John McCain 'Strenuously' Objects to a Gutter Ad. If He Stopped It, Would He Gain More Votes?

John McCain is very unhappy about the North Carolina commercial that connects Barack Obama with Rev Wright's "God bless America? God damn America" sermon. [See it here. ]

Indeed, he sent a letter to the North Carolina Republican Party leadership:

"This ad does not live up to the very high standards we should hold ourselves to in this campaign...We need to not engage in political tactics that only seek to divide the American people...Once again, it is imperative that you withdraw this offensive advertisement."

And yet the ad is about to run. [Read Joe Conason's quick history of Floyd Brown, the nasty piece of work behind it.]

I'm reminded of the courtroom scene in "A Few Good Men," when Demi Moore makes an objection, is overruled, and makes the objection a second time, this time "strenuously".

Later, co-counsel Tom Cruise mocks Moore:

"I strenuously object" --- is that how it works? Objection. Overruled. No, no, no, no, I strenuously object. Oh, well, if you strenuously object, let me take a moment to reconsider.

John McCain and Demi Moore: equally ineffective.

The difference? Demi Moore was sincere. McCain? You could make the argument --- and many have --- that McCain really wants the ad to run but must distance himself from it.

If so, too bad. McCain has much more to gain by stopping the ad. But writing a letter or making a phone call won't do it.

This might:

Accompanied by a television news crew, McCain strides into the office of North Carolina GOP Chairwoman Linda Daves.

McCain: "Linda, that commercial is beneath us. I want you to take it off the air --- immediately. I want you to assure me that it will stay off the air. And that there will be no other gutter commercials in this campaign."

If Daves agrees, McCain looks like a great leader instead of a pol who uses operatives to sling mud he can't.

If Daves doesn't cave, she's handing McCain a second golden opportunity.

McCain: "Hear me, Linda. I am the Party's candidate for President. I have a certain influence. Keep that ad running, and I will do everything in my power to have you removed as North Carolina's Chairwoman. Are we clear?"

Daves probably wouldn't have the wit to say, "Crystal." But the audience watching McCain kick her ass on national TV will hear the echo of the brilliant line that Aaron Sorkin wrote for Tom Cruise's dissection of Jack Nicholson.

And, I bet, McCain would zoom in the polls and --- at least for the moment --- lure who knows how many independent voters and on-the-fence Democrats to his campaign.

It's the sort of stunt, if their allegiances were reversed, that Barack Obama would warm to.

McCain? Here's betting this commercial will run and run.

Comments

[mabinog]

yeah, stenuously object so that your tolerant Repub voter can feel he has done something but don't really take any action so that the crackers don't get pissed. Democrats have nothing to complain about though Congress does this with the Bush Admin all the time. Nothing says taking action like 42 harshly worded letters in row.

[downwithbs]

John McCain finds the ad put out by the North Carolina GOP "offensive." He sends a letter of objection, saying it's "imperative" the ad be withdrawn. But he won't take further action because he doesn't want to become a "referee."

If John McCain, the presumptive head of the Republican party, can't get his own political allies to back off, how will he deal with foreign dictators and would-be aggressors who are pursuing nuclear weapons?

[karrde]

May I ask a question?

In late 2007, two states were trying to move their Presidential primaries much earlier in the voting order. Both major parties opposed this on the National level, but Michigan and Florida moved their primaries into January.

The State Parties are distinct organizationally from the National Parties. The National parties punished the State parties through various means.

However, the National Party can't specifically stop the State party from doing something. It has no legal or organizational authority to do so. Ditto for a major politician (McCain) who doesn't sit on the National Committee for his part--or at least, doesn't chair it, and doesn't have full executive authority over his party.

Now, in dealing with foreign nations, the President has a different toolkit. That is up to (and including) outright warefare, pre-emptive attacks, and threats of Mutual Assured Destruction. These tools aren't available when dealing with recalcitrant State Political parties inside the bounds of the nation.

This is educational about McCain's ability to solve problems--as the Florida/Michigan primaries are educational about Sen. Clinton's and Sen. Obama's methods of solving problems. I note that neither of them has found a way to seat the State delegates from Michigan, or provide a do-over for the Presidential Primary in those States.

On the level of dealing with recalcitrant State parties, none of the Big Three candidates have shown themselves to be exceptionally capable.

[SpinCycleRadio]

We have seen this in so many variations, not the least of which was the Swiftboat ads. It is the Karl Rove playbook for how to respond to an unsupportable yet desired attack by a surrogate. You 'do not support' with the ad or 'regret' that it was aired but point out that you had no control over it.

But on the other hand we are supposed to buy the story that McCain is some sort of bold and strong leader. Yup, a bold and strong leader who can't even get somebody in his own party to make any change in their plans.

[zull2]

McCain is connected to every 527 out there pushing out filth. Any "objection" he may make has to be taken with a titanic grain of salt...the majority of his campaign leadership are lobbyists that are tied to the groups pushing for these sorts of ads.

This year, Democrats cannot allow the Republican candidate to wash his hands of these sorts of tactics. If Democrats had pinned Bush to the wall about the Swift Boat ads and had demanded that the candidate bring forward solid evidence about John Kerry's service, those ads might not have worked so effectively. If that were to happen, the Iraq occupation probably would have been ended, the economy probably would have been tackled more head on (as Kerry would be looking to be reelected to a second term), and the response to Hurricane Katrina would have been far more effective. These are very good reasons to NOT allow the 527s to run rampant again.

[TXfemmom]

Oh fiddledee. If McCain wanted that ad off the air, it would be off the air. Everyone is squawking about the Clinton campaign being dirty, when the attacks from them will be like mosquito bites compared to rapid fire assault by an AK 47 by the Republicans.

McCain claims the high road and takes the low road. This is just the beginning and it ain't going to be pretty, as we all should know

If the Dems are just totally horrified by the Clinton campaign, then they may as well roll over and forget about even nominating a candidate if that candidate is Obama, because the Republicans are going to fill the airways nonstop with stuff which will make Willie Horton seem tame.

Dems have the choice of Clinton, who isn't perfect, but who has fought and came out standing against the PUKES for many years, and Obama, who has been treated as though he is the reincarnation of the Buddha, and have been horrified at anything negative about him. The Republicans are not going to treat him like the Buddha. Obama can get the nomination, but the PUKES are going to throw all this gray in his background at him as anti everything and just a little will need to stick. Give me the person willing to stand up and fight and play mean, because mean it is going to take to beat the Republicans and the Clintons have fought them and come out standing.

[HenkC]

Negative ads? Negative campaign. The Hamas-Obama story? He should start catching up with how war mentality works. I bet you Al-Qaeda will endorse Obama if they could make another video from a cave somewhere in "allied" Pakistan. Because they know how to use reverse psychology (you idiot, McCain). How do you get your enemy to do what you want them to do? Tell them the opposite. Want war? Then endorse the one guy from the "enemy" who wants peace. McDrain and the gang please note - Hamas is playing you like a little toy drum. And you are walking to their beat. McPain should wake up and think a little bit more. Think. Think. What do Al-Qaeda want? What do you think Hamas want? Chaos so they can recruit more. Anarchy so they can continue a mindless war. They want one thing and will tell you the opposite. You think you can trust what they tell you? They are playing you for a fool. You played into their hands in Iraq. And you are going to play into their hands again. You stupid, stupid man. http://angryafrican.net/ 2008/ 04/ 26/ i-angry-african-endorse-mccain/

[ohnoyoudiint]

Tom CruiseÊ"s character was not the strenuous objector objector, it was Kevin PollackÊ"s as the trusty co-counsel.

[Oreva]

Im my opinion, I think it's best all these ads air now....come Nov, the swiftboaters ain't gonna have nothing on Obama....Either way, the GO"WM"P (Grand Old White Male Party) is dust

[Charmed]

All I know is that here in NC that AD can cause a lot of friction among the kids but nobody is thinking about that. The kids are tuned into these race but they don't seem to care about that until somebody goes to a school and shot up a bunch of people. It's sickening and frieghting at the same time. I pray my son doesn't get caught up in this race baiting mess the GOP is doing and if anybody children's do, the GOP needs to be sued along with Rush for calling for riots in denver.

Hatred begets Hatred just like Rev. Wright said.

[kawika]

No..No...No...McCaine should let it rip now...Let it out of the Barn..Then in September and October we run Hagee in the same AD with Mcslime there...Now is the time to let hill...lay out the slime. You go girl...So that after the convention there is no laundry to wash...All the half truths will have been debunked..And old discoveries of Macsame...will come out...Lets just re-run all of Bushes anti-Mccain trash...Why redo something that has already worked....Get some of Rove's E-mail sliming McCain...Yeah Let them stew in their own oil...Use all of McCain's interviews on taxes...I am sure it would flu,,ox anyone...Or his interviews on how well the economy is going...No No No ...Don't hit him now, let him stew.

[DemocratsUnited]

I think this incident demonstrates exactly why Obama MUST NOT accept public funding if he is the democratic nominee. If John McCain is so pwerless or simply too unwilling to stop the airing of this smear style ad, then how will he be able to stop those independant 527's from doing the same thing in the general? If Obama does not accept public financing, he will be financially armed to take on those 527's. McCain is doing nothing but proving Obama's point on Public Financing. Of course, the scenario in which you speak will never happen. McCain will never alienate his party in a presidential election by publicly humiliating one of his own on National TV no less. That is more Hillary Clinton style.

[Reine]

Your post is ridiculous. I heard he hadn't even seen the ad but was told about it. If he knew or not, it doesn't matter because it's true. If it wasn't, it would be a different story. Even Obama said that this was fair game so now McCain will use it & I say why not?

[pizzmoe]

McCain doesn't care one bit whether this ad runs or not. He has, once again, pulled the wool over the eyes of the American people.

[KarateKid]

Maybe I missed something, but the ad hasn't run yet. How did McCain see the ad? In fact, how did the networks get copies of the ad?

I smell a rat, an orchestrated ploy so McCain can have it both ways. On the one hand he looks like a good guy for objecting to it, and on the other hand Obama gets stung.

The Republicans are so clever when it comes to gutter tactics. That's why such a minority group can win elections. That plus the Democrats' idiocy.

[brilliantatbreakfast]

So you've been bamboozled too, into thinking that John McCain is shocked, SHOCKED....SHOCKED, I tell you (and don't forget "appalled") at this ad? Au contraire, McCain knows damn well that this is running, and he's 100% in support. This ad allows him to keep his fingerprints off it and spout a bunch of righteous indignation while reaping the rewards. It's all very carefully orchestrated -- and you fell for it.

[JulieSA]

If McCain used the strong-arm tactic you suggest, he would make himself look like a thug. He has no authority to stop the ad. He's denounced it very forcefully many times already, and some of the righties are furious with him for doing even that.

[rnb]

John McCain doesn't have the authority to say what kind of campaigning he wants done by members of his party?

[kingofscotts]

Of course he does and that's exactly what JulieSA points out he has done. Much to the annoyance of members of his own party.

Actually if you want to be the party of rules and ethics than you must acknowledge the truth; which is that for McCain to do anything more than he has done in denouncing these ads may well be illegal.

Candidates are to have no control or influence over 527's.

Strongly denouncing (as he has done) the ad is about all he can do. What's he going to do go and physically stop them somehow?

And I'm sure all you huffstars will be equally SHOCKED when the Dem 527's come out of the woodwork and start smearing McCain won't you?

I doubt it.

[vincealy]

Hell McCains been crying about the fact that he and Obama should not take private funding and run a clean election. Part of that appeal was that he would ' shut down " these smear type of ads. McCains grade on this F

[PioneerKing]

exactly!

McCain knows that the he can't stop these types of ads. McCain does not intend to run a clean campaign he's been spending his time telling folks to give to the 527's that will smear Obama.
There isn't anything honest about the straight talk express, it's just a myth. McCain is nasty and dishonest.

[Atticus]

Hmm.. I like what you say. So, don't bet on McCain not adopting your tactic!