Barack Obama attacks John McCain as a computer illiterate

After a day of joint appearances and a respite from election ad wars in recognition of Sept. 11, Barack Obama and John McCain’s campaigns are back at it -- firing ads at one another and preparing for the final 50-plus days until Nov. 4.

No sooner had McCain released yet another ad defending Sarah Palin than Obama fired off a new attack on McCain, paired with a commercial in which Obama speaks to the camera urging "real change."

The one certain to grab most attention starts with a picture of a much younger McCain and says: "1982, John McCain goes to Washington. Things have changed in the last 26 years but McCain hasn't."

It proceeds to ridicule the Republican for his self-confessed inability to send e-mails and vague grasp of computers. And of course there is a picture of President Bush, looking a little goofy, standing next to McCain.

The two spots come as Obama campaign manager David Plouffe issued an e-mail in which he attacks McCain for having "shown that he is willing to go into the gutter to win this election."

"His campaign has become nothing but a series of smears, lies, and cynical attempts to distract from the issues that matter to the American people," Plouffe's statement says.

Obama's new ads will be airing in battleground states. To help pay for the airtime, Obama is returning to Beverly Hills on Tuesday.

He will be holding fund-raisers at Greystone Estate, at $28,500 per ticket, followed by dinner at the Regent Wilshire, $2,500 per plate. Headlining the event will be Barbra Streisand.

-- Dan Morain

Comments

[Peter]

I am glad you guys put a spot light on this important yet neglected situation. I think this is a fair attack exspecially now adays. It goes to show how out of touch McCain is in this day and age. How many world leaders do you think their are that cannot use a computer??? It kind of reminds me of the Video of McCain getting Frustrated with his Black Berry and Throwing it, www.mccanes.com on the Straight Talk express.!!! Look even the self proclaimed redneck Levi johnson has a myspace page? www.hotpres.com He is more computer literate then McCain.Levi Johnson Brisol Palins Boy Friend Has quite an extensive myspace page I just dont think McCain has what it takes to be Pres at this point.

[shute]

who cares if he can use a computer? I want our next president to be a man of his word and be strong for our country and economy.
John AND Cindy McCain were at ground Zero yesterday. Where was Mrs Obama? Was she too ashamed of her country before her husband was nominated for president?
The Republican VP has as much if not more experience than the Democrats Presidential nomination. Now whats wrong with that picture?
I wish we had better choices to choose from. God help us, cause no matter which party wins, we are all screwed.
Why are Islamic terrorist groups all wanting obama to be our next president? They keep saying unless he changes his name he is still considered a muslim. and all muslims are told in the kuran to lie to the infidels until you get power, than to attack them. Wake up america, the writing is on the wall.

[Someone]

I have supported Obama from the beginning, and still do, but it is clear his campaign does not understand what an "attack ad" should be. The media narrative about it, as already with your headline, will focus on the computer illiteracy part of the ad, because it's the "new narrative". And the public will think "gee, I'm computer illiterate too, maybe I have more in common with this McCain guy than I thought" -- because most of America IS computer illiterate. Supreme command of computers is not something a majority of Americans have right now. While tech-savvy Democrats will snicker and sneer and think "what an old fogey, that McCain" -- this ad may ultimately have no effect other than to feed into the whole "elitist" dish the Republicans are serving.

[woman citizen]

About that computer campaign, after Mc Cain is elected, I hope he puts DOJ on embeded subliminals in emails to impressionable youth to indict and prosecute it.

[patti lowe]

What this country needs is..."TRUTH! COURAGE!
STRENGTH! and WISDOM!
This can only be acknowledged with.........
John McCain and Sarah Palin
It is time for Americans to take a stand and fight for our country...."LESS GOVERNMENT" and better goals for all.

[dennisc]

Now your going to inlame the handicap?
Senater McCain has limited use of his arms due to the torture he endured defending our country. This is a sure way to embrass him isn't it? On computer iliterate like so many of the older Americans. The Dem's gutter antics "for change" have really worked so far hasn't it.
So these are the issues that the Dem slogans trout?

[Larry]

Amazing. I'm 54 years old and consider myself to be very computer literate. Does that make me qualified to run our country? Got news for you geeks in the Obama campaign; Not all baby-boomers do know how to use a computer, but we have succeeded in life through a hell of a lot without ever learning to play Mortal Combat on the internet! MCCain was not my first pick to be president (I'm an independent btw, not a stiff shirted Rep, nor a mealy mouthed, follow-the-leader Dem), but insulting my generation with attacks like this won't get you my vote. Get to the issues!

[TKL]

So David Plouffe is saying that Obama's campaign has not also paraded "a series of smears, lies, and cynical attempts to distract from the issues that matter to the American people"?!?!?
They are all the same.

I must say though that the email/pc illiteracy is quite disconserting. The computer is the cornerstone of the information age. If you can't understand it then you are being spoonfed information to make decisions... Not the best thing for the most powerful decision maker in the world.

tkl

[redneckrudy@msn.com]

Most of all Congressmen and women are Computer stupid. Obama is living in a glass house throwing ROCKS! Congress which he's apart of has failed the Country again when it comes to the Internet. China has a better and faster Internet. Congress let the special interest cable sell them a bill of goods. Haven't heard him complain about it. Wonder how many Computers He has built in his life. So I find him at blame for us being behind the rest of the world leaders in Internet connection he could have started an Internet overhaul bill but no action Congress. I say shut up the with the BS and talk about your Platform. What are you really going to do and how you are going to do it.That"s what what the voters want to hear from both camps.Nothing but empty Democratic promises again.

[desperoddo]

Finally, democrats are doing more than whining about republicans who try to bully their way into positions!

[Are you serious?!]

This ad is stupid. Is this how Obama is really spending his campaign money? Obama is starting to look desperate in this political race.

[NinaK]

The Obama Campaign is abolutely correct in calling McCain's computer illeteracy to the the "frontline". McCain is so outdated and has made no effort to "catch up" to modern-day technologies. Children ages 4,5,and 6 have a much larger grasp on computer technology than McCain!! McCain still lives in the 60s and 70s and can only talk about about being in the military and being a POW ALL THOSE MANY YEARS AGO! He has no inkling what salaries differentiate the wealthy (rich) from the middleclass...to him the figure is $5 MIllion dollars; by his definitiion all people making $499 Million are in the middleclass bracket!! Guess with his and Cindy's OVER $100 Million plus their seven plush, expensive homes, $499 Million is small potatoes to him! Why anyone wants this desperately out-of-touch 72 year old with visible signs of dementia as our leader is beyond me!! McCain is so UNSURE of himself, he is consistently fidgeting with his weddingband and his fingernails, he does not seem to know what to do with his nervious hands!! As for Sarah Palin, she is nothing more than a small town mayor, small population governor who is so greedy to become VP and says she is not only ready for VP but for President as well!! My, oh, my, talk about delusional and a HUGE ego!! She is NOT qualified for either position and the great majority of Americans KNOW this. You do not take a nurse who bathes patients and empties their hospital bedpans and have him or her do heart surgery, and this is exactly what McCain and Palin are trying to do!! Frankly, neither McCain or Pailin are ready or qualified to be our leaders! Why do you think they keep bashing Senator Obama?? They keep trying to make THEMSELVES LOOK better when in fact they are from from being better or the best. WE ALL KNOW INSECURE people ALWAYS bash the next guy/gal in order to build their own EGOs!! We MUST NOT cave in to McCain's and Pilan's lies, slander, and fraudulant claims!!

[Kary]

Obama, grow up! Stop crying and wetting your diapers, or leave the politics for the big boys and girls! I am so sick of it! You're just a spoiled child who's mad that Palin got more attention then you for a change! And keep your change! I don't want a racist, muslim, terrorist sympathizing, unpatriotic liar like you running my country anyway! I am hardcore Democrat. I served on the Kerry campaign and was a 100% backer of Hillary. I don't agree with the Republicans completely, but I am sure ashamed these days to be registered a Democrat!

[Nelle]

Hey, my dad is not as computer literate as most young people, but I think he could run rings around his younger co-workers in terms of leadership. Stick to real issues Barack!

[Jim R]

Charlie Gibson was the star last night, those faces and the noises, he reminded me of the famous Al Gore debate.
Charlie who was pulling your strings...I know you like Sarah Palin but you are not gettng paid to be nice.

Remember we are all watching you be a gentlemen!

Sarah Palin is going to be a great VP.

[KNARAHS]

What a slap in the face to all our older "computer illiterate" Americans - or those who just perfer person-to-person communication!! Way to go Obama - keep it up -- you just may manage to alienate another segment of the voters you are supposed to be attracting. I bet this ad does not play in Florida with a hight percentage of older Americans who manage to live day-to-day with computers or emails.

[mimi362]

Are you kidding Obama is ridiculing McCain for not using email etc.
Come on now is that all this immature, arrogant snob who felt he didn't need Hillary Clinton come up with- Watch as he goes down the tubes- then the DNC will be crying.

[mary]

I do not think the ad goes on attack. Yes Mccain is out of touch but who cares. I want obama to attack them harder.

[fbowman]

I guess using a computer is now considered a qualification to be president of the US? Since that is the only qualification Obama has, I guess he has to make an issue of it.

[Ernie]

If this is all the left wing democrated liberal news agency has along with Obama has to offer. He is in big trouble........... Don't believe me, check the Poll numbers

[K. Dwight]

Not mentioned here is this Scoop in The Nation : McCain linked to (celebrity) con man Raffaelo Follieri (Ann Hathaway's ex)

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080929/berman_ames

[Gerald Shields]

Shute, you said:

"Who cares if he can use a computer? I want our next president to be a man of his word and be strong for our country and economy. "

And what makes you think he will be strong for the country and the economy? Just visting Ground Zero isn't going to cut it! Where's his plan to revive the economy?!

[michael y]

after 8 years of a failed presidency, how can any sane person consider replacing bush with mccain? are we better off now than in 2000? i think not. consider: the florida election fiasco, 911, an unecessary war,enron, ohio election fraud,katrina, torture, sub-prime loans and subsequent financial fall-out, skyrocketing energy and cost of living, with no end in sight. what positive thing has this administration done? now a senior citizen and an inexperienced governor are being peddled as the best thing since sliced bread. don't be duped by the spin.

[coolrepublica]

Well I hope they show this ad in PA. I hear PA has a lot of seniors. It would be good for them to see how Barack sees them. As idiots who don't know how to use email, therefore they are useless.

I hope they show Obama that they don't need to know how to use email to know how say yes to McCain on November 4.

[james]

email? what is McCain running for administrative assistant? and what can he do about the fact that he is old: die?

This is not a ma and pa general store both parties are attempting to take over it is the presidency of the USA which will have a cabinet and a huge support staff. and don't worry about who will watch Palin's kid.