"Hot chicks dig Obama," a new John McCain ad proclaims

Another day, another John McCain Web ad that depicts Barack Obama as an air-headed creation of celebrity culture.

References and images include Elvis, The Beatles, Bono, Wayne and Garth (of "Saturday Night Live" fame) and, most improbably, a Taco Bell (!).

[UPDATE: The use of Wayne and Garth -- the two stoner characters memorably etched by Michael Myers and Dana Carvey -- came to the attention of copyright lawyers and led to a slight re-editing of the spot, as The Times' Dan Morian relates here.]

Most controversially, the spot features one young woman complimenting Obama's "aura," and a second young woman singling out his "very soft eyes" for praise. And then there's a fellow saying of the 47-year-old U.S. senator and father of two who defied long odds to emerge as one of the two main contenders for the most powerful office in the world: "Hot chicks dig Obama."

The ad begins with an excited narrator saying: "You've seen him in London, Paris and Berlin. Now you, too, can join 'The One's' fan club in America."

Later, the narrator cheerily asserts: "We know he doesn't have much experience. And isn't ready to lead. But that doesn't mean he isn't dreamy."

McCain surrogates will light-heartedly defend the ad as simply another effort to inject humor into the serious business of running for the White House.

Others will wonder how much more demeaning the McCain camp can get toward its rival -- and whether the Democrat and his aides will figure out a way to effectively counter the ongoing assault.

The new ad surfaces on the same day that Mark Penn -- unabashedly continuing to offer his insights at Politico.com after helping guide Hillary Clinton from frontrunner in the Democratic race to also-ran -- gives his professional blessing to the much-discussed McCain "Celebrity" ad that linked Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

Writes Penn: "Clever negative advertising works. That is reality."

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Aiken Blue]

It's just demeaning and vicious, a newer level of low. McCain just sinks in terms of integrity. He, more than anybody else should know that mudslinging is disgusting. Vote for Obama, visit WHYOBAMAO8.ORG!!!

[Renee]

That is very ugly coming from the Mccain camp This is not a Mccain of 2000 This is a low,very low from Mccain very unhappy wth John Mccain fight on the issues John Mccain

[Ugly Woman]

Well I thought it was insightful. I'm voting for McCain

[KiloWat]

You McCain folks missed a golden opportunity. The ad should have stated that while hot chicks dig Obama that smart, thinking women see that's he's just telling people what they want to hear....just like that smarmy guy in school used to do to get what he wanted.

[Madison]

Great! hot chicks love Obama....so what? everyone does!!! GOOD FOR OBAMA!
McCain is pathetic.

[1080Pure]

Hahaha thats awesome... and it's so true. Obama sucks people... You're blind sheep if you don't see it. Great Ad.

[JT]

Obama has a senate vote keeping companies from exploring for oil off our own shores.

I like Obama as a rock star, I don't like him in charge of my children's future.

[Steve C]

obamas crapbook! That's GREAT!!

[katie]

This is a complete fabrication of Obama's tax plan. Total Lies http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/more_tax_deceptions.html

Someone needs to call him on these LIES

[Brian K.]

As an Obama supporter, I find it humorous. It in no way degrads Obama... it's not attacking his talking points or policy. McCain is really belittling the American population with this video. Only a real moron would take this seriously and lets take a good look at who is not voting for Obama. Exactly.

[Stephen Fisher]

McCain is really setting himself up with these ads. Just wait until they debate. McCain will be sorry he ever insinuated that Obama was unequipped to do the job.

[kadesha]

They're both completely worthless. Why bother voting when the election is bought & paid for by big corporations?

[Jill]

Is McCain in high school? He sounds like a scorned child with all these "campaigns" of what - jokes?

Just proves that a stewardship under McCain will really be a continuance of the immature dealings we currently endure under W. Disgusting and immature beyond belief.

What our country needs is a grown up to run it Mr. McCain. Not a child with these lame lame lame attempts at "humor" - GROW UP. I am more than ever showing up to vote OBAMA this fall.

We are crossing the line because of YOU McCain and your ridiculous campaign of little thought or imagination. We are not a nation of immature high schoolers - we are looking for a LEADER out of this mess your boss has left for us. Disgusted.....

[TurboFool]

This is just plain disgusting. For one thing, it's not even particularly clever. For another, is it really that effective to actually point out how popular your opponent is? And then to use the craziest of a person's followers as examples. "Ooooh, I don't want to look like a nutcase like them, so I won't vote for him." And it's incredibly demeaning. I can't believe this is what is being stooped to. Not the usual tactics of attacking credibility or specific policies. Oh, no. This guy's just too popular and too attractive. This is a new low for the Republican party.

[Joe]

I usually support the Republican contender, but this is just pathetic!

Do we really want someone who acts like a 3 year old in the White House?

[Eric B]

Its funny because its true.

I thought he was great too for a while, but when you start really looking you see that he doesn't know what he is talking about. He has some good lines but after a question or two he is out of answers. if he would do the townhall meetings we would all see that, but he wants to keep that exposure to a minimum. They are very carefully packaging Obama so that you can't see that he is just the wizard of Oz but no one is behind the curtain.

[O.P. Neon]

Amazingly, Cindy McCain is included in that group. Poor John. He is also lost again, forgetting about the Buffalo Beauty Contestants he was salivating about, while Bush posed with the athletic ones in China.

[Brian K.]

I'd link McCain's scrapbook, but the Museum of Natural History won't release photographs of the artifacts within.

[Rob D]

I'd like to see a McCain ad dealing with his position on the solving the economic mess he and his war monger Republician friends have leveled on this country. Attack ads unfortunately work, but they are no solution to the environmental, economic and moral mess this nation is experiencing from the likes of the Republician Party and its surrogates. We don't need more Karl Rove types to destroy our future. Wake up America!

[Anna]

I normally don't pay much attention to the mudslinging and try to stick to the issues, but the insinuation of the ad is that "hot chicks" can't also be intelligent because if they were, they wouldn't be supporting Obama. Why can't a woman be attractive and intelligent at the same time? I consider myself both attractive and intelligent and I'm also an Obama supporter...and if I weren't before, I might consider it now that McCain is letting his chauvinism and tendency to stereotype people show through.

[Ken]

McCain is also at risk of ridicule.

Starting with his fifth to last place in his graduating class at the Naval Academy.

Then there is the cheating on his first wife. Did he pull and Edwards, or did Edwards pull a McCain? A question worthy of a public vote in itself.

And McCain's lack of support for bills that would improve the VA treatment of vets, or improved ZGI Bills. Well, sure, McCain grew up in the elite world of Admirals, always had money behind him and an obvious disdain for enlisted personnel. It they ain't rich don't bother taking care of then

Behind the image developed for the campaign there is a lot of issues that McCain can get hit on in October when spending advertising dollars will really count.

[Blip]

Why the hell would McCain mock voters? I could see maybe trying to pick on something Obama said... but to go after the electorate like this is just stupid.

Maybe this ad is an attempt to brace himself for losing next November. Instead of blaming it on his foolish campaign, bad personality, and lack of attention to the issues... He can just call the voters stupid. And for what? Being excited about politics? Liking a charismatic and intelligent candidate?

I hope someone interviews these women. McCain tried smacking around Paris and he got pwned. It would be funny if these women released an ad defending themselves from McCain.

[MamaFogle]

I can't believe that they actually used donor money to put this piece of crap ad together. What a waste of time and resources. Mr. McCain, I actually attended two of your speaking appearances and VOTED for you in the primary before you started all of this negative nastiness. Now I am disappointed and disgusted at the turn that you have taken from being honorable and respectable, to wallowing in the muck just like the worst of them. You have not only LOST my vote, but now I make sure to tell everyone I know not to vote for you. How's that for a use of time and resources?

[Joe Canadian]

Is McCain running for high school president or the leader of the free world? Pathetic.

[Larry]

These ads are outstanding. The message is getting through, even to the ditzyest Yobamites. Obama, or Reverend Wright's step-and-fetch-it mentoree, is a ditz. Anyone who has not heard this bone-head speak without a teleprompter, should. Obama is the Slickmeister without brains.