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

He's the original maverick.

One is ready to lead -- McCain.

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

###

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

[booker52]

McCain=Clueless, gas over $4, higher unemployment, mortgage meltdown at the like we have never seen before, two wars (one we didn't need) banks going under and this guy thinks the country is better under Bu*h. I think not. He is the original insider and has been for over 25 years and is part of the problem not part of the solution. A vote for him is more war, less jobs, higher taxes on the poor and middle income folks, and continued tax cuts for the really rich. No thanks.

[cheshirecat831]

Ah, yes, mavericks are known for raking in millions from oil companies....NOT!

Talking Pez Heads
http://sfbaysailingpix.com/pez2008p1.htm

[DrFrescas]

What the hell is he talking about, Bevis?

[blueshield]

I think it's time to update the nickname. As most conservative Repubs are keenly aware, a "maverick" is just another name for "loose cannon". Back in the days of sail, a loose cannon weighing several tons, crashing across the decks of a rolling, moving ship, was not a good thing.

And J.ohn's performance the past several years - against offshore, for offshore; country's doing great, country's broken, etc - just proves he's truly just dangerous political dead weight, propelled by the shifting tides.

[CaptainZero1969]

Of course Maverick McSame knows Washington is broken. He helped break it!

[DaOne]

I got your maverick right here..........


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9Jbw2-f8IQ

[jackt51]

ROFLMAO!!!!!!

Obama 08

[ShanniC]

McCain is a disaster! He has not been considered a maverick for some time. It's time to for him to get off his ass and make a real difference in American lives by accepting that he is not the choice for America.

[loax]

People are hurting....yet the country is better off than it waseight years ago? Double talk express rides again! Tax the rich less, and leave the rest of the country swinging in the Republican breeze!

[Binx101]

They always get it wrong.

McCain is no maverick
McCain has never been a maverick
McCain just wanted a cowboy nick-name

We know what it really is -

John McCain - Desperado !!

Binx101
The Almost Daily Binx
http://binx101.wordpress.com

[gomonkeygo]

Washington's broken. And John McCain helped break it. (this has probably been said already!)

[Daly]

Fact that this ad was made is telling us he ain't no Maverick.

[crystalclear2828]

Last time I checked the definition of a maverick it hadn't changed, this would be a person that is honest, a straight talker, very independent thinker, and a honorable person. None of which describes. John McCain. The person that I have seen since this campaign started where false ads from his camp, Someone who has said that John McCain doesn't speak for his self... I guess his campaign manager speaks for him, Karl Rove or Bush, so if you can't speak for yourself you're definitively not an independent thinker or one that will break from their party. Face it, you're no longer maverick material, you are very corrupt.. starting wit the oil companies. You will do and say whatever to try and win this election!

[Freakpower]

"the Original Maverick"
Really? Really?
I thought we were looking for "the Leader of the Free-world," not "a Singing Cowboy, from a moving picture show!"

I guess hes' wrapped up the centigenarian vote!

[JABean]

Well, he ought to know that DC is broken– he broke it.

[zippywpinhead]

it would have been nice if he'd bothered showing up last year and put in a little effort to try to fix it- but doing his job just wasn't a priority...

[booker52]

McCain part of the problem, not the solution.

[HadEnoughCrap]

What 'might' have appeared maverick 8+ years ago is now part of the system that is wrong