Obama Finally Fastest In TV Ad Wars

The 13-minute Obama campaign video on John McCain and the Keating savings & loan industry fiasco.

It's all negative all the time now in the TV ad wars. For once, Team Obama has stolen a march on Team McCain in the campaign hit parade. And its attack strategy seems to be much more on the axis of decision for this election.

The McCain operation under campaign director Steve Schmidt, who I know well from his management of Arnold Schwarzenegger's landslide 2006 re-election and profiled here on Huffington Post, has been the run-and-gun outfit of this campaign. Especially when it comes to attack ads. The Obama campaign has reflected the candidate's more measured persona, slow and steady, aiming for a sort of inexorability.

But when the O Team realized that McCain -- with his numbers headed south for a long winter and the Sarah Palin and campaign suspension gambits having failed to alter the dynamics with the voters who count most, moderates and independents -- was going all-negative with harsh personal character attacks, they swiftly made ready to jam McCain with the same.

McCain doesn't have much choice but to attack at this point, when you consider the latest battleground state poll leads for Obama -- including longtime red states Virginia and North Carolina -- as you see here on my New West Notes.

Barack Obama's new attack ad hits John McCain for being "erratic" and "out of touch."

So today, Obama went up with a new ad attacking McCain for being "erratic" and "out of touch on the economy." And in a 13-minute video documentary available across the Net, his campaign revived McCain's involvement in the Charles Keating-centered savings and loan collapse.

Meanwhile, Palin had been trotted out over the weekend at fundraisers and in a big rally (which Schwarzenegger did not attend) in Carson, midway between Los Angeles and Orange County, to claim that Obama "pals around with terrorists." In advance of expected advertising linking Obama to '60s domestic terrorist-turned-Chicago education professor Bill Ayers.

John McCain's new attack ad says Barack Obama is "dangerous."

Team McCain also rolled out a new ad attacking Obama for saying that US forces are "air-raiding villages and killing civilians" in Afghanistan. Which, as it happens, is part of a much longer sentence which means something quite different.

The revival of McCain's membership in the so-called "Keating Five" -- five US senators who helped McCain's Arizona constituent and pal Charles Keating evade federal regulation until it was too late for his savings & loan company, and the industry itself -- must sting McCain.

He's written movingly of how his experience in the scandal -- he was not charged and his career survived, unlike most of the others -- was a source of deep chagrin as it tarnished his sense of honor.

But he also wrote in his 2002 memoir, Worth the Fighting For: "On several occasions, he invited Cindy and me to his beautiful vacation retreat at Cat Cay in the Bahamas, flying us there, with our infant daughter, Meghan, and her nanny, on his private jet. The place always seemed to have a huge, boisterous crowd in attendance ... We would all crowd on his yacht, off for a day of swimming and snorkeling, and then return for another extravagant party with the best wine, food and entertainment available. They were memorable experiences, and even though our trips there would almost lead to my ruin, I would be lying were I to deny just how much I enjoyed them and how eagerly I awaited invitations to Charlie Keating's Shangri-La.''

It was after this political near-death experience that McCain assumed the reformer mantle. Prior to that, he'd been a fairly standard-issue conservative, though certainly interesting and personable enough to have former Senator and Democratic presidential frontrunner Gary Hart and former moderate Republican Senator and Clinton era Defense Secretary Bill Cohen as the groomsmen in his wedding to Cindy McCain.

Let's be clear. It's true that McCain stopped helping Keating when he realized that Keating was being investigated by the Justice Department.

It's also true that Obama has had a fairly tangential relationship with Bill Ayers.

But what is most true of all is that the Obama attacks are along the axis of decision with regard to the biggest issue in this election,

Are we in the midst of a massive financial crisis? Yes.

Was this crisis brought on in large measure by a hands-off, deregulationist philosophy? Yes.

Is there corruption on a truly grand scale involved? Yes.

As is the case with the Wall Street crisis, so too with the collapse of the savings & loan industry. Of which McCain's old friend Charles Keating, a convicted political corrupter, was the prime example.

Comments

[GJKBEAR]

No where did I see that this was an Obama ad. He did not say anything about endorsing it. If it is true and it rang true - then why is it an attack ad? Since when did telling the real honest to god truth become a bad thing in America?

Mc/cain has lots of half truths and inuendos about Obama that are 10 times worse than this.
GET REAL!

[Timekeeper10]

Telling the truth is only a bad thing when McCain does it. Then its hate speech. When Obama dips into the mud, we don't call it hate speech, its called the "Fastest in TV ad Wars"

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Actually, everything in the video is not only accurate, but on point with regard to the current financial crisis.

But you're missing my point, which is that Obama has finally gotten a lot faster at this.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

What are you referring to?

[lagumbo]

John Mccain is a formal associates of the old mafia boys, what do we expect from him? I bet he can tell you where Jimmy Hoffa is buried.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

No, John McCain is not a mafia associate.

[MTOrtega]

I imagine while being tortured (constant noise, constant bright light, broken limbs, deplorable nutrition, wretched living conditions, emotional torture) time for POW’s does not pass fast enough. Every second is unbearable.

Now imagine being an individual living under the unrelenting threat of torture; being the recipient of intermittent torture. Being unable to escape for some 157,680,000 consecutive, incessant, relentlessly harsh seconds; or put another way, some 2,628,000 consecutive, incessant, relentlessly harsh minutes; or yet another way, some 43,800 consecutive, incessant, relentlessly harsh hours of horrendous existence.

Does that individual return from such a horrific experience in the same mental health he entered it with? How does the residue of such a horrific experience, hidden from view, express itself? How does the residue of such a horrific experience currently influence this individual’s world view? This individual’s thinking process?

Is this individual prone to erratic behavior? Is this individual prone to impulsive behavior? What is the likelihood, under duress, this individual could, would, act in a self-destructive manner bringing down all those around him?

Is this an individual prepared to lead hundreds of millions of human beings? Over see a fragile national economy? Command the largest national armed forces on earth? Be a rational guardian of a nuclear arsenal?

Can this individual be trusted not to act against the best interests of humanity?

We must learn about his true mental health.

[Timekeeper10]

Look at his record, he has been in public life for years. your guy is the real unknown. You cant even examine barrys voting record. unless "present" counts.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

There is no Barry. One of the most immature things to do in politics is change the guy's name.

Obama has been in public life for a couple of decades.

[buzzjane]

I have long held with this same theory. I have a masters degree in art and psychology and have been questioning his so-called "clean bill of health" for years. One can't endure capture and what-ever without serious, long-term consequences and especially if never addressing them or seeking help. His (McCain's) claim (on video record) to take the high road, and then launch a vicious smear campaign while his wife is saying.." Obama has run the dirtiest campaign in history", ,makes me believe they really think most of the Public is really stupid and can be so simply manipulated. He and his under-handed approach and derisive rants frighten me. I would not trust him on ANY level. I am also convinced given his propensity to over-react, that he would initiate WWIII!!!

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

In other words, you're implying McCain is a "Manchurian candidate."

[Rick in Arizona]

Here a local read on the Keating 5 history.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/10/07/20081007keating1007.html

[apeman637]

Take him down at all cost he's simple minded and dangerous. Further more McCain wouldn't know or wouldn't care about everyday struggles of a bygone middle class. Tax -Healthcare I'm sure if allowed he'd let children die for no health insurance and lose no nap time at all sitting at the White house. It would be more class warfare on the poor and dying. Use attack ads that stress the the truth about McMain, what's not American about that. Why are they calling these irrefutable facts attack ads.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

All ads that attack are, well, attack ads. Whether they are true or not. The left needs to abandon this PC notion.

[dreamdolphy]

i too watched the 13 minute video and came away feeling sorry that John McCain was manipulated again into the "deregulization geniuses"!!!...u really would have thought that he, of all people, could have seen what was going to happen!!!...while it was poor judgement on is part back then, i have to question more than his judgement this time around!!!...

[JNagarya]

McCain saw what was happening. He didn't care until he got caught -- at which point he claimed to be an "undercover spy" preparing to "bust" Keating and then stand on the resulting rubble as a "reformer".

We've seen the same scam with Palin: she turned in a corrupt Republican who was standing in front of her in line, between her and the booty -- in the way of her being at the front of that line -- and on that basis hid behind the label "reformer".

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

It's a little easier to be manipulated when you are hanging out in the Bahamas ...

[JackWOrf]

The Keating tape is stupid. It is so old that it does not even LOOK like McCain. People do not have doubts about McCain's character. They have doubts about Obama's character.

Obama should stop being so obtusely "eye for eye". That never gets you anywhere anyway.

If Obama comes back with negatives of his own, then he is showing HIMSELF to be just as lowlife as McCain supposedly is. In other words, how can Obama put down McCain for going negative if Obama himself is just as negative?

There is also some simple-mindedness in the Obama campaign that going negative is automatically going to be beneficial to Obama. That is NOT the case at all.

[gibsontx5]

Well Kerry ignored the negative attacks in 2004 and it cost him the election. The smear/fear attacks by Palin on Obama were the signal of an all out assault by McCain's crew that will undoubtedly run until Election Day. McCain knew he was losing on the issues, so all he had left was to play into the residual fears that some folks might have - fears that might, just might keep them from casting a vote for Obama.

To my eyes, Obama hitting back quickly was foremost a loud and clear message to the McCain camp to back off this strategy unless they want the same treatment. If someone tries to bully you, do you ignore it or stand up and give them a warning? If you ignore it, chances are it will continue. If you stand up, look them straight in the eye and let them know they can expect back what they dish out, and more, chances are the bully will back down.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

When you are hit in politics, you hit back.

[violettefemme]

You, like most others, do not correctly understand the phrase "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" from the Old Testament.

It refers to not escalating, but instead, serving revenge that is equitable. For example, if a man puts your brother's eye out, you do not kill him....that is escalating and not proper revenge for what occurred--putting out his eye, or his brother's eye, is fair and equitable.

Thus, "an eye for an eye" is, biblically, therefore the proper Christian response to antagonistic and aggressive attacks. Not to escalate the damage, but to even things back up.

Since McCain loves to say that Obama is the cause of the current various economic crises. Obama telling the story of the Keating 5, which has been overlooked by the MSM and the citizens of this country, is appropriate, both Biblically and for the campaign. It is, quite literally, "an eye for an eye". It has the Divine seal of approval, signed, sealed and delivered.

Donate NOW Obama-Biden 08

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

John McCain was 50 years old when he helped Charles Keating. You can't pretend that this is not relevant in the present crisis.

[JackWOrf]

Obama might be getting suckered into going negative. He doesn't NEED to go negative. It's stupid and pointless. People like me are coming around to vote for Obama not because they LIKE Obama, but simply because he is putting forward Democratic Party principles which are essential for these economic times.

People don't really want to see these 2 guys fighting like whores over a streetcorner.

Obama is correct when he says that McCain has no other alternative. That IS, in fact, correct. McCain now has no other alternative but to go totally down & dirty. Now is the time to dig up every insane tape of Jeremiah Wright, and there are probably dozens of them. That's Obama's weakest point, and McCain has thus far been too gentlemanly to exploit it.

Now McCain has no other choice. He has to go totally, furiously, negative on Obama's character and bring up every piece of mud in Obama's 15 years on Chicago's very muddy South Side. Then he must continually hammer away at Obama's inexperience and his very liberal voting record. That is McCain's only prayer, and it is just a prayer.

Obama would be smartest to TOTALLY IGNORE all negatives and to stick with his detailed explanations for solving the economic crisis, for middle class tax cuts and health care, etc. And SMILE. Be happy. He's winning, he doesn't have to play tit for tat. He needs to show that he can rise above it and just LAUGH at it.

[Egalitare]

"People don't really want to see these 2 guys fighting like whores over a streetcorner."

Of course they don't. But Obama will lose support if he doesn't punch back. Team McCain is not faking a move toward attacking Obama's character, he's in the process of doing it on all fronts. Palin's assertion that Obama is "palling around with terrorists" was intentionally vague about who the terrorists are.

And let's be clear about who is the target of this message: the uncommitted voters who have recently expressed a preference for Obama/Biden as a result of the officially revealed financial crisis. If they can be urged to second guess that decision, McCain has a chance to mount a comeback. And nothing will cause those voters to begin to second guess more than not punching back.

The issues portion of this campaign are over. Undecided voters want to know, rightly or wrongly, if Obama has the intestinal fortitude to be President.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Obama's counter-attacks are along the axis of decision in this election. The financial crisis. It's very simple.

[stryker]

I believe Barack made his point with the Keating video. He should now go back to doing what he was, talking issues. He can contuinually bring up mccain's adviser saying this campaign isn't about issues, but characters. He can come up with a version of (can't rememer hisfirst name) Welch , who laid McCarthy low with, "At long last, have you no decency, sir?"

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, I think we've seen in the last several days that Obama was not "suckered" into going negative.

Enough said.

[sheputstheLinPAIN]

This video actually changed my mind about McCain. I used to think he was savvy and complicit with the darker parts of his party. This video makes me think he is nearly as much of an intellectual light-weight as Palin; and easily manipulated. He shares the same short fuse as the members of his party who can't think their way out of a fix, so they become bullies.

It truly makes me feel sorry for him: someone with a hero complex who is made a pawn, and so mentally thick he falls for it over and over again. He just keeps doing what they tell him and trusting the wrong people over and over and over again. Yes, that's what we know as bad judgement. We're in way too complex a world for someone who can't think their way out of a paper bag.

[LiberalProfessor]

So, if anything "happens" to Ayers or Obama, I believe that McCain, Palin and any campaign officials involved in crafting this line of attack should be held equally as liable as s/he who would take the action.

One who incites violence or riots bears responsibility under the law.

With these reactions, they KNOW EXACTLY what these lines of campaign-h­ate-speech incite. If they continue to use this line of defamation, and some loose cannon does something about it, responsibility rests at the feet of McCain/Palin.

[Frannyvida]

I agree totally. But we know that SP does not adhere to the law and the GOP backs her, remember those guys who want torte reform and basically hate attorneys but send hoards of them to AK to continually cloud over her "transparency". They definitely need to be held accountable.

[JNagarya]

"tort reform" concerns law suits by PRIVATE citizens. The McPalin corruption is not about PRIVATE anything -- except for the vendetta pursued by the Palins against Wooten by abusing the powers of the PUBLIC office of governor.

[abennett4]

They need to boil the 13-minute video down into a nice 30-second ad and start playing it now. Don't wait. Take the offense.

[SunshineDaydream]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsI_0bV2CZo

[shelsay]

yep that boiled it down. But you really have to watch the whole 13 minute video to understand why McSame is dangerous - economic terrorism.

[KennaP]

"McCain doesn't have much choice but to attack at this point"

I disagree--he does have a choice--we always have a choice whether to do what's right or not. No more excuses for this ticket, they've had enough.

[lmw952]

KennaP - I agree with you. McCain does have a choice. HE CAN TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES. Why can't he just tell the American people what his plans are in this economic-crisis situation? I find it hard to believe that McCain wants to be the President of the United States, yet, has no solutions to the issues. This only leads me to believe that McCain truly wants to continue the policies of George W Bush and the majority of the American people clearly don't want that. Hence, the negative attacks. It's so transparent. I've said it once and I'll say it again, the biggest mistake the McCain campaign has made is believing that the American people don't have brains.

[JNagarya]

He has a "choice": he can --

1. Talk about the issues, and lose; or he can

2. Avoid talking aobut the issues, by attacking, and lose.

McSame has NO choice: no matter what he does, even if it appears to be honest and adult, he's going to LOSE.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

I'm sure you would like McCain to simply accept his loss ...

[Last-LiberalRepublicans]

*************CBS BREAKING NEWS…

McCain Linked To Private Iran-Contra Group

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/07/politics/main4505539.shtml?tag=topHome;topStoriesies

[Trevdee]

The McCain campaign was not shy about its intentions. They clearly said that talking about the economy is a losing proposition for them and that they were going after Barack Obama's character and all that comes with it. The problem is that Barack Obama and his campaign is not the same as John Kerry and his campaign in 2004. They've put the McCain campaign on notice that if they want to sling mud then it won't only be their (Obama's) white shirt that will be soiled. The difference is that Obama had the good sense to treat his shirts with Scotchgard (or some variant thereof) while John McCain and Sarah Palin... well, like everything else, do they even know what Scotchgard is? Apparently not. Now we know why the mud is clinging to them.

[MadxAsxHell]

In World War I, one day Allied troops awoke to see a green cloud blowing towards them on a rare, easterly wind. The next thing they were choking from chlorine gas, launched by the Germans.

And chemical warfare was now part of the War.

But the Germans made a DISASTEROUS mistake, because the winds mostly blow from West to East, not the other way around. So gas launched against the Allies would blow back at them, but gas launched by the Allies would not.

So, John McCain has launched his chemical warfare atttack on a rare easterly wind. But the winds mostly blow from the West. Charles Keating is a key part of the deregulation and corruption that is sending us into a depression. Nothing will stop it. McCain has always believed in deregulation, and took inappropriate favors from Keating---McCain may plead "mea culpa" but the same philosphy that lead him to do business with Keating led him to say a few weeks ago that "the fundamentals of the economy were strong". It lead him to sabotage the first bailout effort.

What led John McCain to Charles Keating has not changed in 20 years.

So all he can do is whip up scary, frenzied mobs that are calling for Obama's assassination.

How is this not relevant?

[FrictionSoul]

Good comment, but Keating isn't a key part of this instance; Phil Gramm is.

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 removed the regulations that were placed in 1933 by the Glass-Steagall Act in response to the Great Depression and the banking system that caused it.

Nevertheless the Keating Five scandal is still relevant. I just wonder why no one is mentioning the other S&L's that collapsed, such as Neil Bush's Silverado S&L in Denver. Yeah, brother of that Bush.

[Rnactivist]

What about Mccains son who was on the board of the failed silver state bank, he resigned in July but he was supposed to be looking at its finances....no one is reporting that one either.....