Proposed Obama Ad: "Make Them Famous"

The consensus around the 'sphere seems to be that Obama needs to stop playing defense, define Sarah Palin, and take the fight back to John McCain. These seem like contradictory goals, but here's a suggestion for an ad that might accomplish all three (based on this post from last week) :

[FADE IN]

Video of Sarah Palin at the Republican National Convention.

PALIN

I told the Congress "thanks, but no thanks," for that Bridge to Nowhere.

[CUT TO]

Montage of headlines from the Anchorage Daily News including "Sarah Palin's Bogus 'Bridge To Nowhere' Claims", "Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop", and "Palin accused of using bridge to gain stature".

NARRATOR

But according to those who know Sarah Palin best, this claim is "bogus". Gov. Palin was "for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it" and even after flip-flopping on the issue, Palin refused to give back the almost $400 million of taxpayer money.

[CUT TO]

Video of John McCain at the Republican National Convention.

MCCAIN

I've fought the big spenders in both parties, who waste your money on things you neither need nor want...I will make them famous, and you will know their names.

[CUT TO]

A photo of John McCain standing next to Sarah Palin which slowly fades out as a similar photo of John McCain standing next to George W. Bush takes its place.

NARRATOR

Mission accomplished, but it's hard to be a maverick when you're part of the same Washington, pork-barrel politics that the American people have rejected. Can we afford four more years of the same?

[FADE OUT]

Comments

[RealityBaseCamp]

c64audio said:

"This election is basically an old Kirk vs a young Spock."

BWAhahahah . . . The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the rich.

Or the really, really old McCoy, vs Data. Hmm, this opens the door to a scary array of analogies. Gotta stop now.

[mjtaylor22]

THE SHAME IS THAT WITH THE ISSUES AFFECTING OUR COUNTRY, NOT ENOUGH ARE STILL HAMMERING AT THIS OBVIOUS POLITICAL MOVE. PALIN IS NOT A CONFIDANT, SHE IS A YES WOMAN, MCSAME IS A BUSH/CHENEY PUPPET, AND SOME OF THE BIGGEST LOBBYSIT EVER TO HIT WASHINGTON RUN THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
THE GOP HAS HAD CONTROL OFHOUSE AND SENATE FOR 12 OF THE LAST 14 YRS, AND THEN THEY ADDED CONTROL OF THE PRESIDENT FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS.
WHAT MUST YOU BE SMOKING TO EVEN THINK THESE PEOPLE WOULD DO ANYTHING EXCEPT FOLLOW THE PARTY LINE? FROM A HISTORICAL REFERENCE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT PUT REAGAN INTO OFFICE ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH THIS AND THE LAST FEW REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGNS. HOW IS THAT ANYWAY NEAR CHANGE....?
BUT PLS NOTE THEY WILL NEVER ADMIT TO WRONG DOING NOR LISTEN TO LOGIC OR REASON SO LET IT GO AND KICK THEM IN THE TEETH ON THE ISSUES
DAM I AM SO SICK OF THIS MIS DIRECTION WHEN THESE GUYS WANT TO DESTROY THE LARGEST PROVIDER OF HEALTHCARE IN OUR NATION...THE KIND YOU GET AS A GROUP BENEFIT WITHYOUR JOB....WHAT THE HELL
WHY ARE WE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS.....?
They are on the wrong side of working class issues. They are on the wrong side of Patriotism, just look at how piss poor too many VA hospitals are, how do you propose to close military bases during War time

[mavericksbedamned]

Agree we need to hit back - and hard. He is being Swiftboated and he is too much of a gentleman to see it. I have another idea for an ad. It's about a couple called "The Mavericks". It can be a series actually. They are a hootin', hollerin' gun-totin' shoot-'em up couple. They wear cowboy clothes. To the sound of the Beverly Hillybillies they find some bubblin' crude and buy their way to the White House. Still hootin' and hollerin' and shootin' up anything that moves, a large man in Russian Army clothes - clearly a general equivalent comes into the room where the female maverick is having a wild time shootin' at the ceiling. A bullet bounces off the ceiling, hits the russian general and he drops dead. As the female Maverick looks on in horror, the camera pans into her wide open eyes and reflected in her pupils is a nuclear explosion. Silence for a few seconds, close.

[mezz1962]

It's Obama vs McCain let Obama go after Palin every Republican would love that because when it comes to the debates McCain will give these informed 1 or 2 word answers and Obama will stubble around with his 3 minute say nothing speeches and the voting public will vote on McCain vs Obama not Obama vs Palin

If Obama wants to run against Palin for the VP slot hey I am willing to hear him out

[faust2001]

The Democrats having the courage of their convictions? That would be something!

[ATSJer]

How about the closing line of the commericial to reiterate the "I'll make 'em famous" by showing her record on taking the huge ear-marks and then his announcement of her as his running-mate followed by the line "Well, McCain has fulfilled one promise...he had indeed made at least one of those big ear mark spenders famous...real famous."

[ATSJer]

I agree, Obama needs to attack McCain/Palin in a big way, it needs to be pointed out to the American public those things that many of us know; that McCain and Palin are not who they say they are. And this "ear-mark" and "bridge to nowhere" issue clearly shows just how much Palin heavily relied and sought after those things that McCain says that he has fought in the Senate and will fight as President. The McCain/Palin partnership is an utterly fantastical joke being played out before the world, their hypocrisy and total disregard for truth, the Constitution, and our country needs to be shown to all the world.

Obama '08

[WallyWutMD]

How about Obama giving a news conference at the very location where the "bridge" to nowhere was going to be built, emphazising the $400M taxpayer money that was spent on the "road" to nowhere. I can just imagine the disolate road leading to the empty beach, occupied only by a couple of penguins and some tumbleweed. It would be perfect symbolism of the McCain/Palin ticket. Leading us to nowhere.

[JonG345]

it seems like everyone wants to see Obama's campaign putting out better ads. I mean EVERYBODY. So they should do it!

[athenasword]

Sadly, the undecideds may vote based on how they feel about the price of gas on Nov. 4. My (extended) family in Ohio is really stretched. All anyone can talk about is that they have to cut back, spend less, plan 1 big trip into town to do all the errands, no extra anything.

So, the theme of "we can't afford them" is a good one.

The theme of "they must think you're stupd" is also effective. People don't like getting lied to and they don't like people talking down to them or playing them for dumb. Stick to the issues, use short and sweet language people can understand quickly. Don't lie to them and make sure they know when the other guy IS lying.

[CalDoug]

My proposed ending: "They promised you straight talk, but they're giving you straight-out lies. Isn't eight years of that enough?"

[athenasword]

"Enough". It's a great, simple message I'd like to see more of.

[JimmyCrackcorn]

"the Republican brand is in the trash can...if we were dog food, they would take us off the shelf." - Rep. Tom Davis

My idea for Ad:

SceneI: A Woman opens can of GOP Brand dog food with Bush's Face on label and dumps it into a bowl. "Here you go boy" she says. A dog walks up and sniffs the food. Dog looks up, barks and runs off without taking a bite. Woman huffs in frustration and dumps food into trash.

SceneII: Cut to supermarket aisle showing shelf full of GOP Brand Dog food with Bush's Face on label. Manager tells stockboy to "Pull Brand GOP Dog Food off the shelf, no one is buying it anymore". Stockboy replies "Wait, I have an idea!"

SceneIII: Stockboy busy applying stickers to cans, replacing Bush's face on the label with McCain's face.

SceneIV: Show Woman in dog food aisle full of GOP Brand Dog Food with McCain's face on label. She's reading a can and puts it into her cart.

Scene V: Woman opens can of GOP Brand dog food with McCain's Face on label and dumps it into a bowl. "Here you go boy" she says. A dog walks up and sniffs the food. Dog looks up, barks and runs off without taking a bite. Woman huffs in frustration and dumps food into trash can.

End with Bush saying:

"fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again."

[NounverbPOW]

Brilliant!

[ChristianDemocratMom]

I've been thinking the same things! I'd love for the Obama camp to flip that "celebrity" ad back around.


Fade in to the adoring throngs fawning over Sarah

"she's the biggest celebrity in the world"

show the "pitbull/lipstick" schtick

But the joke's on the Republican party if they think they can get away with this dog and pony show.


I don't know, there's obviously a reason I'm not in the ad business, but surely someone could run with the idea!

[northernperspective]

Focusing on the ending: "...he's decided she can be the next president of the United States."

[Shiba Inu149]

If McCain is so opposed to earmark spending, and will veto every bill that comes across his desk, then why didn't he vote aginst every bill?

[kcjc]

Wow.....all you Obama supporters sound a distressed!! Let's keep talking SARAH! SARAH SARAH SARAH.....SARAH!!

[4real]

McCane and Sarah can't even come up with their own message. They just copy Obama and now are saying they are change. Soon they will have their supporters chanting yes we can.

Copy Bush policies and Obama's campaign...McCane THE UNORIGINAL "MAVERICK".

[Tracy Saunders - Huffpost Blogger]

I think they call that "leveraging"

[rock2casbah]

Don;t you just wish we would sleep on Palin. Not on your life!!!