Damn You Obama For Being So Cool!

Oh for the halcyon Eschaton-mongering days of the Daisy girl ads.

Give me, please, the salacious insidiousness of the Swiftboat Vets for Truth.

Give me any of that over McCain's low: the Britney/Paris/Obama ad.

And I don't mean low as in: low-class, cheap shot and underhanded. I mean low as in: "I pay you guys all that money, and this is the best you can come up with?"

The best political ads have always had text and subtext; the obvious and the arcane. The obvious text of B/P/O is: "would you all stop loving this guy so much, please!" The whole ad seems like an open admission by Camp McCain that, yes, Obama is young and hip and cool, and our guy has trouble ripping songs onto his iPod unless his grandkids are around to help him.

But the subtext is where the ad doesn't even get going. Contrast it with the infamous Willie Horton ads. The subtext there was: Watch out! Mike Dukakis is gonna let dark-skinned people break into your houses and deflower your ivory wives and daughters.

But the most fear the B/P/O can monger is: Watch out! These guys are going to get all the good tables at Le Bernardin, and you know I got knocked down five spots on the list to get my new Ferrari California because of one of them.

The ad openly admits what we already know: that Obama is a superstar.

And no matter whatever other racial difficulties America may have, it's got no problem with its superstars of color. Tiger or Denzel or Will Smith or Michael Jordan, for which the phrase "I want to have his baby" was created. Like a teenage girl Camp McCain has basically scotch taped a Tiger Beat Poster of Obama to the wall of America's bedroom so that we may now all sit, stare and coo "Isn't he dreamy?"

But this lameness is not limited to McCain. To this day -- though certainly seasoned with some racism -- the only strategy that seemingly anyone can come up with to wield against Obama involves admitting he's better than them. You know; he's that lucky black man who actually appeals to the populace. He's that elitist who got himself off food stamps and into Harvard. He's the arrogant guy who would hang out at country clubs...if he wasn't so busy playing pick-up games of basketball.

He's like a wealthy heiress, and I know 'cause I got me one!

While some take offense at the ad, not me baby. Oh happy day when the enemies of ascendancy have got to confess that people of color rock.

The only thing that's going to make me happier is when Camp McCain runs the Bea Arthur/Jack Klugman ad announcing that uncool is the new cool.

Comments

[Insearchoftruth]

Great wit, humor, perspective. After feeling somewhat annoyed by how negative the McCain camp has been this article puts things back into perspective. Thanks for sharing.

[wayoutleft]

so you, huffpo, are pretending this thread only has 115 comments overnignt? while the offshore drilling flip thread has over 2000? i bet you've dropped out easily 500 comments. and the first three comments are all max length from the same guy- and numbered- no less? look, if obama loses he's going to blame the left anyway. it won't matter how deep in the tank you are. it will be the progressives' fault if he loses. and you know what? you'll take the blame. just like you back war funding and still take the blame for not backing the troops.

[mick7191]

I don't think he will blame anybody. He's not a republican. He's a big boy. He doesn't need scapegoats. You wayoutlefters sound like spoiled children who had their binky taken away.

[wayoutleft]

binky? what do you think this is? mclaughlin group?

[k8k9]

great article

[HeevenSteven]

Look out McSame's camp is going to get some footage of McSame clearin' brush, choppin' wood, and drivin' a pick-up with like a real 'merican. Shootin' hoops can't top that.

[sandtats]

Yet another pres. with a "ranch;" is there anything MORE American? Oh joy.

[teddyr]

McCain reminds me of the old guy in the neighborhood who sits on his porch and yells at the kids, "Get off my lawn. You'll ruin my grass"

[zona9]

Ridley, you don't understand the ad. What the ad is saying is that Obama, like Britney and Paris, is famous for nothing. Just like Hillary said, the only reason he's in the postition he is--is because he gave a speech at the '04 Dem. convention. Obama has done nothing to justify him being the Dem. presidential nominee much less the freaking President of the United States. He has 2 years in the Senate(his 3rd spent entirely running for pres.)and that's it. And, the only reason he has the Senate seat at all is because it was handed to him on a platter...plucked from obscurity to run unopposed. The man is an empty unqualified suit. THAT'S what the ad is about.

[RhondaSTL]

Ridley understands. What you don't understand is that for many of us John McCain's long record, and the long records of some of those you might think should be the Democratic nominee, provides us with the exact reasons we support Obama.

[DRPike]

I guess this just proves that we all see what we want to see.

[Passenger57]

Uh,yeah,he DID do something to justify being the nominee...he beat Clinton. And how he did it is a good story in itself : he went from "What's an Obama?" to where he is now, running a fantastic campaign. He won 11 states in a row, and Clinton pooh-poohed them because they weren't the "big states" - but she never recovered.
Boy,it's too bad the ad didn't mention any of that stuff-it might have been more effective.And running unopposed doesn't mean "silver platter" - ask John Ashcroft. He was running against a DEAD MAN - and LOST.
And who's qualified to be President anyway? Nobody,unless you're running for a second term.Just because he's been around for a long time doesn't make McCain any more qualified than Obama. All any president does is get the people they want to take care of the things they don't know about,or the policies they want to implement.

[realiybased2]

Does McCain not REMEMBER, that famous celebrities have held offices as well, Regan, Sonny Bono, Clint Eastwood in Carmel California, Arnold and Jesse Ventura.....Weren't they celebrities before they entered into POLITICS>

Sorry, he had another memory lapse!!!!

[realiybased2]

Call me paranoid, but I have a feeling that Bill Clinton is the background helping to bring Obama down. Mr.Power (Clinton) is so jealous and pissed off at Obama, I would not put anything past him since I know about his corruption when he Governor of Arkansas.

Hilary, I believe, is just as bitter. I can't remember in any election that the presumptive nominee was being pushed out. Usually whoever the party choose as the nominee, the party gets behind them and try to win the general election. But here we have Clinton supporters trying to get the delegates to change their minds at the convention and vote Hilary in. This is totally ridiculous and jealousy like I have never seen in my 58 years. I don't see any surrogates out speaking up for Obama. And Obama probably is waiting to be confirmed before he goes all out against McCain. Yes, I do believe that Hilary and Bill has definitely divided this party.

[realiybased2]

Fortunate for some and unfortunate for others, Obama really did tell the truth about looking different, having a different name, which surrogates on McCain side in the South chose to used to, WELL, scare the average white person. You see, since the beginning of politics, all the Presidents present and previous Presidents, have been middle aged, white and male. In Obama's case, Republicans are not quite sure what to use against him since the negatism that they have based their past campaign on have all been the type as mention above, so they DO throw the "kitchen sink" at Obama to see what WILL stick.

He is not your typical "ANGRY BLACK MAN" TALKING GHETTO TALK AND PRESENTING A THUG LIKE ATTITUDE, so they got to find ways to belittle him and present racial ads with subliminal messages to the average white person. REMEMBER WHEN WHITES PASS BLACKS ON THE STREET, THEY USUALLY "CLUTCH" THEIR PURSES JUST A LITTLE BIT HARDER".

[sandtats]

And it's working, sadly. Take the 18 yr. old female "supporter" at one of M c' s townalls the other day. She stood up all shaky and wide eyed, lips all a trembling, asked Daddy to please, PLEEEEASE do everything to "stop HIM, because he TERRIFIES ME!!!" Terrifies?!? O terrifies her? Me thinks she's one of those "purse clutchers," and the Re thugs know they're out there, ripe for the picking; sickening.

[Passenger57]

I just saw the Gallup Poll guy on TV,explaining the "dead heat" race.(at least for THIS week)..although the numbers are apparently tied, he said that among people of color - Black,Latino,Chinese,etc. Obama polls ahead of McCain by a good margin.
So that means that, for some reason, the White people aren't "on board" yet.
I wonder why that is...they're not "convinced"? They're not "ready"?
Racism...?

[SSF]

To put it very bluntly,I'll vote for the guy who got elected the President of the Harvard Law Review and graduated top of his class to a guy who screwed up and used his Fathers' connections to advance himself in life! McCain has used his status as a P.O.W. all his life to advance himself, thinking that one event in a persons' life can define them completely! A person is of ALL of their parts; not a single chapter! Most of McCains' "parts" don't add up to a decent person!

[biglith]

Obama could have replaced Johnny Carson and been a huge hit on late night TV. He is a star.

[DrFitz]

Yup, I say let them waste their firepower on trying to make Barack's strenghs = fluff

That will seem like a genius move when Barack cleans McCain's clock in the debates. Even Bush knew how to talk down expectations to make limping through seem like a knockout.

[Rog49Thomas]

Disagree.

The RP strategy is twofold.

First, to cause just enough doubt that the average voter will reluctantly go with the safe choice.
Second, to dominate the debate and control the talking points so the opponent is kept from his strong points.

This occurs on many levels:
(1) not a patriot - and we definitely need a patriot in time of war
(2) inexperienced
(3) a flip flopper or better yet - voted present - can we trust this guy to make the hard decisions
(4) a black fellow - he may look as nice as Oprah but he hangs out with Farrakhan and Wright and so Willie will be in your bedrooms
(5) a secret Muslim
(6) etc

The point of the ad is that Brother Neo has as much substance as the two parties he was compared to. The empty headed celebrity versus the guy tested in the Hanoi Hilton who never changes his mind 'cause he's right from day one. The honest maverick -- and all sorts of other charades.

The uppity fellow who thinks he's president already - that's a twofer.
And the race card - Neo is getting an unfair advantage because he's black . Shades (no pun intended) of anti-affirmative action ads.

Then prepare yourself for the final apotheosis of Honest John - late in the campaign - war hero, patriot, resolute steadfast in his convinctions, etc. etc.

[dutchess2]

You're assuming ways in which we will perceive Obama....too late, I already like him..

I can't help but notice that McCain is a dottering old man who can't get words out, who can't remembe what his talking points are, who repeats himself in endless loops that is not a good sign.

I ain't even got to having George bush and Karl Rove on his side.

[HolePunchSD]

Well written, Mr. Ridley! Well done!

[Xenopus]

Well, John McCain says Obama is The One.....and I agree, Obama is The One to vote for. Apparently John McCain is voting for Obama since he is telling all of us, Obama is The One.

[telebob59]

Mr. Ridley, your point is well taken concerning the lameness of the McCain attack ads. I don't have a racial problem per se, but I do get fed up with the whole "Superstars of Color" bit as it now stands. Maybe I'm just too old, or don't spend enough self-absorbed hours trying to conform to some wobbly yet all-pervasive standard of being "cool", but Denzel Washington is the only one of the four names cited that only makes me cringe a little. What gets me is that each of them has been elevated to such a lofty perch where their accomplishments, however genuine or praiseworthy have been forever eclipsed by their celebrity status. I, for one am sick to death of the necessity for royally annointed Super-Mega-Uber stars of any given hue; as for dark brown tones, give me Bob Marley, Cornel West or Dave Chapelle...just this middle-aged farts' two cents. My bad!