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

[rubberneck]

Still trying to reassure us? Evidently, his polling is telling to announce the fact that he loves his country. Not good for him.

[Tommygun264]

Yeah, that's why he's already slaughtering McSame in the polls in all the swing states. The 'pubs are sweating like a fat lady at a Wayne Newton concert. Smell the desperation.

[andys0391]

I gagged a little bit.

[Ptama]

This add is way better than McCain's add where he goes on to explain how his family has always been involved in WAR....Tha­ts wonderful.

[butterworth]

Not to mention that the McCain campaign keeps pushing those photos of McCain as a young man, so we can forget how old he is.

[rasthedestroyer]

I don't think he's trying to reassure anyone. I think he's taking the time to introduce himself to the country, and if people like you don't get it then don't vote for him.

[emmav70]

I and millions of Americans don't need him to reassure us!

It's those Hannity watching Lush Limbau listening reptiles who need to realize that this time we are prepared for them . And this time we are NOT gonna let Hannitys and Lushes to divide our country !

[lazywhiteamerican]

What you mean the polling that shows him leading?

[HoracePManure]

1. Are those tiny white crosses from Arlington cemetery in the background?

- or -

Is there a KKK meeting going on behind Obama?

which headline will Fox choose?

[rasthedestroyer]

Dude, it's a window. Stop now and your brain will stop smoking.

[FrictionSoul]

looks like windowpanes. WHat kind of windowpanes are you on?

[LeftHandedBrain]

LMAO!!! (A=acid)

[Ptama]

I like it , Well done.

[SwingingFromCenter]

"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."

I'm not entirely sure why he's airing the ad in Alaska, Montana, New Hampshire or North Dakota.

Alaska, Montana and North Dakota cause they're just about as red as a state can get, and New Hampshire cause he's already got it.

Course, none of those states probably cost much to run ads in.

[Bagger]

He's only down by 4 points in Alaska.

[Clabbers]

He can really win Alaska, its not too far-fetched. Montana and North Dakota show reasonably polling, though im a little leery of either of those states being in play.

But how much could running an ad in Montana, North Dakota, and Alaska cost? It can't really be all that expensive

[oscarp]

Florida? What for? we don't exist !!!

[TheOneironaut]

Dont get mad at us...get mad at SCOTUS - circa 2000

[scurryscurryandyshere]

New Hampshire is a tossup thanks to McCain practically living there for the past ten years. Alaska has a good chance of turning blue because of the backlash to Ted Stevens. Even if Obama doesn't take AK, he can help flip a Senate seat and a couple House seats.

[rasthedestroyer]

Introducing himself to America, means all of America. Including Alaska and even Maine.

[Cheryllou]

Beautiful ad. I just love this man.

[levibatgirl]

Beautiful introduction. Really well done.

[oscarp]

beautiful disney world animated movie, is that a new character?

[LeftHandedBrain]

Not disney world, but real world. And the title of the role is "44th POTUS"!!!

[altheus10]

Very nice ad. "Yes We Can". I believe.

[TheEmptinessOfTruthiness]

Hey, you're post just made me realize there were absolutely no slogans in that very well-done ad.

Nice touch!

[TheOneironaut]

*blink* Youre right I just noticed that too...make­s it more genuine doesnt it? Like it or not the man is a genius!

[ohiomark]

If you take the teleprompter away from him, he's lost.

If it's possible to have a worse Presidency than Jimmy Carter, Obama might do it.

[nyc4obama123]

oh please bush a republican was the worst president

[Scarllatti]

You are a nothing but a hopeless skunk!!!

[Sabreen60]

Sorry W made C.arter look like the best pres. in history. In fact historians say there has never been a pres. as bad as W.

[Bagger]

That's the best you've got? Weak.

[Mogamboguru]

Do you have ANY evidence for your smear, please...? None? Ah - I see...

[ohiomark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxBX8sz3tO8

I guess he was having trouble hearing the guy in his ear piece telling him what to say.

[jazzman]

But we're busy running this country into a ditch. Why would we want to shift from keeping our troops in Iraq, running up massive deficits, letting our infrastructure rot, leaving our healthcare a shambles, shipping our jobs overseas, privatizing our mal-functioning government agencies, doing nothing about our energy crisis except drilling for more oil, and destroying the democratic foundations of our country when we have John McCain waiting to usher in Bush's third term? Think of it America, the soup kitchens need your business. So let's raise up our voices in defeat and despair, cry, "No, we can't", and elect the status quo McCain for another four years. Let's all be losers together. The hedge fund managers, lobbyists, and corporations are depending on it!

[newsjunkie8]

"No, we can't"

[dr4Will]

Are Wright and Pfleger featured in the ad---this is the country they love to crap on--we will not forget!!!

[BWonka]

And we'll never forget what you and Bu$h and McBu$h have done to this country. Which is why Obama will be the next President and you'll still be trying to prove Misiion Accomplished wasn't a lie.

[Piatt]

The Keting 5 was just the start for McSame. Let's run an ad with Phil and Wendy Gramm...re­member them? He's the maniacal deregulator Senator from Texas who helped give us the mortgage meltdown. She's a former employee of Enron who got her job while he was in the Senate deregulating away. He's now one of McSame's chief economic advisors. Let's also run an ad with McSame telling a cheering room full of Texas oil men about his plans to drill off shore!

[Meggie]

only if we all remember the that John Mccain is one of the Keating 5 and has had such a cozy relationship right up to the present day with lobbyists and big business that it's amazing there is room for Cindy in the bed, too.

[Mogamboguru]

Lame.

At least, you have stopped the 240 word-innuendos. Your communicat­ions-train­ers at the Mc Cain campaign are doing quite a good job, lately...

[chi]

Don't vote for them then!

[HopeObama08]

Are Hagee and Parsley featured in McPain's one? Because they are so much better! And so are you.

[missusam]

Confirmation of how good an ad this is, look how the repub trolls have come out.
If this were not a powerful ad, you would not have know they were here, esp with the racist comments.

Wonderful ad Sen Obama
Fired Up....Read­y to Go!

[neesy08]

The flip side of that is this: why would white Americans expect Black Americans to love this country as mich as they do? Talk about being in denial! Anyway, this is for whites, we Black folks don't think about how much we love our country. Never enters the heads of Blacks I know.

[Susanfrom29]

Finally! I have long waited for an African American to stand up and ask this question! Why should they love this country? Why should they not be angry?

The fact that so many of them aren't angry and that so many of them love this country in spite of all that has historically been done to them as a race, speaks to the power of the American Dream and its genuine inclusiveness.

[kitfox]

I agree.

It never crossed my mind until now... doesn't mean I'm anti-american just wasn't a prioity on my list of things to do..

[Sabreen60]

Someone else said that this ad is for those white folks who have doubts that he loves this country and that the ad is not for Black folks. This is correct. I don't know if this has occurred to anyone, but if Black folks didn't love this country, do you really think we would still be here. Many of us are very much able financially to move to any country in the world of our choosing, but we stay here. Have you ever asked why? Given that we lived under apartheid, but still didn't leave. Really, if we didn't love this country would we have stayed?

[missusam]

People worrying about the script being flipped. If the shoe was on the other foot....

[newsjunkie8]

Yeah I noticed as well. He was the only person of color in the whole ad.

I do not think this ad alone will alienate blacks though he should stick to his message of going above race. Even if it costs him the "I'm afraid of people with Hussein in their name vote".

Obama 08

[missusam]

I saw black people.

[Bagger]

Obama looks exactly like his grandfather. It's amazing.
Great ad Senator.

[wayoutleft]

obviously professional work. everybody is obsessed with his race. actually, what gets him over is that he's a baritone- not a squeaky or nasal tenor. since he's taller, darker and a baritone- mccain has no chance- just like edwards really never had a chance. he has fragmented race into being taller, having a deeper voice, and being new- all positives. meanwhile, left wing extremists like myself are still in the "positions­-on-issues­" wading pool that professional image-making like this is totally drying up.
i'm white, but thank god i grew up in california with black kids. the crowd in this ad would have beat the crap out of me every day and stomped on my glasses.

[saun8934]

This is an awesome ad Obama and campaign! Please keep them coming....­.