dangerous financial instruments which have collapsed the housing market, leaving a million or more homeowners facing foreclosure. The financial system is in disarray and might collapse from insolvency.
The trade and budget deficits have exploded. The US trade deficit is larger than the combined trade deficits of every deficit country in the world.
The US can no longer finance its wars or its own government and relies on foreign loans to function day to day. To pay for its consumption, the US sells its existing assets--companies, real estate, toll roads, whatever it can offer--to foreigners.
Republicans have run roughshod over the US Constitution, Congress, the courts and civil liberties. Republicans have made it perfectly clear that they believe that our civil liberties make us unsafe--precisely the opposite view of our Founding Fathers. Yet, Republicans regard themselves as the Patriotic Party.
The Republicans have violated the Nuremberg prohibitions against war crimes, and they have violated the Geneva Conventions against torture and abuse of prisoners. Republican disregard for human rights ranks with that of history’s great tyrants.
The Republicans have put in place the foundation for a police state.
We must get the Republicans totally out of power, or we will have no country left for any of us!
Posted by: JakeD | July 24, 2008 at 10:14 AM
It was Senator McCains idea that Senator Obama visit Iraq to get some foreign policy experience. Senator Obama aced the entire trip and was well loved and admired because he sat down and talked to people.
Plus he articulated foreign policy as knowledgeable as anyone I know.
McCain you have challenged Obama to town hall meetings, be careful what you ask for.......
Posted by: Diva | July 26, 2008 at 07:48 PM