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

[hopeless277]

He obviously doesn't love it enough to prevent the abolition of the 4th amendment via FISA. This guy is just like all the rest. Full of bullshit.

[trinity29]

I don't think you can blame FISA on Obama squarely.

[HBeachbum]

When you all stop swooning over your Messiah, maybe you can come up with a tad bit of experience he needs. His Senate time doesn't count because he has been campaigning 2 of the 3 years he has been a Senator.

[lorla]

You are pissing on a wildfire,HB.

[CeciliaBertrand]

LOL

[LeftHandedBrain]

and if he's like his candidate, it's the third time this hour!

[MsDoc]

And the alternative??? Endless war? Abrogation of the Constitution? Back room abortions? Denial of civil liberties? It may seem like swooning, but I think it's more like a cry of desperation. It may be a port is a storm, but I think that storm is upon us.

[OneVoiceInACrowd]

When did that support for the troops bill pass? January this year. I guess he can multi-task too.

[rbenjamin]

Ladies and gentlemen, Edward G. Robinson!

[thylacine550]

I got that. awesome! :)

[Ceasar]

When will people realize that experience is not the most/only important factor in running for president? Do your research and find out for your self. Seriously.

[wutzhappn]

Sanjaya for president.

[DC]

Experience in what? The ways of Washington? Some of the most "expereinced" Presidents are among our worst --Buchanan, Hayes, etc.

Margaret Thatcher was a minor Parliamentarian (responsible for education issues) before she became Prime Minister of Britain. There were screams about her lack of experience before she took office. She wound up being the best and right person for the times.

This "experience" argument is a red herring.

[FORMERMARINE]

Positive ad. It also show the white and the black sides of Obama. a man one time was called not black enough or too black.

Obama/Webb

[unscum]

Awesome ad! The choice is pretty stark in this election. If Obama is elected president, our country will get a new lease on life. If McCain get's elected, then we are doomed to a slow death at the hands of these destructive Republican policies for the last 8 years.

[America08]

He is so cute.

[obamanation31]

Air it everywhere.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/?map=10

[4wehttam]

Hey that's fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

[CitizenKane16]

Excellent, I've already passed it on to the rest of the free world. Thanks.

[barackobama4prez]

Very good ad. Too bad it won't play in TX. I know this is a red state....but it would be GRRRRRRRRREAT if he could paint it blue.

[Scytherius]

If Texas Dems turn out in the record numbers they did in the Primaries,m the numbers show that Texas would be VERY VERY close.

[ATFIllinois]

Find me a repub who can articulate as well as that. He nailed it. We may soon have a president who will be able to say a sentence or two without mentioning 'terrorist, 9/11, and mushroom cloud in an American city' in the same breath. And he can also pronounce "nucyoolar" properly.

[Med]

I am a strong supporter of Obama. Although I find this ad very well crafted, I feel as if it was aimed at condamning his father for leaving him to be raised by his mom, and for returning back to Africa where he probably was more needed than here. Let's not forget that things were different back in the sixties for blacks in America and certainly more so for someone with an heavy accent from Africa. This could explain why Barck Senior might have decided to leave his son here where he could have better opportunities and return to Africa.
Barack has Sisters, a Grand-Mother, Uncles in Africa, but rarely he talks about them. Is he ashamed of that part of his story? But yet, he talks about his half-indonesian Sister everytime he wants to prove something.
Senator, I have not read your book entitle " Dream from my father". But I can guess that it has to do with some sort of love you felt, at one point, for the man. Isn't it?
It is Ok that part of you is African, and part of you American. That make you an African-American. No less, no more. So, sometimes, Just sometimes, aknowledge your peeps in Kenya. Not when you jokkingly say that there are dark people like Bernie Mac in you family, as well as Irish and what not. What that would ultimately do is to show that America is truly a land of opportunity.

[MaxBob]

The full court press being conducted by the Obama Campaign over PATRIOTISM could lead one to believe there is a REAL ISSUE with this. Michelle on The View detailing her underprivileged upbringing and grassroots childhood and Barack's ad trying to disspell lingering weaknesses over his character........hmmmmm? What say you?

[CitizenKane16]

The repubs are the ones questioning their patriotism because they have nothing else to run on - their talking points are then spread by the talking heads but I'm guessing you already know this and choose to ignore the source.

[pogoman11]

I don't think we could have been friends in high school. He would have been way to cool for me. http://www.thepoliticaljerk.com/

[balthus]

A wonderful ad, and a stake through the wormy heart of the McSame campaign.

Let's remember that for it to work, millions upon millions of Americans need to see it. And that takes money. Lots of it.

If you truly believe this election may well be the last, best hope for America to return to its former glory, if you have children or grandchildren who you want to live in world that hasn't been permanently scarred by global warming, if you believe in our Constitution, if you want to be able to brag about how you were PART OF Obama's historic election (instead of just a sideline cheerleader)...

...now is the time to pony up. barackobama.com is the place!

[CitizenKane16]

You are so right...put your money where your mouth is. Time to donate.

[leftintheoven]

His message is honest, straightforward and presented in a relaxed tone that is assuring to the listener. Very well done. Now let's see how the neocons can scratch around looking for faults with it.

[Tabasco]

I don't know.

This AD is WAY too consitent with Obama's record. Honest. Patriotic. Dedicated. It invokes too much of what most of America experiences and wishes for. He's too open.

He must be hiding a dark, malevolent evil secret.

And did you notice how many times he said, "America"? He clearly 'lifted' that word from the speeches of other politicians.

We all know that patriotism isn't about loving your country as much as it is about wearing a flag pin. And a politician's record isn't about how they vote. It's about what words they use to convince us that they care.

[DC]

yes, yes and he forgot to make us AFRAID!

[rkrenke]

While I want to be an Obama supporter, it becomes harder each day. From his appointment of Jason Furman as an economic advisor to his apparent behind the scenes support for Congress' latest FISA debacle to his supportive ad for John Barrows (a Blue Dog Democrat and one of Bush's biggest enablers) against his primary challenger, Regina Thomas, a progressive black, female - Obama appears to more of the same with each passing day.

Without a doubt, this country needs strong leadership from someone we can respect and support, but I'm not sure that Obama's truly the one. Actions speak louder than words and recently Obama's actions have given me cause for great concern.

I am no longer giving Democrats courtesy votes and this ad doesn't do much to change my mind.

[jupitor]

Thoughtful as your words are rkenke, you missed something! Your only other choice is a man who has a sever memory problem. Who can't keep straight that Al queda and Iranians are enemies and not friends. A man who verbally abuse's his wife an his co-workers. A man who's temper is out of control in a crisis situation, and some times out of control when it's not a crisis situation. A man who wants to feed us war, and make us fearful every second of our life. Aman who flip flops from day to day and hour to hour! who denies he's lieing, untill that lie stares him in the face on a video on U-tube. A man who has a Lobbyist like charlse black leading his campagne who lobbys for terrorist and terrorist countries! THEREFORE; you might have a little concern about Obama that you wounder about a bit, and we know no ones perfect-----------BUT MAN LOOK AT YOUR ONLY OTHER CHOICE IN JOHN MCCAIN, AND TELL ME IT'S NOT WORTH THE RISK!

[rkrenke]

McCain is certainly not our only choice. This FISA capitulation is the last straw - I will no longer vote for individuals who cannot and will not stand for the Rule of Law and defend our constitutional rights.

We will never move this country forward if we continue to enable poor Democratic leadership by voting for them because we have no other "alternative" - this is exactly what they count on - Progressives and Liberals having no where else to go.

Enough is enough - either Obama stands up and defends our civil liberties by actively working to shut this legislation down or I vote Green or Independent come November.

[robcat2075]

The leather jacket is going to scare the old people. Unless they're old Harley riders.

[Sixtwo]

Hopefully the "old people" will focus on the "man and what he is saying that appears to come from the heart(inside), instead of the outside.

[MsDoc]

What leather jacket? That's a suit jacket without a tie... for the "sorta casual" look.

[4wehttam]

He's wearing a leather jacket in two pictures, one with his grandparents and the other by himself. Ohhhhh, he is sooooo hot hot hot hot hot..................AND that is not the reason I'm voting for him, but it surely helps.

[Luigi53102]

I thought all Harley riders were old.

[inthecolour]

Beautiful ad. Looks a bit young but whatever.

Second ad should have more gravitas and be about protecting the U.S.