13 Things To Know About The 3rd Straight Mac Attack Ad

John McCain's third straight attack ad.

Okay, another day, another John McCain attack ad on Barack Obama. This one came in over the weekend. It's the third straight, as the McCain campaign is increasingly abandoning positive advertising in favor of negative ads on the frontrunner. Though the positive ad I wrote about on July 10th is still in rotation, at least for now.

The latest Mac attack ad plays above. And here is the text:

Announcer: Barack Obama never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan.
He hadn't been to Iraq in years.
He voted against funding our troops.
And now, he made time to go to the gym, but cancelled a visit with wounded troops.
Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras.
John McCain is always there for our troops.
McCain. Country first.
John McCain: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

Here are 13 things to know about this ad.

1. Campaigns go very negative like this when they are very worried. John McCain's campaign has now put out out three straight negative TV ads in a row, attacking Barack Obama. And the McCain message in the free media is virtually all negative.

2. The reason the McCain campaign is so worried is that the Olympics start in less than two weeks. At the height of summer, most experts think that whomever has a steady lead going in will have a steady lead coming out. The next big event after the Olympics? The Democratic National Convention. At which Obama will accept the presidential nomination in a speech at Denver's football stadium before 80,000 screaming supporters.

3. This TV ad is media bait. There is no serious buy behind it. I've gone through this before with McCain's new campaign director, Steve Schmidt, when he was Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign manager in 2006. The Schwarzenegger campaign rolled out a couple of TV ads early on, which I pointed out then were running in San Diego at midnight. In this case, think Denver, Harrisburg, and, naturally, Washington. The purpose of this ad is to further press commentary to continue a storyline. A major caveat. This does not mean that there is not a serious ad, and a serious new ad buy, coming.

4. In keeping with what I just wrote, this ad is the highest-rated YouTube video for McCain of the general election campaign. What that means is that the ad is being pushed out to create a frenzy amongst the conservative Republican base, whipped up by the right-wing talk show circuit and blogosphere. I think more people have seen it on YouTube than have seen it on their TV sets.

5. Obama is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Europe. Afghanistan, as it happens, is not in Europe. Afghanistan is covered by an entirely separate subcommittee. Thus the attack on Obama for failing to hold a hearing on Afghanistan is non-serious. This does not mean that he should not have done so, as an eager beaver presidential candidate. Surely, McCain would have been opportunistic enough to do so.

6. ... But it turns out that McCain has missed every hearing for the past two years of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Afghanistan. McCain is the ranking Republican member of this very powerful committee. It's only in the last week that McCain has endorsed Joe Biden's -- and Obama's -- plan to send more US brigades to Afghanistan.

7. It's true that Obama hadn't been to Iraq for two years. McCain has been there a lot. There was the time last year when he toured a Baghdad market, declaring everything to be copacetic. As it should have been, with him wearing a bullet-proof vest, accompanied by a company of paratroopers and a flight of helicopter gunships. As most shoppers undoubtedly were.

8. Obama voted for troop funding on all but one occasion. When he decided to try to force the Bush administration to set a timeline for US troop withdrawal.

9. Obama's visit to the US military hospital in Germany was never, despite the statement in this ad, on his media schedule. He actually visited the US military hospital in Baghdad a few days earlier, sans media. The former head of the military hospital in Germany has denounced the ad, noting that Obama visited the military hospital in Baghdad with no fanfare whasoever.

10. Obama pulled out of the German military hospital visit when the Pentagon informed his military advisor on the trip, retired Air Force General Scott Gration, that only Senate staff could accompany him. This happened after all the Senate staffers along for the Congressional delegation visit to the Middle East had been sent home. Which meant that General Gration, a highly decorated Air Force veteran who is not a member of Obama's Senate staff, was effectively disinvited from visiting the military hospital at the well-known Air Force base at Ramstein.

11. While the TV ad says that McCain is always there for the troops, he actually opposed the new GI Bill authored by Obama ally Jim Webb, the former Navy Secretary-turned-Virginia Senator. Webb, as it happens, is an old friend of McCain, who has called him "a legendary fighting man," as befits the most highly decorated Marine combat officer of the Vietnam War. McCain lost badly in the Senate on Webb's new GI bill, but he and President Bush later tried to take some credit for its passage.

12. And with regard to always being there for the troops, it is interesting to note that McCain actually voted against $360 million for armored tactical wheeled vehicles for units deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And that McCain just held a big ticket fundraiser at the home of one of the country's largest defense contractors, Ronald Perelman, whose MacAndrews & Forbes holding company owns AM General, manufacturer of the HumVee. The HumVee became known in the Iraq War as a "Purple Heart box."

Here is the actual scene from which Obama's purported German workout in lieu of visiting wounded troops is taken. Note that it is Obama visiting enthusiastic American soldiers in the Middle East.

13. The footage in the McCain attack ad which accompanies the text about Obama spending time at the gym rather than visiting wounded troops is not actually of Obama working out in Berlin.

Actually, it is, as you see above, footage of Obama visiting with the troops in Kuwait. Hitting a 3-point jump shot on the first try, to the screams of the enthusiastic American soldiers.

Oh, what a tangled web ... And all that stuff.

Comments

[dadw5boys]

Mc Cain could care less about the Troops.

After 5 years he has not bothered to even learn WHO THEY ARE FIGHTING!

Liberman had to tell him.

He has no idea of who they are helping.

Liberman again had to teach him.

Mc Cain votes against Veterans needs but for tax cuts for wealthy arms makers and oil executives.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Oh, I think McCain knows who they're fighting.

[dadw5boys]

You think?

But your really nnot sure after the VIDEO where Liberman had to CORRECT HIM TWICE about who we were fighting and who needs out help in Iraq!

I saw thru his false front because Mc Cain never stooped to correct himself Liberman had to INTURRUPT HIM to correct him.

HE DOES NOT KNOW AND I DON'T NOT BELIEVE HE CARES!!!

[rgblue]

No, McCain does not know who we are fighting or even who we should be fighting or when. His many displays of his lack of knowledge the past few weeks is deeply disturbing to anyone who thinks ahead. Why he has "lost it" doesn't matter. The fact that he HAS lost it does matter. He has moments of lucidity. Not only is that not good enough for one who aspires to the US Presidency, it is dangerous. Think about it.

[maddie0001]

Unfortunately this doesn't matter to McSame's supporters. They are not going to vote for a black man come hell or high water. All McSame has to do is make them feel good about themselves while they vote against their own interests. Unfortunately repubs are real good at that.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

The question is what the independents voters do.

[poeticjustice4all]

This article reminds me of when Dad comes into the kid's bedroom late at night, shines a flashlight under the bed and says, "see -- no Boogie Man." But of course the Boogie Man could still be hiding somewhere else in the room waiting to come out and kill once it's dark again.

Irrational fear and baseless fantasy cannot be undone by lists of facts and figures. In fact such investigations of nonsense only dignify and validate the nonsense.

Senator McCain recently said that in his opinion US troops were greeted as liberators just as President Bush's White House predicted.

We only need to know one thing about McCain's ads . . . they are McCain's ads.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, nothing to be done. Kick back and have a bud. Or Bud.

[darker]

McCAIN MONGERS GARBAGE ads for his Rovian publicity handlers crew.

When republicans have NOTHING TO OFFER, they mouth off garbage to the media as a mean form of entertainment for their audience. Like the Romans shredding christians before lions for laughs. Republicans have NO DECENCY and NO LIMITS.
REPUBLICAN FRAT BRATS RULE.

===People better begin thinking and RECOGNIZE the difference and the corruption. Or else America will be finished off by the republican NANNY STATE FOR THE RICH and its GREED MACHINE to the destruction of middle class Americans.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for that brief exercise in nihilism and solipsism.

[RRonin]

In the Army footage showing Barack shooting hoops with the troops (hey, I made a rhyme!) the soldiers are wearing gray t-shirts with "ARMY" emblazoned on them. In Pappy's commercial, the shirts have been digitally colored to appear flesh-toned, like the soldiers are shirtless. Pappy's handlers didn't want viewers to realize this was footage from Obama's visit to Afghanistan, not Germany. Dishonest? You bet!

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, it's thoroughly dishonest to use footage of a guy with the troops to argue he doesn't honor the troops.

[bascombe]

thank you.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

You're welcome.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

You're very welcome.

[daddysboy]

Thanks for being willing to dive into the muck for us. Most of us know instinctively when the bovine waste products are rustled up, but this analysis is helpful in anesthetizing those that tend to get lost in the herd.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

This ad cried out for aggressive deconstruction.

McCain will be fortunate if he is not continually called to account for the bankruptcy of this message.

[jemiltd]

I want to say to McCain, to quote an old ad: "Where's the beef?" Where are the issues that you oppose Barack Obama on? The latest McCain ad is subliminal advertising 101, covert enough in its racism to allow all the media pundits and GOP to claim that Obama plays the race card, should the GOP be called to task about what they did and meant. BTW, exactly what "experience" does McCain actually have that makes him a better candidate or love this country any more than Obama? Yes he was in the military and a Vietnam POW, but so was my Uncle and I would trust his decision making ten times over McCain. But we can't see how the military really felt about McCain because those records have been withheld. Character? He has very little, especially when it comes to women:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/e-joyce-moore/mccain-supportive-of-wome_b_113503.html

The covert strategy of labeling intelligence, self confidence, and leadership ability in a person of color and any given portion of African descent as "arrogance" "'presumptious" and "not knowing his place" -- and if you are a woman assertive equals "too agressive" -- has been around forever in the USA. Ask anyone who is in corporate management and is African American.
This is a great article that anyone with journalistic fortitude and a mike should be discussing:
www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-jenkins/obama-still-does-not-know_b_115671.html

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Not a fan of that ad. Gary Hart is an old friend of mine.

[YunekFlava]

What a really great article. Amazing stuff for those who won't research and who won't go to the websites to check out politians voting rcord. I 've email folks tonight and told them to check out the article. These also make really great talking points and arguments. I don't know who you will vote for, but I know you've got skills.

Thanx a bunch William, and
Write On.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks much, that's very kind.

[peter777]

This is a great article. It needs to be read by every reporter reporting on the presidential campaign. This stuff from Rove's play book needs to be exposed. When will the press step up and expose it?

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Oh, I think some of my press colleagues have been paying attention to this piece.

Thanks much.

[ShawnMHenderson]

This is a really great article. Way to point out some great items.

One thing seems to be overwhelmingly true. This can not be a true ad, simply used for shock factor.
Why this negative ad and smear campaign is very right-winged, I can assure you it will get worse.

Mark my words, the play will come right out of Carl Rove's playbook. Its basically going to fall along this guideline:
If you elect Obama, you will not be safe. Terrorists will run in the streets, and your children will be at risk. They will do something to feminize Obama, and make him appear to be less of a man. But, if you elect McCain your children will live and prosper. There will be no terrorists (at least till you need to be feared prior to the next election in 4 years).

Seriously, keep an eye on this because this is how it will play out.

[BottomLine2008]

Obama is scary. He's different. He's like notorious white girl celebs.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

I think you meant, Obama LIKES notorious white girl celebs ...

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Obviously, the intent of this iteration of the Johnny Mac campaign is to incite FUD -- Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt -- about Obama.

I've talked a couple times today with McCain advisors, and have another piece coming on the overall.

[DRJKendall]

Smear and Fear is all they know...

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, if that were all, McCain still couldn't win. Not this year.

[Bart Motes - Huffpost Blogger]

Really great article.

[JayeSF]

Yes, a great article...in that it completely deconstructs the entire commercial and, point-for-point, shows it's innacuracies.

However...republicans are the pros at broadcasting and spewing lies...getting them repeated and debated ad nauseum...which somehow makes them gain some sort of credibility which then requires a response from the left. This is moreso effective now, when the mainstream media has been so corporatized that they often act as mnothing more than mouthpieces for conservative campaigns.....

Get the lie out first, define the argument, and make your opponent have to respond and appear defensive. Lee Atwater must be loving this...looking up from down there. Or, paraphrasing Stalin, I believe: "a lie repeated again and again will become the truth".

Barack is in OK shape...he has made some flip-flops in the past couple of months but quite honestly, folks aren't paying much attention to the campaigns until the conventions. So the Obama campaign has to take the upper hand on defining the subjects and terms of the debate.

That strategy...combined with the 50-state strategy which forces McCain to battle and spend in places which republicans don't usually spend their energies...plus a GOOD choice for veep...and combined with a surprisingly feeble republican rival...keeps the Obama campaign in good shape.

[YunekFlava]

Great analogy JaySF. Write On.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks, that was the intenion. You make some very good points.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks very much, Bart.

[w8aminute]

Seriously folks, when exactly was the last POSITIVE thing - ad or otherwise - the Republicans put out?

[BottomLine2008]

A few weeks ago.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

That's right. Early July.

[YunekFlava]

Um, um... how about NEVER.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, it sure ain't never.

Check my new colum on the top of HuffPost.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Umm, early July. I'm about to get into the overall on this.

[Fremon]

The corporate media, which are conglomerates, have more to fear from Obama than McSame. There are issues of the fairness doctrine to contend with: the possiblity of getting rid of Reagan's decision to make the News a profit center. Remember, the people own the airwaves. It is to be used for the common good. If Reagan undid (sic) the way we once had news Obama can a should undo it. Bring back the news using public airways. Let it be less entertainment than the news and have it compete as a "news" product which would get rid of the Couric's of the world. It is in the media interest to keep the "contest" close and contest a valid point of view with one of stupidity one mostly hears from the right. Look, Bush even wanted schools to teach evolution with creationism to have both points of view. It is the same concept. As many, I read the English newspapers and BBC on line to get better information about what is happening. Remember, 80% of the Canadians and well over 60% in Europe wanted John Kerry for president. That was because they were better informed.

[afed27]

The corporate media has nothing to fear from Obama. The media has been excessively kind to him during this campaign. Of course, Obama could always turn traitor, as he did with Rev. Wright
when Wright suddenly became a danger to Obama's candidacy.
The media is definitely too strong & must once again be given limits on ownership. I have given up on trying to listen to music on the radio during the day. Almost any station that comes in strong has Rush Limbaugh spouting his poison.

[YunekFlava]

Traitor.? How would you behave if someone that you were close to, was poised to take you down with help from outside forces. I personally did not have any problems with Wright before his entertaining Press Conference at the Press Club. MSM would have spinned this relationship into such a frenzy that the O candidacy would have been unreconizable to any intelligent human being, moreless the uneducated, middle, "what's he all about" American.

On the other hand, the media has been as kind as they should be to a person that doesn not talk out of the side of his neck, is intelligent, makes mistakes, is a family man, no record of him disrespecting women, loved his grandparents, was a good student, worked had, plays hard, a great organizer, an abosolutely fine speciman of a man, has vigor. By the way, he has a wonderful and disarming smile, big clean teeth and a swagger that he had before he became a candidate. He is a Black man, with the unlikeihood of him being in this place a this time. Boy does American this kind of stuff. So they are kind because he has not given them any reason not to be.

This candidacy is not just about O, its much bigger than he is. Even my 16 year old recognizes that.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Now who was a traitor?

Obama to Wright when his insane comments became public?

Or Wright to Obama, when he decided to do his greatest hits before the national media?

That's kind of an easy answer. No?

[LTinCali]

I know I am on the late freight here, but I am so sick of hearing people say that Obama threw Wright under the bus. He defended this man when it would have been prudent to not. He did not denounce the man until Wright threw him under the bus. I really wish people would make the effort to do the work and research before posting.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Turn traitor on Wright?

You mean after Wrigth tried to destroy him in his extraordinary fit of pique?

[wdw101]

most people get their news from non-broadcast TV.........I was unaware that kerry was even running in Canada or England...he should run with 80% he might get in over there........English newspapers and BBC are more liberal then the crap we have over here.........

fairness doctrine who picks the opposing side.......

how did air America do?

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Air America has not been a big factor.

I never listen to it.

[BottomLine2008]

I think the media are in the tank for McCain.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Perhaps still. Mac has described the press as his "base."

[DRobber]

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but when I hear a white man labellng a black man arrogant and presumptuous, what I hear is "uppity n*gger". When you add that the name caller fought tooth and nail to keep MLK's birthday from becoming a holiday, racist seems an appropriate label to apply to McCain.

[Summer71]

I have to agree with you on that.

[YunekFlava]

Write On.