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

[RatgurlSD]

McCain better be careful what he stirs up. He seems to be mistaking Obama's kindness for weakness. John's about to learn how to be put in his place.

Can't wait to see Obama SPANK him!

[CynthiaCr]

"With all due respect", uhmm, the ad would fly better if we all weren't aware that McCain was born a military brat, 3rd generation, right?; appointment to West Point a done deal whether he cared to perform as if he remotely appreciated this gift of privilege or not; and that he came to really love his country after the fact, as a POW.

Well I suppose one would, along with chocolate chip cookies and home-baked apple pie.

[bhenry112]

The problem is most people AREN'T aware of those facts. Most people completely buy the "war hero" schtick he's been using all these years. I've even heard one guy say, when told about McCain's real record, "I don't wanna hear that!" He almost literally stuck his fingers in his ears. The five crashed planes, the low graduation status, the infidelity and womanising, set up a cognitive dissonance in a lot of people's minds. They just can't wrap their brains around the truth about this dude.

[liberalrebuttal]

Boooooo !

[poco767b]

Constitution = Words
Declaration of Independence = Words
Emancipation = Words
Do you see where this is going?

[snruB]

Don't Hope for a better life. Just vote Republican and get it over with

[BetterDays]

Curious as to why this has already been removed from Youtube already. If they think there ad is quality the youtube publicity would be good news.

[tinarm]

Yeap, Guiliani had 9-11 now McCain POW. Different but the same.

[kissmygrits]

Totally. Noun-verb-POW.

[bazokbros]

So every John McCain ad mentions him being a POW as why he should be president.
Why would a Republican with so much experience fixing problems, as stated in the ad, would want to remind everyone that the economy is in shambles?

[diddith]

i just threw up in my mouth

[tinarm]

Can I puke now? My mom and dad are 63 years old and they both wanted to puke over this thing and my dad is a disabled Vietnam Vet.

[awcbuddy8]

You still live with your parents?

[bygollymissmolly]

And what business is that of yours?

[gallonjug]

Right, because the last 8 years we've seen how much easier it has become for young professionals to buy their own houses....

[Kimberly46]

What someone was 40 years ago just does not make you what you need to be today, specially if you are running for President of the United States.

Take Senator Obama, he was a 7 year old little boy back then. So am I suppose to use my intelligence and just say that him being just a little boy gives him no rights to run?

Gimme a break ... sheesh

I totally agree with General Clark. Senator McCain does not have the judgment to be the President, and letting his campaign shove his past in our faces time and time again just proves it. If being a POW makes you able to be President, then those 3 poor men that were just released from captivity in Colombia deserve the title as well and I could go on and on with examples.

I come from a military family. I've lived on military bases most of my life. Most I speak with today are sick and tired of seeing those footages from 40 years ago. Most say that Senator McCain is using his past to make others look bad and unpatriotic.

I hope with all my heart American people see right through this.

Kimberly

[lthuedk 1]

"Don't 'hope' for a better life. Vote for one."

I can't wait to make millionaire McCain a billionaire. Nor can I wait to bomb more innocents for the militant corporatists lined up with greased palms.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/obama_confronts_the_corporation.html

Obama '08

[helonias]

So were the stuff about him graduating in the bottom 1% at th naval academy and still getting into flight school

Crashing 4 planes and still being allowed to fly.

Committing adultery on and dumping his crippled 1st wife for rich young Cindy

And his antics with Charles Keating.

[j.gold]

This ad is soooo tired! I am so sick of baby boomers, Vietnam, and crap that happened when I was an infant. Let talk about today. Lets talk about the 2 wars we are in now, the economy, and issues that effect us now. I don't gave a damn about some rich, sexist, old man who can't even figure out how to use a computer. McCain really is history, he is the past.

[FaithInTruth]

I'm one of the baby boomers and I'm with you j.gold.
This guy is old and tired.... Too old and tired for me and most thinking people who are in their late 50's and early 60's that I know.
This is 2008 not the 1950's. Things have changed.. the world has changed.
I was in college during the Vietnam war and most of my friends served because there was a draft and couldn't get out of it like Bush and Cheney.... We know all about useless wars and forgotten soldiers first hand.
Let's face it though we're on here preaching to the choir so to speak.. We all better get out there and make McSame known for what he is. Old, incompedent, arragent, and completely out of touch with real people's lives. More damage has been done to this country and our Constitution in the last 7 yrs by greedy Republicans with an agenda then in the past 50+ yrs I've been alive. That's what the issue is. Enough is enough.

[FreeSpeech200854]

Tired of McCain using the fact that he was a POW in almost EVERY AD! WE GET IT! You were a POW. Now move on and focus on the Economy!!!

[MizLiz]

But that's really all he has going for him. He's an empty suit.