New Iowa Ad: Reaching Out to Independents, Obama Relies on "Straw Cynics"

WASHINGTON---In a new Iowa ad--where the Democratic presidential race is a three-way tie--White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) seems to be reaching out to independent voters by emphasizing his work with Republicans.

The spot is visually simple. Despite all that stunning exterior footage the Obama ad team has been shooting in Iowa--Rockwellian barns and the like--the ad has Obama wearing a grey suit suit in a Pottery Barn of a room looking at the camera.

His message is quite interesting because it does not play to the Democratic base. Nothing about his new domestic economic plans, rolled out this week. The econ proposals, apparently do not need to be reinforced in Iowa with paid media.

Actually, the spot dwells on nothing specific at all. It is titled "Believe." It opens with a reference to the nameless, faceless hope-mongering (Obama's phrase, not mine) cynics in Washington who have been supplying Obama with one of his stump lines. It's used this way in the spot. "Every time I speak about my hope for America, the cynics in Washington roll their eyes." It's a example of how Obama uses the rhetorical device known as a "straw man" argument to make his point.

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Comments

[lafrance]

I like this ad for it simplicity, honest straightforward no frills look.
The ad is not suppose to be about anything other than Obama discussing some of the things that people are sick of and that he knows and has been where we've been.
A straight appeal for people to listen and think. I especially think the absence of music is a powerful thing.
Those who think because He doesn't act like a typical pol, like Hillary, rushing to the cameras all the time, making a big production of themselves, alot of noise about nothing and he doesn't do a direct hit right now, he is not being strong. wow, how republican.
Being strong means waiting for the right moment and then hit them between the eyes for most impact. Don't let them see it coming or be prepared for it.

[realitytrumpsbull]

Well I don't believe a damn thing anymore, including Mr. Obama's rhetoric. To my view,
there's several remedies that need to be applied
to current goings-on to bring things back toward
balance, which include:
1) End the 'war'. Reasons are varied but obvious.
2) Chop federal spending. Again, reasons are obvious.
3) Sit Congress down for a 1-month constitutional review. There've been a lot
of fast-money changes that've taken place,
and it's time to take some quality time and
sort and sift through all of that. You
can repeal, as well as ratify.
4) Have a frank and open discussion about
the quality and caliber of the people that've
been seeking/been elected over the last several
years, and their motives for doing so. The
budget will never balance nor will public
confidence be restored in Washington until
they start being a lot more honest and forthright and a lot less greedy in their doings.
5) Have ANOTHER frank and open discussion
about the ultimate relevance of the public
vote in face of all the 'fun' that we've
witnessed these last several years. If the
process really isn't a worthy use of the
public's time anymore, if any/all Really
Important Decisions are to be made independently
of the vote, then at least save some money
in the budget by cancelling the entire business.
If it's really 'for the money, by the money, and
of the money', then everyone else can go through
their day without standing around at a polling
station. This will also save time and money on the old bipartisan pandering routine...
6) Discuss the merit of just going ahead and
appointing King George II to the throne for life. After all, the "Constitution is just a goddamn piece of paper", and you can't have
things like paperwork impeding progress...

[amberglow]

At a time when we need a fighter and someone who will seriously clean house of all the "loyal Bushies" inserted everywhere, Obama wants to be above it all--no thank you. Let the GOP prove they're trustworthy first. Even now they're obstructing everything in Congress--everything. You can't work with people who put party over country every time. You can't cooperate with them, and there aren't bipartisan solutions that they'll accept.

[jeffmorgan]

Republican voting citizens does not equal GOP politicians and bureaucrats.

[Doofus]

Most people will understand what Obama's doing,
immediately. HRC has high negatives among both
Repos & Demos. By showing US that he 'gets
along' with both, he's put out the reminder
that he is that much more electable than HRC.

Maybe that's true, maybe it isn't. We'll just have to find out.

[horizonr]

You refer to "the nameless, faceless hope-mongering (Obama's phrase, not mine) cynics in Washington who have been supplying Obama with one of his stump lines."

But a "hope-mongering cynic" is a contradiction in terms. Indeed, it is not the CYNICS who are "hope-mongering." It is they who Obama says call HIM a "hope-monger" and a "hope-peddler."

Perhaps you misunderstand the basic etymology of "hope-monger"? A hope-monger is, literally, the one who "mongers," or peddles, hope.

Like an ironmonger peddles iron.

[SeanGardner]

I like the fact that he is reaching out to "independents voters". I am what a pollster would characterize as an independent voter.

My registration doesn't say Democrat, Republican, Green Party, Libertarian, or anything. Just independent.

I do vote with Democrats because of the issues the party champions, and because the GOP doesn't give me any options outside of empty rhetoric. So I am what one would call a liberal-leaning independent.

And I must say that the number of independent voters has grown quite large in recent years. PEople are no so much fed up with the "two party system", as much as they are fed up with the constant bickering at the expense of legislative progress for MAIN STREET USA, i.e., the working man and woman.

So when I hear about candidates like Obama who seek to build "PURPLE" coalitions of voters across the political spectrum, I am excited and thrilled.

His strategy may not excite the far left activists who want him to just concentrate on being a "democrat". But his strategy is great for the general election, when he will concentrate on getting RED AMERICA (50% of the country) to go along with his agenda.

As a liberal-leaning independent, I will cast my ballot for the "PURPLE POLITICS SUPERSTAR" named Barack Obama.

RED and BLUE politics will all always have a place at the table. If you want anything done in this partisan environment, PURPLE POLITICS has to be reality.

Go Barack.

[WorldGriot]

lynn:
Why are you so sure the cynics are "STRAW"? I mean, it is not a great stretch to know that whenever a politician talks about hope as opposed to say war, eyes role in Washington. Even your post seems like a cynical eye roll so I am not sure there is much substance here except to create a negative out of anything so long as the basic direction is down. HOpe I'm wrong but that is the way I read your post.

[milo9]

I consider myself an independent but I'm far far from sympathising with Republicans (as presently constituted).

I have no idea what Obama seeks to achieve with his embrace of Republicans unless it is to reinforce his image as a Corporate Dem.

[Californian]

Actually, Obama is the only candidate on either side who is pulling significant crossover support from Independents and Republicans. A short while back there was a Republican poll which simply asked respondents to name the candidate they liked, instead of choosing from a list of names.

Obama came in third in that Republican caucus poll, beating McCain.

Apparantly they like his optimism, and, many Republicans are just as sick of this constant division as many of the rest of us.

It's rather like the old Reagan Democrats. It's what makes Obama the strongest Dem candidate, by far, in the general election, and the only candidate who has the chance to do what Obama says he wants to do: unite the country.