If you still think that Sen. McCain’s running mate will be someone that criticized him during the primaries so the Dems can run ads like this, you’re nuts.
Great ad. It’s not quite Lyndon Johnson’s “Daisy” ad from ‘64 (which this reminds me of), but it’s very, very good. Anytime you can use your opponents words against them, it’s effective.
get a Romney line criticizing McCain that can be used by a dem in the generals and we’ll talk. Romney never made personal judgments about McCain. He made the argument that McCain was too “liberal”. I doubt a liberal will use that against him. I could be wrong though and just not remember the “damning line”.
“He made the argument that McCain was too “liberal”. I doubt a liberal will use that against him. ”
Of course they would. It divides the Republican base. There is no danger of real liberals suddenly slapping their foreheads and saying, “McCain’s a liberal? Wow! I guess I’ll vote for him, then!”
Hm. I get what they’re trying to do with this ad, obviously, and it can be really, really damaging… But personally I think this ad’s a little too complicated. There’s too much going on at the same time. When the TV goes to “picture in a picture” mode, it’s a little hard to make out what some of the folks are saying. I would like to see similar ads that do basically the same thing, give the same message, but maybe a little more effectively. But that’s just me.
That said, I’ve been curious about when the McCain camp is going to start using that last clip of Obama talking about how he himself doesn’t think he’s ready to be president. I’ve always thought that’s political gold. We’ll see.
To defend America = to piss Russia off by ringing her with weapons?
To defend America = to buddy up with corrupt Georgian aggressors?
To defend America = to go around bombing countries all willy-nilly?
To defend America = to forcibly steal money from Americans and use it for causes not authorized by the Constitution?
#13, you’re way out of line. I view radical neo-cons as irresponsible war mongers but you’re not any better with your isolationism and appeasement, Josiah.
Russia is the aggressor arming and funding separatist terrorist organizations in Georgia. After its invasion it occupied supply routes for oil deep inside uncontested Georgian territory.
It’s pretty clear what Russia is doing here.
All Georgia has tried to do is keep its nation independent.
Pip needs to be larger, I agree with hunters point about distractions you may miss what’s being said while making out the images, and the reverse as well. Still a pretty darn good ad.
I gotta say though after next week they need to start running some more of the mccain policy statement\contrast ads, wall to wall “Obama not ready to lead (inexperienced)” is only going to do so much.
I’m not defending Josiah, but Russia moved into South Ossetia (which supports Russia) to defend it against Georgia. Russia, however crossed the line when they invaded Georgia proper. Some people don’t seem to understand this.
27 - “Defend it”? Yes, Georgia rejected its appeals for independence, because the Georgians living in that area had no say in the matter. And no, a majority does not hold the “right” to subject the minority to an autocracy. Georgia has the moral upper-ground, which is why we support Georgia. Or should, anyway. We didn’t do a very good job of it.
Nah Rick,
Some people just see it for what it was, cover no matter how obtained, to grab what they wanted.
Provoke your enemy to do what you want him to do to give you cover or an excuse to do what you intended to do. It’s game, and Russia is very good at it.
Rick, I was being gently sarcastic to Josiah. I know that Georgia was cracking down on dissidents in South Ossetia. Russia, or rather Putin was trying to do the same thing that the Soviets did back in 1968 when they marched into Prague. We were busy over in Vietnam then as we are busy in both Iraq and Afhganistan. They think we will not respond with anything more than words or trade sanctions because we are too busy elsewhere. And they may be right but Europe had better be paying very close attention.
well done… half of the idiot voters out there won’t even realize that they’re watching an ad. They’ll think someone else in the room grabbed the remote while they were going for the cheetos.
very effective in my opinion on raising doubt about Obama… That’s only the first half of the argument thought, McCain needs to tout why he has the experience and judgement to be Prez.
So, do you think it would be ok for Mexico to invade Texas today? Would that be ok with you. Assume first that Mexico is this great big bully nation, and that we’re much weaker, then answer that.
Outstanding. And what makes it so good is the production approach - we’ve grown accustomed to processing multiple strands of information simultaneously, and this ad plays into that beautifully. Forget the substance - which is great - this is a very modern media approach. More please!
“A more concise and hard hitting ad needs to be on television. I think they should make one and start airing it after the RNC.”
Agreed completely. I would start by leaving all the Dodd comments on the cutting room floor. This ad is not effective because of what is being said but who is saying it — ie, the last Democratic President, Obama’s main opponent for the nomination, Obama’s VP nominee and Obama himself. I’d also invert the images — put Bill/Hill/Biden/Obama on the main screen, and have the other images on the bottom corner screen.
But overall, very good ad. I’ve always thought the best way to hit an opponent is with his own words.
Good points about the cast of Dems, however I think that the screens are in the right place. We naturally focus on the familiar and those faces are familiar. We will clearly recognize the familiar but the underlying statement is being played out on the big screen for those of us who need a sledge hammer approach to see the obvious.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
If you still think that Sen. McCain’s running mate will be someone that criticized him during the primaries so the Dems can run ads like this, you’re nuts.
No offense…
August 27th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Great ad. It’s not quite Lyndon Johnson’s “Daisy” ad from ‘64 (which this reminds me of), but it’s very, very good. Anytime you can use your opponents words against them, it’s effective.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Jesus, the spam filter is going nuts. Anything you can do about this, Kavon?
August 27th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
And Kavon is right in #1. It was never Romney.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Wow, get this on TV ASAP!
August 27th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
get a Romney line criticizing McCain that can be used by a dem in the generals and we’ll talk. Romney never made personal judgments about McCain. He made the argument that McCain was too “liberal”. I doubt a liberal will use that against him.
I could be wrong though and just not remember the “damning line”.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
For those of you interested in electoral history, this is the famous ad that many historians consider the most effective ad of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKs-bTL-pRg
August 27th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
And this ad, of course, assumes that the job of the President is to “solve” all the problems of the world.
*sighs*
August 27th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Hey Kavon, still think that McCain Pick will be a surprise? Hope so.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
8 - No it doesn’t. It assumes that the job of the president is to defend America.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Mcon,
“He made the argument that McCain was too “liberal”. I doubt a liberal will use that against him. ”
Of course they would. It divides the Republican base. There is no danger of real liberals suddenly slapping their foreheads and saying, “McCain’s a liberal? Wow! I guess I’ll vote for him, then!”
August 27th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Hm. I get what they’re trying to do with this ad, obviously, and it can be really, really damaging… But personally I think this ad’s a little too complicated. There’s too much going on at the same time. When the TV goes to “picture in a picture” mode, it’s a little hard to make out what some of the folks are saying. I would like to see similar ads that do basically the same thing, give the same message, but maybe a little more effectively. But that’s just me.
That said, I’ve been curious about when the McCain camp is going to start using that last clip of Obama talking about how he himself doesn’t think he’s ready to be president. I’ve always thought that’s political gold. We’ll see.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Alex #10,
To defend America = to piss Russia off by ringing her with weapons?
To defend America = to buddy up with corrupt Georgian aggressors?
To defend America = to go around bombing countries all willy-nilly?
To defend America = to forcibly steal money from Americans and use it for causes not authorized by the Constitution?
August 27th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Corrupt Georgian aggressors? Worrying about offending Russia? “Bombing countries all willy-nilly?”
You really, actually might be in the wrong party.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Mahmoud and Putin are just PRAYING for a President Obama.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
This HAS to go on TV!
August 27th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
#13, you’re way out of line. I view radical neo-cons as irresponsible war mongers but you’re not any better with your isolationism and appeasement, Josiah.
Russia is the aggressor arming and funding separatist terrorist organizations in Georgia. After its invasion it occupied supply routes for oil deep inside uncontested Georgian territory.
It’s pretty clear what Russia is doing here.
All Georgia has tried to do is keep its nation independent.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
A more concise and hard hitting ad needs to be on television. I think they should make one and start airing it after the RNC.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Josiah, did Georgia attack Russia? I seemed to have missed that. I thought Russia was the aggressor.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
outstanding ad
August 27th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
#8, Josiah we’re not isolationists anymore…no matter how much Ron Paul wishes we were.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Pip needs to be larger, I agree with hunters point about distractions you may miss what’s being said while making out the images, and the reverse as well. Still a pretty darn good ad.
I gotta say though after next week they need to start running some more of the mccain policy statement\contrast ads, wall to wall “Obama not ready to lead (inexperienced)” is only going to do so much.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
dam that’s two posts eaten now. grr.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
21 - Yeah, the spam filter is going nuts.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Phenomenal, compelling ad. It brought to mind this ad before the campaigns merged.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I believe they have a better version of this waiting for release after the conventions. Bin Laden probably makes a cameo.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
#19. Faith.
I’m not defending Josiah, but Russia moved into South Ossetia (which supports Russia) to defend it against Georgia. Russia, however crossed the line when they invaded Georgia proper. Some people don’t seem to understand this.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Rick, South Ossetia is a Russian puppet state installed to weaken Georgia.
South Ossetia has been a part of Georgia longer than Texas has been a part of America.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Thanks for pulling it from the dumpster.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
27 - “Defend it”? Yes, Georgia rejected its appeals for independence, because the Georgians living in that area had no say in the matter. And no, a majority does not hold the “right” to subject the minority to an autocracy. Georgia has the moral upper-ground, which is why we support Georgia. Or should, anyway. We didn’t do a very good job of it.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Ths is a super good ad.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Nah Rick,
Some people just see it for what it was, cover no matter how obtained, to grab what they wanted.
Provoke your enemy to do what you want him to do to give you cover or an excuse to do what you intended to do. It’s game, and Russia is very good at it.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Rick, I was being gently sarcastic to Josiah. I know that Georgia was cracking down on dissidents in South Ossetia. Russia, or rather Putin was trying to do the same thing that the Soviets did back in 1968 when they marched into Prague. We were busy over in Vietnam then as we are busy in both Iraq and Afhganistan. They think we will not respond with anything more than words or trade sanctions because we are too busy elsewhere. And they may be right but Europe had better be paying very close attention.
August 28th, 2008 at 6:01 am
well done… half of the idiot voters out there won’t even realize that they’re watching an ad. They’ll think someone else in the room grabbed the remote while they were going for the cheetos.
very effective in my opinion on raising doubt about Obama… That’s only the first half of the argument thought, McCain needs to tout why he has the experience and judgement to be Prez.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Doug,
“South Ossetia has been a part of Georgia longer than Texas has been a part of America.”
Georgia was a part of the Russian/Soviet empire for longer than Texas as been a part of America.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:13 am
So, do you think it would be ok for Mexico to invade Texas today? Would that be ok with you. Assume first that Mexico is this great big bully nation, and that we’re much weaker, then answer that.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:50 am
That is a really good ad. It should be on the air.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:16 am
[...] agree with Kavon. That is one heck of an [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Outstanding. And what makes it so good is the production approach - we’ve grown accustomed to processing multiple strands of information simultaneously, and this ad plays into that beautifully. Forget the substance - which is great - this is a very modern media approach. More please!
August 28th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Well said, Illinoisguy.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:00 am
“A more concise and hard hitting ad needs to be on television. I think they should make one and start airing it after the RNC.”
Agreed completely. I would start by leaving all the Dodd comments on the cutting room floor. This ad is not effective because of what is being said but who is saying it — ie, the last Democratic President, Obama’s main opponent for the nomination, Obama’s VP nominee and Obama himself. I’d also invert the images — put Bill/Hill/Biden/Obama on the main screen, and have the other images on the bottom corner screen.
But overall, very good ad. I’ve always thought the best way to hit an opponent is with his own words.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Good points about the cast of Dems, however I think that the screens are in the right place. We naturally focus on the familiar and those faces are familiar. We will clearly recognize the familiar but the underlying statement is being played out on the big screen for those of us who need a sledge hammer approach to see the obvious.