Obama Ad: McCain's War Policy An Economic Disaster

The Obama campaign released a new attack ad on Wednesday that -- as the Senator has tried to do during the debate over the surge -- ties economic troubles at home to McCain's support of the Iraq war.

Titled "Book," the spot reads: "Economics by John McCain. Support George Bush 95 percent of the time. Keep spending $10 billion a month for the war in Iraq, while the Iraqis sell oil for record prices, giving Iraq a $79 billion oil surplus and hurting our economy."

The ad plays off of McCain's self-proclaimed weakness on economic matters and is the second harsh spot the Obama campaign has aired in as many weeks. The Iraq angle is a curious one. Rather than going back to the war authorization -- and, obviously, avoiding a debate on the surge -- Obama is homing in on the pocketbook pull of the war.

A spokesperson for the Obama writes that the spot will start airing on Thursday in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin -- a significant buy.

UPDATE: The McCain campaign responds by attempting to tie Obama and Bush, though there seems to be a bit of friction to the idea that the Senator was "in lockstep" with Bush "nearly half the time."

"In the Senate, Barack Obama has voted in lockstep with President George W. Bush nearly half the time, including the Bush-Cheney Energy bill which gave close to 3 billion dollars in new giveaways to Big Oil - a terrible policy that John McCain opposed. The truth is Barack Obama's plan is a job killing machine that ignores the struggling economy and raises taxes on family savings, social security and small businesses," said Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for McCain.

Comments

[biketime]

Great spot!

Nothing wrong with a touch of class warfare.

The GOPs have been practicing it from the top down for years!

[chyko]

Good ad, but should have included the 100 years stay in Iraq. If McCain can bring back bitter stuff, so should Obama bring back the stuff said by McCain plus chap. 6 = 100 years in Iraq, chap 7 = I do not understand the economy, chap 8 = Keating 5, etc

[MizLiz]

That ad spoke the literal truth. We can't afford another Republican in the White House...too many jobs have been lost, which means the tax revenue is lower, and can't support the rich like they've become used to.

[biketime]

On sheer competence alone, McCain fails the test. He also doesn't come out too well on the intelligence test (legacy got him in at USNA, graduated bottom 5th, I believe)

We certainly don;t need another 4-8 yrs of a bumbler in the Oval Office, administered by many of the usual suspects we seen since 2000.

(P.S. Supreme Court offers up about 3 nominees. They're hanging on to see if who gets in)

[NoSandwiches]

graduated 5th from the bottom. Worse than the bottom 5th. As in only 4 guys graduated with worse grades.

[DRaymond]

Sorry McCain, but the 'Obama is the one tied to Bush, not me' meme is not going to fly. Not now, not ever.

[Yola]

I think this one left McC's camp grasping for air.

[Saitia]

The Middle Class of America must get itself united for change; change strong enough to change the balance of power back to the Middle man; change it controls and decides upon for the well-being of America, not the wealthy. For America; not the Red State Middle Class. Not the Blue State Middle Class. Not the Republican middle Class. Not the Democrat Middle Class. Not the Conservative Middle Class. Not the Liberal Middle Class. Not the Right Wing Middle Class. Not the Left Wing Middle Class. Not the Christian middle Class. Not the Muslim Middle Class. Not the Buddhist Middle Class. Not the Jewish Middle Class. Not the Catholic Middle Class. Not the Presbyterian Middle Class. Not the Neo-Con Middle Class. Not the Wickan Middle Class. Not the Dirty F*cking Hippy Middle Class.

The *Middle Class.* First. Last. Always.

That’s Barack Obama’s most powerful unifying meme, and it should be ours, too.

[southafrica4obama]

Very powerful. The best ever. Thank you.

[Bobrobert]

Excellent.

Just the facts mam.

Excellent.

Obama 08 = landslide.

[GuyFawkes]

Good ad.

Even a WV voter can understand that one.

[karela]

Whoa! McCain is having a little trouble with his message! For months he's been trying to convince America that Obama is the most liberal human being alive. Now he's trying to convince us that Obama is just like George Bush. So I guess we're supposed to swallow the idea that George Dubya Bush is a Liberal???? McCain is a joke------------a death dealing, war mongering, money eating joke! McCain spends all his time telling us that he will never raise taxes, but what he doesn't tell you is that it's big oil and big corporations that he's working so hard to protect. Obama has promised no new taxes OF ANY KIND WHAT SO EVER on families making less than $250,000 per year. That leaves the top 1 to 5% of the wealthiest Americans who John McCain has been trying so hard to protect. Warren Buffet is one of the richest men in the world. He says that it's a disgrace that his secretary pays a higher effective tax rate than he does! But it's the Warren Buffets that McCain's permanent tax cut would help. Obama wants to help regular Americans. Obama goes to diplomacy first. McCain goes to war talk first. The difference is the lives of our young soldiers and the education, jobs, and economy that effect our country. McCain is right. He surely doesn't understand the economy. He's never had to because he and his wife are the richest people in Arizona. Vote for jobs. Vote Obama.

[AdLib]

"In the Senate, Barack Obama has voted in lockstep with President George W. Bush nearly half the time"

The Repuggs are clearly going for the uneducated voters.

"Lockstep" means you are perfectly in step with someone or something. "Nearly half the time" means you are not in perfect step with someone or something.

"In lockstep nearly half the time" is equivalent to "Pregnant half of the time."

ILLITERATE_MORONS_FOR_MCCAlN 2008!

[Freesia2]

It'a a good ad. I like the use of the book, because it give an image of something Obama has a reputation for - a man who writes good books with good information.

He also sticks with facts. He doesn't do cheap illustrations like using Charleton Heston as Moses. "Just the facts ma'am."

[KiwisCanFly]

{including the Bush-Cheney Energy bill which gave close to 3 billion dollars in new giveaways to Big Oil - a terrible policy that John McCain opposed. }

McCain’s opposition incorrectly depicts the 2005 energy bill as a sop for Big Oil and is unaware that this is the biggest mandate of investment towards renewable energy, EVER!

From Politifact the non partisan fact checker concerning the 2005 Energy Bill.

“…the legislation included tax breaks for oil companies — $2.6-billion to be exact — those were largely wiped out by a $3-billion extension of taxes on crude oil to help offset costs associated with oil spills. The bulk of the $14.6-billion in tax incentives included in the legislation actually went to “renewable” sources of energy, to accelerate the development of wind, clean-coal and nuclear power, and hybrid vehicles…”

This is what we want isn’t it?
So Obama compromises to get legislation thru to benefit renewable energy and McCain can’t see past the tax-breaks to Big Oil.

The truth is that Obama showed he is the more effective leader, compromising to get things done?
Again I ask, this is what we want isn’t it?

[Grunty1]

Mc'Cain didn't vote for it because there wasn't ENOUGH benefit for the Oil Companies.
He didn't vote AGAINST it because he is a coward.

[Ajegunle]

YOU GO OBAMA.
EVERY CHANCE YOU GET-----TIE HIM TO HIS BOY, BUSH.

[booksnmore4you]

Sam, you need to use "attack ad' more responsibly. This is not one. It is clearly a contrast ad. Attack ads do nothing but lie about and smear one's opponent while failing to specifically forward the attacker's own ideas.

[Heavenhelpusall]

This is an attack ad. It attacks failed policy, failed judgment, failed intelligence, a failing economy. It is not a smear ad, it is not negative. It is fair to fight ignorance with truth.