Obama Ad: McCain A "Prescription For Disaster"

Barack Obama is out with a new ad Monday morning, eviscerating John McCain for an article he recently wrote calling for the health care industry to have as much regulatory freedom as its banking counterpart.

"We've seen what Bush-McCain policies have done to our economy," goes the script. "Now John McCain wants to do the same to our health care. McCain just published an article praising Wall Street deregulation... Said he'd reduce oversight of the health insurance industry too... Just 'as we have done over the last decade in banking'...Increasing costs and threatening coverage. A prescription for disaster."

The spot, titled "Article" was expected. Ever since McCain's article from the September/October edition of Contingencies Magazine was first re-posted by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman on Friday, Democrats have been chomping at the bits to ram it down McCain's throat. After all, what better way to deflate the idea that the Republican nominee, after years of pursuing deregulatory policies, all the sudden was a champion of government oversight? Or, for that matter, what better way to drive home the notion that McCain would put one's health care - not to mention Social Security - at play in a clearly erratic market.

As such, Obama had been bringing up the Contingencies piece while on the stump. The ad, which will air on cable starting Monday, is the next effort to keep the article in the national conversation.

Comments

[NoOneSpecial]

They need an ad that talks about McCain's health plan turning current employer-paid health into taxable income.

Taking taxes out of an additional $8000 or so that never winds up in your paycheck would certainly change a lot of peoples' minds.

[Sparty1]

I'd like to know what exactly is JMac's position on that b/c my husband's co pays $30,000 a year for a family of 4 and we put in the other $9,000. What's he planning to do with that $5,000 tax break or benefit that he spoke of? How's that going to help with anything that we pay for in our current insurance plan? I'm confused. At first, he wasn't going to do anything with health care that is until Obama and Clinton kept talking about it. Then he just comes up with $5,000.

[NoOneSpecial]

Sparty1, this is what happens under McCain's plan.

The $30,000 portion his company pays will be subject to income taxes as a part of your gross yearly income.

If you don't like that, under McCain's plan you can opt out of your company paid health insurance. In return you'll get a $5,000 tax credit because your husband is married to you.

You are now free to use that $5,000 credit to go shopping for health insurance. OK, so you'll have to make up the $25,000 or so per year on your own. Not to mention you'll have none of the collective buying power that your husband's company has.

But according to McCain, what it really comes down to is that now the market will solve the problem, and you'll have financial freedom to be a smarter insurance shopper!

[whatthel]

The one thing McBush and Palin are good at is convincing themselves that lies are the new truth.

[bhatsor]

Let me correct you: "a repeated lie substitutes the truth". Bridge to Nowhere, for example, 36 times so far.

[MizLiz]

Here's who the Republicans listen to: Because it works.
======================================================
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Joseph Goebbels.

“A lie told often enough becomes truth” Vladimir Lenin.

[RickO]

This years' Newspeak dictionary is the thinnest ever. Doubleplusgood!

[bmonaghan]

I write info-mercials for a living. The biggest thing I have learned in my years of doing this is don't assume the average American is very bright. It's sad but true. I realize Barack isn't selling weight loss pills, and believes a leader should elevate people, not play down to them. Agreed. But a leader also has to be tough, and be able to defend himself. If they don't hit back, and hit back hard, they will be seen as weak and ineffective. When we think of Abe Lincoln we think of the great debates with DOuglas - forgetting that he and his wife Mary Tod actually ran a pretty dirty campaign even by today's standards. My God, Obama should leading by 20 points. McCain couldn't be an easier target. They need to throw more punches and stop assuming the American people will eventually "get it." They won't. This election will come down to who can make their negative crap stick.

[speeddeeps]

I agree with you, but I believe that it should be surrogates throwing below the belt punches just like the repubs

[DieHardObamaSupporter]

co-sign

[openhand]

Just show the issues in dollars and pennies. People can count, take 5 different people and define them as joe and jill public and show simply that things don't add up with the G.O.P, like people know how to work out the cost of 3 beers, that G.O.P. policy is bad for 98% of the people now and 1000% of the people in the future.

[MizLiz]

Every time Obama/surrogates bow down to McCain & go on about "respecting his service" the rest of the statement goes unheard. Cut it out, you guys!

[bhatsor]

"John McCain: a risk we can't afford to take".

That's the best slogan so far !

[OutsiderSA]

Agreed!

[Shine75]

I agree as well, we did not break it why are we paying for it.

[boing007]

POWS: PRISONERS OF WALL STREET.

[openhand]

It doesnt fit with a silver hair white uncle, war vet.
"John McCain doesn't get us!" works, even in his own words. People feel they are not being listened to, people are afraid of differences, make JMC different, that is what Rove does with the elitist label.

[Mayoyo]

Johns' mouth: the gift that's keeps on giving.

[cactusgal]

And Sarah too.
She was born with a silver hoof in her mouth.

[tsloan]

or a silver antler in her mouth....

[pgurlatl]

It's about time the Obama campaign strikes back hard. I'm so tired of them tiptoeing around the Keating 5 scandal already!

[BLinCincinnati]

Because it has just as much blow back if done incorrectly as it does benefit. McCain weaseled his way out of any charge against him other than poor judgement. The 4 others were Dems. If played wrong McCain could use it to his advantage.

You can't just throw that card out there, it's not a high trump card, it's a 2 or 3 at best, and if played in the wrong way it could be trumped back. Obama can't be the one to bring it up, he's got to let the media do it, otherwise he risks blowback.

[truegreen]

good ad, it could be a bit harsher.

[jannike]

Obama camp: Bravo!

[NickSoCal]

Hit him Harder! Lack of HONOR , LIES, Etc.

I want to see at least ONE ad a week with 4 or 5 of his latest GAFFS!

[osage]

It's time to throw the kitchen sink at John McCain! Infidelity - his first wife TRUSTED him and at 41 he was cheating on her with a 24-year-old. Keating Five - POOR JUDGEMENT in questionable efforts to aid corrupt banker. Fundamentals of our economy are STRONG. - Dangerously INCOMPETENT on ecomonics. Catastrophic loses in banking/insurance industry forcing taxpayers to pay more than a TRILLION DOLLARS, while incompetent wall street execs receive multi-million dollar BONUSES for FAILING taxpayers. - McCain backed Republican/Gramm DEREGULATION policies that led to greatest financial crisis since the DEPRESSION.

[theplaintrutho1]

Be cool osage,
You've listed a lot of good-great stuff, as have many others here, including gaffes and ad lies you don't mention, give it time.

I suspect O&B are saving some for Oct into Nov.

Remember McC's lying & off message "lipstick" junk, yeah, hard to remember a few weeks back with so many lies & gaffes, like all that AK-Moose stuff.

Give time, time, it's coming I'm sure.

[ebanks84]

Like Obama said, change has got to come from the "bottom up" because a house is only as strong as its base. We are the base of this country. We do all the work and everything depends on us to function. We must, therefore, get rid of all non-working parts and ill-fitted parts. The repubs in our government are definitely broken, rotten parts of our main structure. Time to replace all of them and get our country supported by a stronger more secure base.

[BabyBoomer]

Wow. Couldn't have said it better myself. As a 61 year old, my stomach is in knots. So much is at stake here. I've already realized the American dream except for retirement years. They are now in question big time. However, my stomach is in knots for my children and their children. I had hoped to leave a better world for them to live in. The Palin-McCain ticket, better known as Mooselini & McSame, would destroy their futures for sure. I hope Americans know the difference between propaganda and truth.

[andriadoria]

Mooselini..lol .... that is the best discription of palin I have heard yet.. thanks for making my day!!!!

from another baby boomer

[MPCarr]

McCains did not help deregulate Wall Street. He proposed legislation in 2005 to reign in these companies when he saw the danger in Freddiemac and Fanniemae companies and their subprime loan disaster.

Obama voted against the legislation of course. But he did hire the failed leaders of these companies to head his campign.

[owendog]

saying McCain was against deregulation goes against every shred of evidence there is on is entire political career. Just because he wanted more oversight on Freddie & Fannie that one time, doesn't mean he wasn't a major contributor, and indeed quarterback of the deregulation culture that's permeated Washington with the GOP in control of the house for most of the last two decades.

[Zenfull]

Do you have any clue as to the role of Phil Gramm (McCain's economic advisor and friend and former co-chair of his campaign) in deregulating the banking industry? Read this to inform yourself:
http://losangeles.injuryboard.com/miscellaneous/the-subprime-mess-and-phil-gramm-an-experiment-in-deregulation.aspx?googleid=242468

[theplaintrutho1]

ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!

Found another LOW-INFO voter.

[dayala]

great ad Obama camp...keep pounding and punching on Bush-McCain.

[psfurlong356]

GREAT AD! O'Biden's on message,

McSame is whining about Rezko...

Who's focused on the real problems facing America today?

[ivillage]

John McCain Owns 13 Cars, Barack Obama 1
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/john-mccain-own.html

Michigan Poll: Barack Obama 52%, John McCain 43%
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/michigan-poll-b.html

Fact Check: Did Barack Obama Vote 94 Times for Higher Taxes?
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/fact-check-did.html

Who's the Boss? Sarah Palin Bills Herself Over John McCain
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/whos-the-boss-s.html

Barack Obama Campaign is Pulling Staff Out of North Dakota
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/barack-obama--3.html

US Filmmaker Woody Allen Says Obama Loss Would Be 'Humiliation' For U.S.
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/us-filmmaker-wo.html