Barack Obama's 'celebrity' zinged again by John McCain ad

In politics, when a campaign finds a theme that seems to connect, it gears up to keep pounding and pounding and pounding that message into the collective consciousness.

So it is with John McCain and his merry band of aides, who obviously believe they've struck gold with their bid to define Barack Obama as little more than part of a rarefied -- but insubstantial -- strain of American culture. Note the very first word in a 60-second radio ad McCain unveiled today:

Announcer: Celebrities like to spend their millions. Barack Obama is no different. Only it’s your money he wants to spend.

Obama’s got plans -– big plans -– for your money.

Eight hundred sixty three billion in new government programs – a 23% increase in the size of government.

Massive spending. That will lead to even higher budget deficits.

Piling more debt on the backs of your children and grandchildren.

Even Obama’s hometown newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, says Obama has “no interest in eliminating deficit spending.”

They’re right. So no wonder Obama wants to raise taxes on your income, your electric bills, even your life savings.

Ready to tax. Ready to spend. Not ready to lead.

That’s the real Obama.

The new L.A. Times/Bloomberg poll indicates the "not ready to lead" charge is resonating among voters.

As for the celebrity angle, Variety's Ted Johnson has pointed out all facets of the GOP message machine should be in ridicule-overdrive next week, given that the Democratic National Convention is expected to be awash with well-known figures from the entertainment world.

One of them -- Oprah Winfrey -- may be trying to make her presence low-key, but the coverage of what she and her fellow luminaries are up to no doubt will be extensive -- perhaps to Obama's detriment.

-- Don Frederick

(UPDATE: Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan says of the new ad: “Yet again, John McCain makes another false, low-road attack while he’s offering just more of the same Bush economics that have failed us for eight years. The choice is simple: Barack Obama will give a real tax cut up to $1,000 to 95% of working Americans, while John McCain will follow in Bush’s footsteps, adding to the deficit with huge tax breaks for oil companies and other special interests.  No matter how many false negative ads John McCain runs, Americans can’t afford more of the same Bush policies that John McCain promises.")

Comments

[David]

I think McCain has not only tried his whole life to become a celebrity, but in recent years has emulated one in particular to an obsessive level. I give you Mr. Magoo.

[cbk16]

The Democrates have controlled congress for just a year and a half, and the good economy they inherited is gone. Their no drilling policy has pushed gas to $4 a gallon, making everything expensive. We cannot afford the Democrates to control everything. Luckily Bush pushed through the surge over the Democrates objections or there would still be a war in Iraq.

[coolrepublica]

I think that it is hilarious that the Obama campaign is saying that McCain's campaign ad about how Obama is going to increase government spending is false by stating that McCain plans to give tax break to special interest which is actually the only false thing in the whole article.

[victor knopp]

ELECTIONJACK08 just curious i wonder if there going to be a lake of water that the great obama can walk across just for effects of course,iam sure it would not suprise his FOLLOWERS,line up the blind,and perform exorcisims,i bet you guys believe in bigfoot to,sorry to tell you coatracks cant swim,maybe he can destract america with another unreal speach while our enemys gather forces,bring on the irational liberals

[Peter]

Another ad from McCain loaded with falsehoods and misrepresentation all designed for those too lazy to think and to find the truth.

To cbk16: offshore drilling has nothing to do with to the $4 price of gas. Even if offshore drilling had not been prohibited, the amount of oil pumped would have negligible influence on gas prices.

The real reason for the $4 gas demand that exceeds supply. I do not pumped supply, I mean the reserves known and available. The oil companies and the leaders of various countries with large oil reserves know this and are able to manipulate the market.

The best thing you can do is get out of your gas guzzling SUV.

[juan pusong]

Is that the best the democrats can do? Link McCain to bush. Why can't they come up with a better than McCain candidate on all aspects? Obama has not accomplished any meaningful legislation in the senate. Obama has not stood for anything meaningful in the senate.

Obama is a wimp. He does even have even the courage to tell Bill Reilly in a formal interview, what he stands for. And now he wants to be president?

If Obama wins, we might as well surrender to Russia and Iran.

[McCain is Bush]

John McCain is the only person I know who spends millions of dollars to let everybody know that he is not popular, but that his opponent is.

[victor knopp]

ELECTIONJACK08 you can please some of the people some of the time and most of the people none of the time that what it meens to be a leader not a follower,popular campains have allways failed,he talks about change but sounds just like,mcgovern,carter,ducacus,remember when he climed out of the helo in iraq and carried his flac jacket and helmet in his hand ,if someone started something what was he going to do run down the airstrip legs flailing trying to put combat protection on,he was just trying to show lack of confidence about the security achomplishments,however i know he can do no wrong,hes a magic man

[Girl with the bushy armpits]

Bad week for Don Frederick....most comments seem to
disagree with his Obamamania.Only the poor misguided leftist rabble-rousers like Eric or that other retard electionjack remain loyal. Chicago politics has no future
outside Chicago.

[destiana]

I think that america needs a strong woman to run the country like me.

[Bobby]

Obama by 7 percentage points on election night. No matter how many attack ads McCain/Rove/Schmidt throw at Obama! If I'm right. I charge 100 dollars per poll!

[Billy]

I think People will start tuning out McCain. Schmidt is a one trick pony. Obama by 7 percentage points on election night. No Matter how many attack ads they throw at Obama!

[victor knopp]

hairy arm pits is totaly confused,cant you read,carjack,,,electionjack dont you get it dahhh

[Michael]

"The Democrats have controlled congress for just a year and a half, and the good economy they inherited is gone. Their no drilling policy has pushed gas to $4 a gallon, making everything expensive"

Are you really that clueless? The blame for both lies in the hands of Bush and the Republican party that has supported him for 8 years.

[Kevin]

I find it totally ironic that McCain considers Obama nothing more than a celebrity, then chooses a woman featured on the cover of Vogue magazine as his VP. What a hypocrite!

[Nadine]

If you want to have a decent home to retire in make sure you vote for the right man. Look at Obamas grandmothers conditions - the poverty she lives in and he never tried to help her ... What is really wrong with him? Does America know this African son?

Firstly congradulations Mc Cain for your debate win.

Obama should have seen to his grandmothers poverty first (years ago) before he tried to clean up Americas back yard.

Why is his grandmother still living in such abject poverty if Obama is the hero he makes out to be?

It would have taken just a few of his American dollars to help her build a better shack