New John McCain ad takes on Barack Obama, Joe Biden and ... George W. Bush

Fresh from delivering the best sound bite of his presidential campaign -- his retort to Barack Obama during their Wednesday night debate that "I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago" -- John McCain today again dissed the current White House occupant.

He also took a couple of shots at Obama and Joe Biden.

And he did all this in a new 60-second ad that, as part of an attack on "Washington" in general, lumps together Bush, Obama and Biden without mentioning any of their names!

The ad (which can be viewed in full below) is simplicity itself from a production standpoint; a seated McCain speaks directly into the camera. The backdrop, though, evokes the White House. And in that setting, McCain immediately and unequivocally distances himself from Bush.

The ad's first line: "The last eight years haven't worked out very well, have they?"

Since a two-term cap was imposed on the presidency, three men have served in the office for a full eight years: Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. None of the nominees chosen by their parties to replace them -- Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush and Al Gore, respectively -- ever came close to so explicitly trashing their predecessor's record.

After McCain's extraordinary critique of the current administration, he asserts that Washington is making this bad situation worse. "Telling us paying higher taxes is 'patriotic?' " he mockingly asks -- the Biden-related barb.

McCain follows with another rhetorical question: "And saying we need to 'spread the wealth around?' " That derives, of course, from the now-renowned impromptu policy debate in an Ohio neighborhood between Obama and "Joe the Plumber."

The ad goes on, but those first few seconds provide the likely playbook McCain and his camp will follow over the next 2 1/2: Stiff-arm Bush, decry Democratic tax policy and -- again and again and again -- spotlight that "spread the wealth" line.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: European Pressphoto Agency

Comments

[good to know]

I didn't realize the LA Times was in the pocket of the far right...

[Gary]

this Guy (McCain) is desperate.

[Richard Clark]

McPallin has to be kidding, he is going to make the next four years better after the last 8? Where has he been? Wasn't he a huge part of the Bushney Administration. If Lipstick can stick to a Pig then Bushney sticks to McPallin. Please, John, go gracefully into the sunset, enjoy your remaining time and go drill in your own back yard.

[Keith Culver City]

The ONLY specific besides vague platitudes? "Let's drill right here."

That speaks volumes.

[Robert]

What do they say about desperate times again? Right, desperate measures. He's going to have to do a hell of a lot better than this.

And he's still pushing drill-baby-drill? What are we going to drill out of, the next decade or two, maybe?

[gdz]

This is sad. The ad makes John McCain look senile. He needs some real help with his campaign, if only to go out gracefully. He has earned too much respect through the years not to go out with the respect that he ha earned over the years. I would very much like to remember the maverick, rather than what he has become to win the presidency. .

[Tim Fahey]

John, if you were elected to be our President, how much of a problem would it be if something terrible happened to you. Come on... Sara Palin is no John McCain. She's can't even do an interview without cue cards. I think Obama is the safest choice we have right now. You may be a maverick, but we need a thinker, not another gun slinger.

[Josh Moore]

I think paying higher taxes is patriotic, and although I persoanlly make more than the average family Obama is giving me a tax credit. Spread the wealth please!

McCain is idiotic

[Jerome Thomas]

In all of us - beyond age, experience, education, aspirations and accomplishments - lies an immutable and lasting stratum of what can best be called "character." It consists of a mixture of pragmatic ideals, including abiding self-confidence and self-respect, a compassionate spirituality, honesty, and a healthy and consistent work ethic, moral strength and a respect for others. These qualities are not so readily apparent - emerging more in what a person does over time, and not so much in what they say. I have observed John McCain and Barack Obama long enough to have seen a striking difference between them in terms of some of the qualities mentioned. I hope you will observe them and compare them, too, and vote on the basis of what you find. Which one plans to merely do things differently? Which has the energy, courage and intelligence to do different things? Your vote may prove critical to America's survival and its return to prominence as the leader of the free world.

[Rach]

If McCain is not George Bush, why does he continue to support Bush policies?

Earlier this year, McCain joined Bush in opposing a bipartisan GI Bill of Rights Bill that increased educational/vocational benefits for GIs. Why? McCain was concerned that “offering education benefits as early as the Webb bill allows would discourage people from re-enlisting.”

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/22/obama-mccain-spar-over-gi-bills-education-incentives/

For shame.

[rfoster]

Short-term gain with long-term losses. That's the McCain method of decision-making, demonstrated most clearly in his Palin pick but really seen throughout his campaign cycle. I have friends who were McCain fans who are sorely disappointed with him. This is truly, truly sad.

[deekay]

Wow...Who's THAT guy? Not the angry lawn gnome I saw last night. Nice to know he picked up a few pointers from his running mate, it's always a good idea to pretend to be someone else when the REAL you doesn't work out. I really liked John McCain, but it seems like he's grown bitter over the years. I guess when you sell your soul to the Bush Administration, you suffer the consequences. Too bad, he could have been more than a punch line.

[DCounts]

As an independetnt voter, I guess what I would say is that the last eight years haven't been the best, but what is worse is the last two years. Since Nancy and gang controlled ccngress it has been a steady downward spiral. Instead of helping as they said, they created the doomsday machine and now have the gall to point fingers. This issue isn't John and Barack or even George. I am guess I am no longer on the fence now. I know where my congressional and senate votes are going.

[captbilly]

It is sad to see how far McCain has fallen. I was a big McCain fan for many years, but the McCain of the 2000 Presidential race does not exist anymore. I just think he has gotten too old and bitter to be relevent in the midst of the problems we have today. His insistance that we will "win" in Iraq is a reference to an outdated notion of war that ended on VJ day (1945). We couldn't win in the WW2 notion of winning, in any war since WW2. We can stay in Korea forever just as we can stay in Iraq forever, but neither war will ever be won.

The interests of other countries will always conflict with our own, resolving those conflicts with military intervention can work, but the cost of long term military intervention has always been unaceptably high. The British eventually lost thier empire due to the costs of trying to maintain it, exceeding the benefits. We could and did overthrow Sadam, and we could do the same with the leaders of Iran or Syria or Korea. If our only goal was to get rid of Sadam then we have already won, but if we think that winning means that we will creat in Iraq a democracy like our own, then we lost before we dropped the first bomb

[AidanMead]

....talk about not being specific.

[John]

Its real simple. You either go for the non-experenced tax & spend Demo-rat idea guy or or the old guy with experence. Want to live on his ideas? Or want to live on your own money. Lets see ... Demo-rat ideas buy things for the guy across town but your own money will buy things for YOU. So, do YOU get the idea?? Hmmmmmm ???

[mzbond]

John McCain is worst then GW Bush. In fact, McCain/Palin make GW Bush look good. He had 26 years to improve this government and he sat by and watched while the Keating Five worked their black magick! Away with McCain. Don't even want him in the Senate!

[Buster]

Ironic, isn't it, that McCain's voted WITH George Bush 95% of the time... Don't believe it? Click on my name.

[Tobias]

For once, a non-negative ad by McCain.

[daggs]

I do think it is interesting that Joe "the Plumber" Wurzelbacher just so happens to be the son of Robert Wurzelbacher, the son-in-law of--guess who?--none other than Robert Keating of the KEATING FIVE... unbiased, neutral, "average Joe" indeed...

[mbee]

The last presidential debate was a work of art, two intelligent and dedicated contenders going at it in a high speed game of rhetorical chess. Yes, one point to McCain for a GREAT one liner on his relationship to bush. Though flustered at times, McCain was able to land some pretty good blows. They both convinced me that they are extremely intelligent and at the top of their game. I also realized that there is NO WAY that Sarah Palin is even remotely qualified to be the vice presidential nominee for the republican ticket. She would've been absolutely eaten alive at that table, and wouldn't have had much to say in the process. Nice commercial John, but I think you've already made your bed.

[Lonnie Allen]

At least he's offering populist mantras this time instead of just attacking. *fart*

[joekegstand]

My savings, we'll rebuild 'em. My investments, they'll grow again. Wow, I'm all set. Again, such a well thought out plan to get us back on track.

[Jonathan]

Already over it!

[Amy]

gee - the set for that ad looks awfully familiar, doesn't it? The cadence, the posture - all very very familiar....

Stoopid copy cat - I guess if your own ideas are all tanking, you might as well copy your opponent and hope nobody notices.