McCain On Defense: New Ad Tries To Revive "Maverick" Identity

Barack Obama's two consecutive days of offense seem to have already paid small dividends: the McCain campaign feels compelled to defend their candidate's "maverick" persona.

While McCain's sucker-punch attack ads were the toast of the political commentariat last week, there was also much discussion of whether the Rove-style messaging would dilute the Arizona Republican's brand of incorruptibility and maverick honor.

That debate appears to be over, at least in McCain-land: the Senator seems to think his positive image could do with a bit of recapitulation.

Thus this ad, "Broken," which opens with the line: "Washington's broken. John McCain knows it. We're worse off than we were four years ago." It's notable for a word that doesn't appear anywhere: Obama.

In a press release tied to the ad, the McCain campaign provided numerous citations -- including a testimonial from consumer advocate Joan Claybrook, president of the Ralph Nader-founded Public Citizen organization. Still, the ad's claim that McCain is the "original maverick" seems a bit far-fetched, what with Republican Senate moderates like Mark Hatfield having already established a fine tradition before McCain ever entered the chamber.

Full script below:

ANNCR: Washington's broken. John McCain knows it. We're worse off than we were four years ago.

Only McCain has taken on big tobacco, drug companies, fought corruption in both parties. He'll reform Wall Street, battle Big Oil, make America prosper again.

Story continues below

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He's the original maverick.

One is ready to lead -- McCain.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.

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UPDATE: The Obama camp responds with a statement and a clip from a GOP debate in which McCain said the country was "better off" than it was "eight years ago" -- admittedly a different time frame than that in McCain's latest ad, but interesting nonetheless.

"Senator McCain wants Americans to forget that during the Republican primary, he said that Americans were better off than we were eight years ago, and that he thinks we've made 'great progress economically.' He wants us to forget that he's fully embraced the Bush policies he once opposed, and bragged about supporting those policies 'more than 90 percent of time.' The truth is, being a maverick isn't practicing the same kind of politics we have seen from Washington for decades, it isn't having a campaign run by Washington lobbyists, and it's certainly not promoting the same policies that have led America down the wrong path these past eight years," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

Here's the video of McCain saying America has been better off under President George W. Bush:

Comments

[ThePeacemakers]

I'm beginning to see the genius of limiting the debates to just the 3 officially scheduled ones.
No one is going to watch or there won't be nationwide access to 10 or 20 debates. By keeping the number down, millions more people watch and get the info from the candidates mouth (and SEE them SIDE BY SIDE) and not leave it to the pundits to translate most of the debates for them.

[Clevelanded]

exactimo

[ThePeacemakers]

Hopefully, everyone who intends to vote will watch the 3 debates or at least 2 of the 3.

[JRandomPoster]

But... but... I hear that Fox will have live coverage of a Brittney Spears mud wrestling event at the same time!

[SuiginTou7]

At this momment Paris would be better at the debates with Obamawhile John encourages Cindy to mud wrestle Brittney

[rosal]

"Battle Big Oil" Mmmmm, I wonder if Big Oil will take back their 2 million donation...He had 26 years to help fix the problems, and its only now that he "cares"? So what is the "experience" for? He might as well had been one year in the Senate, same accomplishments.

[soapington]

This man is much braver and more of a maverick than even he will admit. All those years when he seemed to be aiding Charles Keating illegally and making a fortune, he was in fact working, undercover and alone, to expose dishonesty in the Senate. Most people think he was lucky not to go to jail, but it is typical of this modest man that the true facts of the case will never be made public.

[indypete]

Heh!

[Destin]

Definitely marked as a favourite. Minneapolis Mike would be proud. :)

[StillAmused]

Brett or Bart?

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

Neither. 1970 Ford Maverick. It didn't run well consistently, either.

[Hagrid]

Wrong again, wrinkley, old (bad comb-over) geezer...
The original Maverick was James Garner!

. . . and will always be!

[JScott]

Indeed!!!

And not a clunky Ford either.

[MoVann]

In watching Mit Romney's eye's and his facial expression...even he is saying " What the hell are you talking about??"

He was tripping over his words even back when there were 4 candidates! How could old man McCloud beat out anyone?????

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

I think Mitten expression was more likely due to his magic underpants getting into a twist......

[KiwisCanFly]

After the recent spate of Rovian-like campaign ads, McCain, no longer can, with credibility, claim being a maverick (whether the original or a current one). He is a willing and diligent follower of the puppeteer Karl Rove and his school of disciples. Embracing divisive tactics he once denounced (3 months ago).

In other words, McCain’s promise of a “respectful campaign based on the issues” will be belied by his actions, rendering him not a maverick but an untrustworthy character.

As David Brooks, wrote in an OpEd dated 12/18/07 The Obama - Clinton Issue, “With the presidency, character and self-knowledge matter more than even experience.”

[bujeeboo]

Why does the voice sound like Martin Sheen?

Intentional? Because it's not him.

[memphispaul]

So much for McCain's supposed pride in the accomplishments of Teddy Roosevelt.
Just goes to show that McCain believes he is stronger and more Teddy than Teddy himself.

[jfor]

Except....­..........­..........­..........­.....John McCain has been in Washington for thirty years and is part of the problem. Anyway he is more of a Gelding than a Maverick.

[MikeMidCity]

It's like he's never been in Washington.

[barackobama4prez]

McJoke is losing it!

[ShamusNYC]

Was very impressed by the response time of the O campaign. Finally getting some confidence back.

BTW, the Original Mavericks were the Founding Fathers and after them Lincoln - as McCain (who knew both them) can attest.

In all seriousness, I think McCaint is confusing Mc2000 with Mc2008...

[coltraning]

I am going to give him credit. It is an excellent ad, well done, and if he and his crew had not spent the previous 2 weeks in the ugly, meanspirited, trivial and dishonest gutter, I would take it seriously, even if every single one of his assertions in the ad has a counter bringing it into question. That ad is the campaign he claimed he would run, and is no doubt a response to the blowback by some of his friends in his "base" plus noticing that Obama's lead nationally has not changed over the course of the campaign, if looked at in 10 day trends...