Obama's First General Election Ad: "Country I Love" (VIDEO)

"The Obama campaign today announced the release of its first television advertisement for the general election," an Obama camp press release states. "The sixty second ad, entitled "Country I Love," will begin airing in eighteen states across the country tomorrow to highlight how our shared values have shaped Senator Obama's life."

In the spot, Senator Obama speaks to voters about the core values this nation was founded on and how they have guided him to work hard for his education, to bypass jobs on Wall Street to work as a community organizer, and to lead the fight for America's families and veterans as an Illinois and United States Senator.

The ad presents Senator Obama's record of passing laws to reform welfare, to cut taxes for working families, and to ensure America's veterans have the health care they deserve.

The ad will air in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

Watch the ad:

Washington Post's Chris Cillizza notes:

It's clear from this ad that the Obama campaign recognizes that it must educate voters about his background in order to counter the slew of negative information being moved via whisper campaigns and email chains already in this race.

This ad's message is simple: Barack Obama is just like you. He knows what it's like to start with little and work your way up, he loves his country, he loves his family.

It's a powerful opening salvo -- aided by a candidate who looks natural delivering the message. It's also an important sign of the work still facing the Obama campaign in the coming weeks and months.

Many voters know little of Obama and are hungry for more information. Do they get that information from the candidate or from other sources that are far less favorably inclined to the Illinois senator? It's a key question heading into the fall.

Comments

[ClydeSloppers]

I hear they are already carving out his face at Mount Rushmore.

[americanalien]

Excellent add. Obama is an all-american guy. He is the quintessential American story. The embodiment of the American dream. He will make an incredible President.

[Daisy1111]

I'm surpised he didn't wave a little flag and sing the anthem.

[pinesol]

Obama has been bought by the telecom giants. Money seem to blind Obama already and power of the dark side has buried his will to do good.

[BlazeKING]

Nice try but he's working to stop Telcom immunity. You should read the news before making judgements on headlines.

[pinesol]

If Obama loves the country so much, why then is he siding with Bush to erode the foundation of liberty and freedom hard earned by and for the American people?

Obama, together with many Democrats, have turned out to be nothing more than a bunch of agents working for the Neo-cons wearing a different mask from that worn by the GOP.

THIS NATION DESPERATELY NEEDS A THIRD (OR FOURTH) PARTY!

The Democrats, as evident by the actions and inactions of Nancy Pelosi, have proved to be too destructive for the values American people hold so dear: liberty, freedom, and a functional democracy!

Vote for Cindy Sheehan and vote Pelosi, a known DC hooker, OUT of congress!

[BlazeKING]

Uh I clearly remember that the 90's were a litttttle better than the Bush years. That Nader logic got us eight years of Bush and our country has paid the price.

[Daisy1111]

You kow the left-wing progressives are still brag that they made Gore lose by votingfor Nader in 2000. Go check their blogs -- they're proud of it.

Yup -- the left wing of the Democratic Party gave us BUSHCo.

And in 2008, they're illogical hated of the Centrist Clintons have given us OBAMACo.

Ad now Obama is sticking it to them, they will probably vote for Nader again and give us McCAINCo.

We could have had Hillary and sure win in November.

But Dean and the "Left Wing Progressives" gave us Barack Bamboozler Obama.

[tploomis]

This is a great ad. It describes his background, it points to the importance of his family, it talks about being grateful for the help he has received to get where he is, it talks about his love of the country that made this possible, it shows his altruism in choosing to pass up lucrative Wall Street jobs, and he presents himself as calm, reasonable, and articulate. This ad is aimed at the great unwashed out there, the people that somehow still don't know who he is. Hopefully those people are watching television when this ad comes on.

[solarenergy]

I love the ad. Great job!

[livesimply]

I am 150% for Obama, but I really don't like this ad. I guess it's targeted to people who know little to nothing about him, though.

[realtalk]

Alot of people need to see this campaign ad and get to know Barack Obama's background, since what most have been hearing, on most of the news stations is the smears, and guilt by association garbage. Now they get to see, and know Barack Obama's history from his own mouth.
He gets to speak for himself. It's good!!!

[luvobama]

Lucky for them, I might add.

[Marlyn]

A good one.

[hopeforchange]

Its clear he has to reeducate people about his background.

We have all heard enough about his background to force him to reeducate us. He doesn't want us to focus on his ties to radicals, racists and extremists-he wants us to focus on things he has not done-like take jobs that never were offered to him..

[MrUniteUs]

Very good,
The ad includes his background, his values, his community work, and legislation.

[Owlygirl]

Wow! These people are gooood. This is a friggin genius ad. It's authentic and touching. I love the personal photos! Isn't it cute how much he looks like grandpa?

And yeah, okay, it's definitely pandering to a certain group, but what are you gonna do? Some people still need convincing. I'm gonna watch it again. With a tissue.

[armadillious2002]

What's all this talk about Obama's ego? - I saw absolutely nothing in this ad that was egotistical. It was a good ad and it was timely. Many people are getting their education about Obama from fox noise. This ad shows them the truth about Obama.

[MrXfromplanetX]

If Obama is going to be accountable for his actions, then why isn't anyone holding him accountable for voting for the Reauthorization of the Patriot Act?

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=s2006-29

I also believe his 0.7% tax on the GDP for the U.N. is bad.

Only two people ran on the platform of restoring the Constitution. Dennis Kucinich, and Ron Paul.

Check out John Pilger's "Paying the Price: Killing the Children of Iraq" http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=john+pilger+paying+the+price&sitesearch=#

This film looks at the U.N. sanctions against Iraq that killed over a million children. The U.N. Looks after multinational corporations, not people.

[lazywhiteamerican]

Agreed about the vote but I guess it can't become a campaign issue because he and McCain are not on different sides of it.

[bryansmith]

Decent video, looks like he will continue to expand the party by bringing SANE Americans back into the Democratic party after being bought of by Republicans on false-choice issues of values and fake patriotism.

This ad underscores why Obama is doing so well among evangelicals. He is simply more comfortable talking about faith and values than is John McCain. And he is more down to earth, and understands the better tenats of christian faith: love and forgiveness, and HOPE. Once Americans begin to see how poorly the Republican Party represents real christian values, the Democratic party will become a more inclusive and more effective party.

I predict a landslide. I predict Obama wins among self-identified Christian evangelicals because they are getting tired of voting Republican for a narrow set of issues that they never deliver.

Great Job Obama!

[papla]

stop pending my post HUFF

[dugan45]

Please, don't feel so sad. HuffPo just blocked a post of mine because it contained, as the popup read, "bad language." Key words in my post: precipice, smoked pot, (sensibility of) a hippie, adulterer, flaunted authority, wrote campaign legislation that allows him to fly in his wife's private jet.

Let's see if this post passes HuffPo's censor. If it does, then I do not know what my excellent post, was blocked. At least yours got a "pending."

[papla]

John McCain said it does not love America.