Time: New McCain Attack Ad Plays Race Card

Karen Tumulty writes:

When politicians interject race into a campaign, they seldom do it directly. Consider McCain's new ad, which the campaign says it will be airing nationally ...

This is hardly subtle: Sinister images of two black men, followed by one of a vulnerable-looking elderly white woman.

Let me stipulate: Obama's Fannie Mae connections are completely fair game. But this ad doesn't even mention a far more significant tie--that of Jim Johnson, the former Fannie Mae chairman who had to resign as head of Obama's vice presidential search team after it was revealed he got a sweetheart deal on a mortgage from Countrywide Financial. Instead, it relies on a fleeting and tenuous reference in a Washington Post Style section story to suggest that Obama's principal economic adviser is former Fannie Mae Chairman Frank Raines. Why? One reason might be that Johnson is white; Raines is black.

The AP digs into the thin claim that Raines is an Obama adviser:

Obama's campaign says Raines is not an Obama adviser and that McCain's campaign knows it because Raines said so in an e-mail earlier this week to Carly Fiorina, a top McCain adviser. Obama's campaign provided The Associated Press with a copy of the e-mail.

"Carly: Is this true?" Raines asks above a forwarded note informing him that Fiorina was on television saying he was an Obama housing adviser. "I am not an adviser to the Obama campaign. Frank."

Obama's campaign says Fiorina did not respond.

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said he was not aware of the e-mail to Fiorina, but noted that the Post reported on three occasions, between July 16 and Aug. 28, that Raines was advising Obama.

"If he was not advising, obviously someone somewhere along the way should have corrected the record," Rogers said.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said he has since asked the Post for a correction. Burton said Obama only met Raines once briefly at an event, and that Raines sought an introductory meeting with Obama Senate aide Mike Strautmanis. At that meeting, Burton said no advice was sought from or given by Raines, who also had served as President Clinton's budget director.

Watch the ad:

Comments

[carmen63]

McCain and his rabid dogs are afraid they are going to lose in November, so they will attack Sen.Obama with more lies and devious statements. Let's be prepared to counter-attack! Thank God for the Internet !

[Mustang Sally]

Unfortunately, the truth does not reach as many people as these toxic fabrications. TV is passive and the Internet is active.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

the air waves are own by the public, but we have that private media most owned by republicans. A few are owned by democrats but not as many. That cause the bias and unbalance with our political system.

The grass roots have become lazy. why I say that? Just look who we are dealing with baby boomers in the political system. They do not understand the internet networking or protesting etc. What they do understand if their is a problem with the American people, they would be in the streets in MASS protesting. The next generation wants to work it another way.
Talk about the various generations gap, it is here in the good old USA. Our nation is not as old as others. We also have a mixed bag of ethnicities all having an open and hidden agenda. Rich vs Poor, White vs Black and Hispanics. Jews, Christianity, Muslims just here in American. The Healthy vs the sick. The military and private contractors. The state prisons vs private prisons. . Our cup runnth over. Republicans vs Democrats, with all other in tow.

[bish66]

"Thank God for the Internet !"
That assumes that 100% of the American population are online and believe anything Obama says. Both assumptions are wrong.

Besides, both camps use lies, half-truths and dubious statements. I don't see much criticism for Obama lies, half-truths and dubious statements. But then again, this is not a fair and balanced site, never was, never will be...

[Phil123]

I see. So everything has to do with skin color. Got it.

Obama has an anti-McCain ad in which he lies about McCains position on immigration while showing a picture of Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh is not connected to McCain in any way. They've never even met. Now I get why it's so sinister. It's TWO WHITE GUYS!!! IN THE SAME AD!!!!

Obama should be ashamed for injecting race into this ad.

[mezz1962a]

Yes lets not look at the real racist ad...Obamas Spanish totally false Rush ad

This ad is full of lies and is so dishonest even the Dem pundits on Tv could not defend it

[EdZup]

You KNOW in the last week and/or day the 'pugs will have Rev. Wright ranting, with every ounce they can plant to fear Obama. This must be countered. At least two ads should be 'canned' for this. If they only have his rant(s), a sentence or two with then Hagee's rants (maybe the PaleoPalin 'church' too) should suffice. If they have his rants with a pseudo-logical and false extended connection to BHO, a deeper and harsher ad should be ready.

I hope the Obama people are already onto this, or read that here, but if not, does anyone know a good FWD?

[TMIDGE66]

dont forget Sara's voodoo minister. he casts out witches, how come she is still here?

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Democrats do not have enough intelligence to make their own youtubes political ads.
If you have the facts use them. Don;t need lies just the facts. If the facts are noteworthy, the MSM will have no choice but to pick it up as news.

We now have the internet as a tool. If you don't use it. the republicans will come up with a way to take it away and start charging large sums of money to filter out most users.

Most people do not think outside the box. The have always done a extremely poor job of prevention. Our health care, weather preps, and our political system allowed to keep kicking the can down the road that effect our daily lives to include our taxes.

We get treated this sh$ty because we allow it.

People can only treat you with disrespect if you allow them to do so. It is that simple.

[ensure]

African-American: Republicans Say Lose Your House, Lose Your Vote
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/african-america.html

Hillary Clinton Recruiting Her Backers to Help Barack Obama
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/hillary-clint-1.html

Presidential Poll: Barack Obama Expands Leads Over John McCain
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/presidential--5.html

[MadeinAmericaProud]

What happen to all those White Americans in Texas that just lost everything, house gone, their documents if they were left behind.? Please explain why just Blacks.

[BridgeTooFar]

I see mac has his sleeves rolled up in that photo, like Bush always did when campaigning.........try to make it look like he was a hard worker. More like a used car salesman, People willl fall for it again..........some people.

[Whinger]

Health care based on the financial example, I can see how that would work like a house on fire!

Feel free to be the first patient John, check in and have both feet removed from your mouth!

[BillORights1776]

Black Man + Black Man - Money - Old White Woman = Scary!!

Here's an alternate take on the ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK4q4j5JAfQ

[CaptainStormfield]

Very good.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

That pretty much sums it up,doesnt it?! You, my friend, have cracked the code!

[rageagainstmachine]

That was rich! Thanks for the link!

[Mustang Sally]

Priceless! Loved the Blazzing Saddles background music.

[thinkworklivelove]

Send McSame and his dangerous Abuse of Power Palin home! America cannot afford a Third Bush Term.

[helpusa]

THIS AD IS MORE THAN DEVIOUS, IT IS UN-AMERICAN. McBUSH/ PALIN should crawl under the rock they came from

[BillORights1776]

Devious....but easily translated:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK4q4j5JAfQ

[helpusa]

McBUSH IS TO BE ADMONISHED AND SHAMED INTO RETIREMENT!!

[Rafterman]

McCain is pathetic, lower then low. I hope Obama beats him by double digits.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

I just got a message telling me I had been "banned from posting"! This is a test of sorts--anyone else getting such weird messages tonight?! If I end up like Volvo, I hope y'all wont forget me, either! I got banned for a month once. This new software system is &*$#@%! UP!!! I am starting to get really frustrated!

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Nevermind! Whew! I am still up and running! I will confess,when I saw that message pop up I was fixin to post something verboten to the poster who asked, what would Chris Rock have to saw. I guess I better not push it--it seems like the new software upgrade might automatically ban for some word combinations!

[soapington]

I just got a message telling the my post had already been posted.

[abby4ever]

An email message? Or just something at the bottom of the page under 'Preview' and 'Cancel'.

I've seen the latter myself but it must be meaningless, I'm still here, and so are you!

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Thanks for the reply, Abby!

[Paul Peete - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey Stark,
Thanks man,
for the iind words and the post. I saw it. I appreciate it. The Rev. Ray is getting old but man he is eclectic.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

You are welcome!

[Msohio]

These are evil people. Remember when a persons good word was important. Karl Rove and the McCain handlers are the worse people that I have seen in my political watching life. Lee Atwater tried to warn the Karl Roves of the world that "what you give, you get in the end". Watch out future jailbirds.

[mattm3]

John McCain is soulless.