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August 12, 2008
McCain's 'celebrity' Taunts Are Bugging Obama
McCain's 'celebrity' taunts are bugging Obama
In a presidential campaign freighted with war, recession and energy woes, a jibe featuring Paris Hilton, of all things, seems to have struck a nerve in Democrat Barack Obama. For the second time in two weeks, he aired a TV ad Monday rebutting Republican John McCain's claim that Obama is little more than a celebrity, like the blonde hotel heiress.
The first time, Obama dismissed the assertion as "baloney." On Monday, Obama took a different tack with a commercial that says McCain, not he, is "Washington's biggest celebrity."
The back-and-forth may seem as frothy as a boardwalk milkshake in mid-August. But it suggests McCain is making some headway in trying to fight the campaign on his terms.
For weeks, Obama has tried to frame the election largely as a referendum on President Bush, using every chance to tie McCain to the unpopular incumbent. McCain has tried to make it about Obama by arousing concerns about the first-term senator's experience and depth.
McCain has aired a series of TV ads that showed far more images of Obama than himself, a somewhat risky approach. All of them tried to turn Obama's crowd-pleasing talents against him.
A July commercial blaming Obama for high gasoline prices — which the watchdog group FactCheck.org called "a tank full of nonsense" — portrayed crowds chanting Obama's name. A subsequent ad mixed images of Obama on his recent European trip with video clips of pop figures Hilton and Britney Spears.
Obama is "the biggest celebrity in the world," the announcer said. "But is he ready to lead?"
Even some Republican strategists questioned whether the strategy was smart or dignified. And Hilton herself produced a video poking fun at McCain that drew large Internet viewership. But Obama's latest ad suggests the "celebrity" taunt has some sting, and efforts to dismiss it as silly have not been effective.
"They woke up this weekend and figured out that that ad resonated and they needed to do something about it," said Terry Holt, a Republican strategist.
Although the McCain campaign was lampooned for its Hilton ad on late night television and blogs, it kept hammering at the celebrity theme. A McCain TV ad introduced last week showed Obama waving to cheering crowds, along with his picture on the covers of the magazines GQ, US Weekly and Vanity Fair.
In his new ad, Obama tries to turn the celebrity theme to his advantage, grafting it to his claim that a McCain presidency would amount to a third term for Bush. That claim has generated a defensive response from McCain.
McCain daily tries to beat back the idea that he'd represent a continuation of Bush, as he did Monday while campaigning in Erie and Harrisburg, Pa. Nearly 85 percent of Americans think the country is on the wrong track, McCain told workers at an Erie manufacturing facility, and "we've got to reform and reform and reform."
The new Obama ad shows McCain hugging Bush while the voiceover says, "as Washington embraced him, John McCain hugged right back."
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the ad is designed to say voters have a choice between Obama, who stands for change, and McCain, "who overwhelmingly favors the status quo."
Holt, the GOP strategist, said, "If the celebrity issue were not hurting them, they would have ignored it."
Wild Thing's comment............
Thin skinned B. Hussein Obam, gosh, and after being the bully on the playground. Thin skinned and also because Obama knows what is being said about him is true. knows its true. Nothing to back up anything he’s ever done. “Community Planner” doesn’t cut it.
Obama whine
"don't talk about my ears"
"don't use my middle name Hussein"
don't call me a liberal"
don't say fairytale that is a rascist word
don't talk about my wfie
and the list goes on and on....
The Madison Avenue campaign is in full effect. Just wait for the display and hype built up around his speech at the convention at a freaking football stadium filled with 72,000 screaming people.
The Georgia situation illustrates what we elect a President to do.
I am not a fan of McCain and you all know that, but McCain would be a man in the White House; Obama by comparison, would be an 18 year old college freshman with long hair and a bong.
Posted by Wild Thing at August 12, 2008 02:48 AM
Comments
Obama is the slimest POS that has ever run for President-
Michelle Obama is looking more like a rabid mad dog foaming at the mouth!
Good thing we have freedom of speech or she would be in jail- what a HO!!!
How come we are not drilling for more OIL yet--
What is the problem- get in gear - people or Putin will be trying to get it!!
IS ANYONE AWAKE IN WASHINGTON THAT CARES ABOUT AMERICA???
I can't imagine why Condi Rice said America would be okay with Obama as President- hhhmmmmm!!!!!
Obama the faggot communist muslim retard of the free world - LMFAO!!!!
Posted by: Cheryl Zee at August 12, 2008 07:35 AM
Succinctly said Cheryl. The 'Great Swahili' has been riding that tidal wave of media popularity, but every Tsunami that happens wreaks destruction and death. Putin is proving before the world stage what he and Obama and their Communist agenda are all about.
Posted by: Jack at August 12, 2008 10:48 AM
Good one Cheryl...but
I disagree, I think, Obama is at least tied with John Kerry as the most slimy POS. Except for Hubert Humphrey the last 40 years have been repleat with well known and lesser known Pieces of Sh&t running for the democrat nomination. Except for Clinton none of the aforementioned Pieces of Sh&t have won anything.
All the networks keep repeating that anyone who thinks Obama is a muslem is part of the 'looney Right', especially O'Reilly.
But it is the moslems who are always threatening to kill anyone who jokes about Islam or whats his name ahhh... alla.
In the same sense Obama gets upset when anyone questions his behavior, his religion, his wife aka 'ho', his dumbo ears or whatever, seems to me he is, either overly sensitive or needs to get a real life.
Posted by: Mark at August 12, 2008 10:58 AM
Ooops... I forgot Carter one of the biggest Pieces of Sh%t.
Posted by: Mark at August 12, 2008 11:00 AM
For Barack Obama and his supporters to deny that he only got where he is in the race to become president because of his celebrity status reminds me of Hillary Clinton calling Gen. Petraeus a liar. She said, "I think that the reports that you provide to us really require the willing suspension of disbelief.” Obama likes being a celebrity when it helps him and denies being a celebrity when the truth of it hurts him.
President Harry S. Truman had a sign on his desk that said, "The Buck Stops Here." If B. Hussein Obama becomes President I have two suggestions for signs on his desk.
"The Schmuck Sits Here", or "The Whining Starts Here".
Posted by: Les at August 12, 2008 02:30 PM
Cheryl, (((applause))) excellent !!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 12, 2008 05:40 PM
Jack, yes he sure is, today some guy on TV said Putin wants all the surrounding countires back under his control again. How nice for him and how bad for those countries. So he will not have to fight to protect Russia and those surrounding countries can do it for him? What a total POS.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 12, 2008 05:45 PM
Mark, I am for putting all those you mentioned in one big boat with no oar and sinking it for good. ah deep sigh of relief that would be to be rid of them. Pretty please I would love that so much.
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 12, 2008 05:50 PM
Les, those are great suggestions.
Yessssss
Posted by: Wild Thing at August 12, 2008 05:52 PM
