New DNC Ad Criticizes McCain Over Negative Attack Ads (VIDEO)

The DNC has released a new ad criticizing McCain for his aggressive turn towards negative campaigning. The spot ends with McCain, in a clip on the campaign trail from 2000, saying "if all you run is negative attack ads you don't have much of a vision for the future, or you're not ready to articulate it." As TPM notes, the McCain campaign's ad spending is now nearly 100 percent devoted to attack ads. Watch the DNC's new ad below.

CHYRON: "John McCain... readying a newly aggressive assault on Sen. Barack Obama's character." [Washington Post, 10/04/08]

VIDEO: Montage of McCain attack ads

CHYRON: John McCain is "looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis." [Washington Post, 10/04/08]

VIDEO: Montage of McCain attack ads

CHYRON: McCain Campaign's Ad Spending Now Nearly 100 Percent Devoted to Attack Ads [Talking Points Memo, 10/3/08]

MCAIN: "I'm John McCain and I approved this message."

MCCAIN: "Uh, I, I just have to rely on the good judgment of the voters not to buy into these negative attack ads. Sooner or later, people are going to figure out if all you run is negative attack ads you don't have much of a vision for the future or you're not ready to articulate it." [The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, 2/21/2000]

CHYRON: John McCain: We Can't Afford More of the Same

Comments

[proveit2me]

I agree this ad wasn't edited well, I have a feeling you will see that McCain clip at the end again in other ads. But for those who think this isn't hard hitting enough against McCain, remember the purpose of this ad, along with the keating five website, is to preemptively blunt all the mud before it gets slung, not to bash John. Good attempt, but needs some polishing.

[captainindustry]

I think Obama should run an ad showing McCain staring at Palin's but t. No words, no music. just that creepy old man leering at his choice for veep.

maybe it's just me, but that stare made me send money to the Obama/Biden campaign.
Maybe follow it up with a few video shorts of him trying to kiss her and Sarah pulling away in disgust.

Such an officer. such a gentleman.

[jaybs]

I feel the ad is not aggressive enough at McCain, the people that need to see The Truth about how out of touch McCain is, will deffintely not understand the suttlty of this!

[zbig]

Schwing!

[Hirudin]

Hmmm... I like the ad overall, a few critiques.­..

1. A negative ad decrying negative ads?

2. As we all know, Obama FORCED McCain to run negative ads by refusing to do the town hall meetings. The republicans have already issued a pass for McCain to do whatever it takes to win.

3. As another person said, showing a calm, collected McCain may not be the best idea.

4. The ad looks pretty amateurish. It's not terrible, and it's hard to get a message through in 30 seconds, but the busyness is distracting.

5. I love Talking Points Memo, but it's not really a good "source" for anything you want the right to take seriously. It would be like the RNC expecting us to believe anything that comes out of Michelle Malkin's mouth. If the ~100% figure is true (and I have no doubt it is) then there must be a better source to use, maybe something from Fox or... um... some other right-wing "news" outlet.

[Passenger57]

I think the Obama camp should use #2 against McCain ; I've heard this before. So McCain goes negative because he didn't get what he wanted? Sounds like McCain hasn't changed from when he was a kid and would HOLD HIS BREATH UNTIL HE PASSED OUT, willing himself to overrule a basic human instinct : BREATHE OR DIE.
Does that sound like a man ready to make the right decisions?
Does that sound like a man who needs to have his finger on The Button?
Sure inna heck doesn't, doggone it!

[DarthVector]

BAAAAAAAAM!

[emmaspeaks]

the difficult piece to understand is that at the end of the day, there will be no hard feelings. I cannot look back on this and see John McCain in the same light that I used to. He has shown us another side that is not honest or the man he was. He will do anything to win, at any cost, to anyone in his way. Obama and Biden will probably accept his concession at the end, and the b-ll about supporting the president (after Obama wins on Nov. 4th), but he will not regain my respect and trust.

[gigi09]

McCain on Economics!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4egXbhSOhk&sdig=1

[Babzter]

What struck me is how much more lucid and alert McCain was in 2000. He really has deteriorated mentally.

[emmaspeaks]

he does look tired, and more, doesn't he?

[emmaspeaks]

let me restate that.

You are right...he looks much more alert and awake than he does presently.

[AJBF]

I agree that this ad is not executed in the best way. The idea is right on and the McCain clip is devastating - not sure your average Joe will get it right, though.

[vinny]

Visually not so good. The McCain clip was nice.

[saron123]

The idea is there, but it was not crafted and executed well.

[saron123]

The ad started out good. But, the ending is not good.

You can't stop with McCain....­.

You should continue saying something like.... he is double speaking, he is desperate so he changed, he is saying one thing and doing another...­.

Because, what you have does not have a punch line.

[doogiedude]

Compelling ad!!

I recently read Scott McClellan's book "What Happened:: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception.­"

It was a fairly interesting perspective from someone inside President Bush's administration.

Mr. McClellan asserts that one of the main reasons for most recent decline of politics (the Bush administration in particular) into tabloid like behavior is a phenomenon called the "permanent campaign" a political theory attributed to a gentleman named Patrick Caddell.

The theory is a political environment has been created where priority is given to short-term tactical gain over long-term vision (not unlike corporate America if you ask me,) causing long term policy decisions to be heavily influenced by short term political gain or loss. According to Mr. McClellan, this was a primary cause in the failure of the Bush administration.

It seems Senator McCain's campaign has fully adopted this strategy and, IMHO, would likely carry on this strategy into the Presidency.

I think this adds another component to the theory a McCain administration would be similar to the Bush administration (if not worse.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_campaign

Just sayin

[captainindustry]

thanks for your thoughtful post. It's something i knew instinctively, but had never seen it verbalized. "Permanent Campaign" should become an iconic slogan.

thanks again.

[Obama08Supporter]

Not a good ad this time. Please go back to the drawing. It seems as if you are endorsing McCain about Obama running negative attack ads. You have really missed the mark on this one.