Paris Hilton, Britney Spears bounce through McCain ad on glam Obama

All right, now we're getting somewhere.

In the middle of the summer presidential doldrums just when the meaningless premature polls are jumping all over the place and we're all confronted with possibly having to think about Social Security policies, along comes the John McCain campaign with a refreshing breeze.

It's just issued a new ad called "Celebs" and it's designed to link what's-his-name the global god on the other side with that vacuous Hollywood crowd that comes out at night to do strange things for the papparazzi.

Hey, if you're not glamorous, make fun of those who are.

McCain's new ad actually contains Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. It's just a cameo role for both (and doesn't mention P.H.'s new line of shoes just unveiled). But it's a whole lot better in July than two professional pols jawing.

"He's the biggest celebrity in the world," says the ad, showing adoring throngs of Germans who can't vote in the U.S. "But is he ready to lead?"

Sure, there's plenty of political stuff in there about Obama opposing offshore drilling to counter dependence on foreign oil and allegedly in favor of higher taxes on electricity.

"Higher taxes, more foreign oil, that's the real Obama." And you'll never guess who approved that message.

In a separate e-mail message to supporters, Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, adds an underline: "As you and I know, simply attracting large crowds of fans with empty rhetoric doesn't prepare a person to lead a country. The more we get to know the real Barack Obama, the more he shows that he is not ready to lead our country."

(But, oops, hat tip to TMZ.com confirmed by The Times' Dan Morain, you better be careful who you make fun of. Paris' Mommy and Daddy, Richard and Kathleen Hilton, have each given $2,300 to the McCain campaign.)

Now, we'll wait for Obama to counter with a John Mellencamp song. No, wait, that was John Edwards. How about Joan Baez singing songs from the 60s that McCain didn't hear because he was in prison at the time?

Oh, wait again. As our pal Susan points out over at WakeUpAmerica, the rapper Ludacris has already done a pro-Obama song that urges blacks to "get off their ass" and vote for Obama and adds about Obama's former Democratic presidential rival, Hillary Clinton:

"Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant."

An Obama spokesman called the lyrics "outrageously offensive."

(UPDATE: Late Wednesday the Obama campaign released a counter ad, charging the Arizona senator with taking the "low road" and "practicing the politics of the past." A McCain spokesman responded, "Pointing out your opponent’s worldwide celebrity is not the ‘low road,' and neither is pointing out that he opposes oil drilling and supports higher taxes.”)

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[anonymous]

Gag me with a spoon! Zero credibility plus zero credibility equals what?

[coolrepublica]

This ad is brilliant in more ways than I can explain. Obama spend this whole time overseas and he was going to use the footage to show his popularity to the American people. To show he is a leader.

McCain took these footage and turned them into a negative. He is a celebrity like Paris and Britney. Celebrity for celebrity sake.

How can Obama use the footage of these german cheering him in his own ad? No matter which way he looks at it, the images has been corrupted in the a lot of voter's mind by John McCain.

McCain may be old, but with age come the ability to do something like that. Turn your opponent's strength into his biggest witness. Superb!! Just Superb.

[LeftyAce]

The O-Campaign has responded:

"On a day when major news organizations across the country are taking Senator McCain to task for a steady stream of false, negative attacks, his campaign has launched yet another. Or, as some might say, ‘Oops! He did it again.’ "

[DisFisCon]

Funny how McCain doesn't view having the courage to call for tax increases to dig ourselves out of our fiscal mess leadership. McCain has committed himself (at least to the "read my lips" level) to not raising taxes under any circumstances. What if Congress did away with all taxes? Would that be a circumstance? At what point do you make the call that taxation is a necessary component (right along with spending restraint) of a balanced budget?

McCain's historically been willing to work subtleties into his politics. We need some identification of the subtleties right now. Spending $15 billion per month on the war in Iraq (approximately $500K per year for each of the approximately 200K soldiers in the field?) isn't supporting our troops - it's supporting war profiteering. Refusing to pick at the details and restrain this outrageous spending is the difference between the new McCain and the old McCain. The old McCain would have gone after the fat, protected the lean, and taken the political heat. The new McCain is going to protect the fat along with the lean, while the fat just keeps on getting fatter. There are judgment calls to be made right now on the difference between supporting the troops and supporting Halliburton. Similarly, there are judgment calls to be made on high gas prices. Turns out that high gas prices aren't just a nuisance - they drive consumption down. People are actually changing their consumption habits. A courageous leader is going to work to find ways to lead the conservation movement, not to reluctantly drag their feet behind it. C'mon, John: You used to be better than that.

[haybarn]

Sen. McCain has become a cranky old man campaigning in cranky old ways for a cranky old party. He lies, fabricates, distorts, spreads fear etc. in the old (about to be silenced) Rove/Cheney/Bush style. What he does and says today should carry far more weight as an indication of his Presidential character and capabilities than his prisoner-of-war history. As well, POW's coming back from Vietnam have been shown to be far more interested in retaliation and confrontation than those who returned from actual on-the-ground combat in that misadventure. He is trying to pump oxygen through a straw into his coughing, lurching bus by attacking an opponent with far greater capacity to govern in this world - and he knows it.

[colleen marsland]

JOHN Mc Cain needs to get with the times.I am 69 years old and fine that his thinking is back in the 1950 and 1940 when we beleaved what politcan told us. Since then lying and untrue facts is what we usually get. So i think it is time for a change.

[Mike]

This ad is just another example of the panic from the McCain camp. Rather, as the ad suggests, deciding if Obama is ready to lead; I find myself wondering about McCain's ability to maintain an earnest and intelligent discourse when in adversarial situaltions. With each attack ad that McCain's camp releases; I loose a little more respect for this man.

In my opinion, 30 second Politicial Ads should not even be allowed to be aired in the first place. Afterall, we are not buying soap; we are choosing the future leader of our country.

[John McIntosh]

If our nation elects Obama it will have as president a leader who is less qualified and will make bigger mistakes than Bush and it will have elected him for one reason alone - he is black.

[One Opinion]

It looks to me like John McCain had that pre-cancerous mole photoshopped off of his face.

Too bad he'll never see these comments, because he doesn't know how to use a computer.

oo

[Saxxon Domela]

Hey Senator McCain:
Are you SURE you want to go negative? Do you want an ad asking people to google the following:?
"Ace McCain"
Keating Five McCain
Wet Start McCain
Songbird McCain
Lowest 1% McCain

You're lucky, the Obama campaign has not encouraged people to look into your past.

[VJ Machiavelli]

Poor Obama supporters they just can't take it the the Republicans can play the game of "Video star wars"
to.

VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

[rdub]

Paris Hilton and Britney Spears should be really ticked off that John Mccain is using their likenesses in this ridiculous and childish ad. I am sure neither of these young women gave permission to be used in such an ad, regardless of what their political affiliations may be. Where are their million dollar lawyers?

[Jim from Westlake]

I'm a republican and have respected McCain for years now. He was my favorite candidate 8 years ago.

But I've become EXTREMELY disappointed. Inch by inch has diverted from that honest courageous maverick and have slowly become another Bush. I can't even see any difference between McCain now and Bush and his nasty attack campaigns from 2000.

What a disappointment. He's become Bush.

And that stupid ad. All I see is Obama looking hopeful and PRESIDENTIAL.

[jon]

Did McCain forgot to add his wife on that ad?
I think his wife is missing, is it deliberate? :-)

[Abe]

Brilliant! If Barack Obama is more popular than John McCain, and has more fans, then, uhm, doesn't that imply more people will vote for Obama in November? Oops!

[John]

I've got to wonder how much Paris Hilton and Britney Spears got paid for appearing in John McCains Tv commercial?

[suzikg]

i agree with rdub...where are the gals' lawyers?

mccain is stooping very low.

[soupyet]

Truth hurts the Obama supporters and has right from the beginning of this campaign.

Anyone can have lots of fans for no good reason like Paris and Britney. Obama has done less than Paris or Britney to gain his fame and he is certainly not ready to be President, This game is over whether you believe it or not. McCain will win and quite easily while Obama may not even hold his seat in the Senate next election. In the future Hillary will win the Presidential election in 2012. I have faith that Americans have learned their lesson in the past eight years and will not vote for another man on the grounds of preferring to party with him, like they voted Bush. And please "hope" that no American will vote based on who the Germans or any other countries prefer. Next Obama will be checking with who Osama wants for U.S. President.

VOTE McCAIN 2008
HILLARY 2012

[mariah]

"I am amazed", that John McCain would stoop to such a level as to chance comparing Obama to celebs when people are quietly comparing his wife to Amy Whinehouse. Neither of these ideas are nice to any of these people and some of us like all of them. John you must do better, stick with the real issues of America or you can continue to open your mouth and insert your foot.

[Sean O'Neill]

"coolrepublica" writes posts above that the ad is brilliant in more ways than he can explain-- he sure got that right! Charisma is a character flaw, apparently. I guess the suggestion, a "brilliant" one indeed, is that its un-American to be popular abroad. Who could argue with that? Just look at how unpopular President Bush is abroad, and we how successful his presidency has been!

[Thiyan]

Ssoupyet,
Do you honestly believe that Britney Spears and Paris Hilton have done more to gain your so called 'fame'? I can see that you were one of those Hillary voters who is still pissed off that a more charismatic and overall better candidate won the nomination for the democratic party. If you could see past your hate, you would notice that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have very similar political motives and beliefs.

This add just shows who the better president will be. In the face of adversity John McCain reduces to petty fights with Barack Obama.

Obama on the other hand, stands with a candor that represents what a president should be - the ability to not crack under pressure.

Soupyet, maybe in the past 8 years you have forgotten what it is like for America to be supported by international entities. Bush's regime has squandered whatever acclaim we had from foreign countries.

History has shown that change is always met with resistance. In the face of a nominee who has already garnered international popularity, the potential for Obama is one to whet the interest of many who do not want a Bush repeat.

[Chris]

If we let McCain in, our country will be no better off than it was with the bush's in. WE are totally screwed. Look how bad our country is right now... Just wait. We need something new, someone new...

[Tom J]

Latest news report: The Straight Talk Express, trying to make up for lost time, took a detour, ignored the warnings signs, picked up speed, and drove off the cliff. The campaign did not survive the impact.

[Terri]

Coolrepublica you and McCain are both fools to even think that Obama would use footage from the overseas tour for his American Presidential campaign. The people overseas have no say in the american vote - or are you unaware of this? McCain's ad was childish and clearly he did not think this action through. I am insulted that he would think that I would be so stupid as not to see through his tactics. McCain seems to think that the american people are as dumb as he is. McCain reeks of desperation.

[the1andonly]

Thyian,
You couldn't have said it better. Ignorance is bliss!! I highly suggest people do their research before they open their mouth to say vulgarities about something they know nothing about. It pains me to hear people speak so negatively about Obama and how he doesn't have experience. He does have experience, just because his wife wasn't president, or his dad, doesn't make him less quailfied. He's the truth and reassurance that people need to see because he believes in the people. Everything he stands for is inspired by the people and for the people. He is a much better candidate than McCain. He isn't entertaining the negative things that McCain is dishing out by saying negative things about McCain instead he uses it make himself look even better, not acknowledging it.
Vote Obama 08, change I can believe in.