McCain's New Ad: "Beautiful" Words Won't Improve Your Life

The McCain campaign is out with a new, minute long TV ad that is at once biographical and a not-too-subtle jab at Barack Obama.

Starting with his military service and POW status in Vietnam, the spot highlights what his campaign describes as the Senator's "record of putting his country first and taking on the tough challenges confronting our country even when it was not popular or in his self-interest."

But it also hits at Obama, in ways similar to attack-ads past.

"John McCain doesn't always tell us what we 'hope' to hear," says the narrator, with a particular emphasis (and pause around) the word hope. "Beautiful words cannot make our lives better. But a man who has always put his country and her people before self, before politics can. Don't 'hope' for a better life. Vote for one."

The choice of the word "beautiful" is telling. Obama has often been described as the candidate of words and speeches and great oratory. But the preceding adjective - which suggests poetry far more than presidential politics - has rarely been used and seems like an attempt to paint Obama as effete to McCain's macho.

Also of note: by starting with a war-versus-hippies montage, the McCain campaign is clearly not shying away from the Vietnam debates that marked the campaign just one week ago (when Gen. Wesley Clark's comments about POW status not being a prerequisite for a commander-in-chief caused a manufactured stir).

Mark Halperin, at the Page, reports that the spot "will be cycled into McCain's ad buy on national cable and in Colorado, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin."

Comments

[topazz]

On the necessity of "beautiful words"...

"When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence."

(John F. Kennedy, October 26, 1963)

[rosal]

But a robot-like acting in front of a telepromter, flip-flopping every 30 minutes, will improve our lives? I am glad somebody told him to get rid of the fake smile. He knows he does not have what it takes, he is getting ready for the debates. That's why he is asking us not to pay attention to beautiful words. I guess we have to pay attention to him struggling to make a point. Debates should be fun!

[GJKBEAR]

So, does this mean that he will now put the people and his country b4 BIG OIL AND GAS? Will he stop flip flopping on environmental policies, safeguards for the American public and his 118 big oil & gas lobbysts on his campaign staff?
Beautiful? Once upon a time, I could well believe that McCain stood for all those things he said in this ad - but I don't think he's a maverick anymore - nor do I believe that he can still call his bus the straight talk express....he tells each group what he thinks they want to hear.

[Kache]

Everything the ad says is true. And it's true for Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse too. So what does any of that have to do with dealing with problems?

[ObamAtomic]

How many teleprompter today?

[DontBeFoolish]

Did he say LOVE OF COUNTRY? He stated he never loved his country until after he was deprived of it. What a lame commercial, easy to see the BS from the TRUTH. Sorry McLame, you don't even get a nice try on this one.

[ebanks84]

That ad is the biggest lie I've ever seen. How they can actually make that man look like he's John Wayne is beyond me. He was a hellraiser in the academy and barely passed his grades. If it wasn't for his father, he might have failed totally. He was never serious about being a dedicated service man and all he wanted to do was play with the ladies whenever and wherever he found them. He was a sad excuse of a military person and a pow. He should be ashamed of that lying ad and so should those who made it.

[Openeyes]

McLame '08 - "The Hopeless Candidate"

[Iheartniki]

Memo to McCain:

HOPE VOTES!

[ebanks84]

Yep. And won't be voting for him!

[cjk002]

I'm glad McCain has finally realized who he's running against, it's those damned dirty hippies!

[cjk002]

It's amazing that after seeing what happened in the primaries with Hillary when she ran against hope, that McCain is still running with it. They just don't get it, do they?

[humactdoc]

What a horrible joke! McCain's multiple flip flops through the years speak for love of self and his political ambition at the expense of his country.

[SeriousBlack]

LOL - So that's McBush's new campaign theme, huh?

ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE

[ObamAtomic]

Mod are you grandkid of old Mc?

[oafishcad]

Vote for proven failure. Vote Republican.