TV Ad Wars: McCain's "Joe The Plumber" Campaign (Seriously)

"Americans are catching on" to Barack Obama, says this John McCain attack ad featuring Joe The Plumber.

With two weeks to go, it looks like John McCain is going with Joe the Plumber as the advertising centerpiece of his campaign. Still. That seemed in question to me yesterday, as the fellow's vogue of last week is already fading. But it may be, that absent some fantastic new character attack against Barack Obama, it's the campaign's best shot left at attempting to drive an economic message. Talk about your "mad men."

So McCain has flickery ads with grained-up up the footage, with a message making it sound like Obama will raise everybody's taxes. I guess that's what they think they have to do to punch through when Obama is out-gunning them 4 to 1 on the air. You can see one version of a Joe the Plumber ad above, and one below.

Joe the Plumber rides again.

McCain has lately been playing that Joe the Plumber card hard, invoking him more than running mate Sarah Palin, who polls show has become a liability outside the conservative Republican base. That means scaring voters about Obama and his "socialist" policies, as McCain put it the other day, as a big tax-and-spender. But in this environment, most voters probably want government to spend in order to stimulate the economy and provide more of a safety net. So the success of this tack depends on the McCain campaign's ability to convince people that Obama would raise their taxes, and not the taxes of rich people and corporations. The real world Joe the Plumber's taxes would go down with Obama, whose campaign has been very good at driving a message that 95% of Americans would directly benefit from his tax policies.

McCain is also still trying to separate from the albatross 'round his neck called President George W. Bush. As you see in this ad below.

"The last eight years haven't worked very well, have they?"

The other big tack is to convince voters that Obama is an unacceptable choice. So the Bill Ayers card keeps getting played. But the polling I see indicates that the vast majority of voters don't think the issue is relevant.

McCain argues that Obama's attenuated relationship with ex-Weather Undergrounder Bill Ayers makes him "dangerous."

Could the Wright Stuff be far behind? McCain declared it off limits this past spring. But top aide Rick Davis said over the weekend that Congressman John Lewis's remarks criticizing McCain/Palin rallies could put Rev. Wright back on the table. And the sand is slipping through the hour glass.

Will we see a return of the Wright Stuff?

McCain is trying now, with some heavy personal campaigning, to take Pennyslvania away from Obama. It's his only shot at a blue state takeaway. And it really looks unlikely to me. McCain is also trying to stop Obama from red state takeaways, but sees the Mountain West and Virginia sliding away, amongst others. Obama is in his second full day of campaigning in Florida, joined last night by Hillary Clinton for a rally of 50,000 in Orlando.

I don't think Joe the Plumber ads are enough, especially when Obama is swamping McCain with his own TV ads. The Bill Ayers stuff is now sliding down to the robocall level. After crying "socialism," McCain is trying now to make Obama's readiness an issue, seizing on a Joe Biden comment at Seattle funder that the next president is likely to be tested by a geopolitical crisis in the first six months of 2009. So what's the play, a return of the "3 AM" ad?

But now we know General Colin Powell, McCain's most admired man, who backed McCain over George W. Bush in 2000, will be lending a hand to Obama.

Meanwhile, Obama is blitzing McCain on the air, with a multiplicity of TV ads, many targeted to specific states. One that is playing in many states across the country -- but is unfortunately not available in YouTube format -- features Obama talking to workers, saying he's not worried about Wall Street, he's worried about a name-that-job array of working people with name-those-real world concerns. It's a very effective positive ad.

But for the negative track, he has a brand-new ad, which you see below. It's an example of Obama driving a consistent hard negative against McCain -- which the Obama campaign frequently hasn't done -- and this time it's on the theme that McCain is "erratic."

Barack Obama's brand-new attack ad says that McCain is "erratic" and "careening.

While it's focused on McCain's performance during the financial crisis, it could also serve to inoculate against a continuing big McCain push on the theme that Obama isn't ready for a geopolitical crisis.

There's nothing quite like multi-tasking for a 21st century presidential candidate.

You can check out developments throughout the day on my site, New West Notes.

Comments

[TopProf]

Hey Joe, your minutes in the sun are running down: 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8., 7....
Won't miss you!

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

I was hoping to meet Joe the Plumber, but it didn't happen.

[RC1]

Joe the plumber, joe the carpenter, joe the typist, joe the cab driver, Joe the actor, joe the soldier and and to all the Joes of the world, none of you will make $250,000 in your current occupation so the tax you seem so worried about won't have an effect on you. And Joe the plumber wants to buy the business but have no capital to make the purchase and Joe, you do need license to do pluming work where you might make over the $250,000 per year.
Heck!! I wish I could pay $1,000,000 in tax, meaning I would be rich beyond my wildest dreams, not have to worry about paying bills since I've have an accountant doing all my financial dealings. And I would most likely pay my accountant more than I would pay in tax's.
Please let me strike it rich so I can pay millions in tax.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, it's all kind of a scam, as it turns out ...

[TruthBruce]

Let;s talk about "Joe The Plummer"! It is of my opinion that "Joe was a "Plant" by the republican Party. My opinion is based on the fact that Joe first appeared at an Obama rally inquiring about Senator Obama Tax Platform! Joe then was brought to center stage by Senator McCain at the Presidential
debate. Since that time, Joe has been the main source of Senator McCain's tax platform. Actually, Joe by being an "UNLICENSE ("BOOTLEG PLUMMER) should be criminally charged. To perform a plumming job, a permit is need. Not being license, Joe did not, nor could he obtain a permit, therefore
preventing the state plumming inspector from verifying that the work was done according to the current housing codes. Further by not having a Permit, this prevented the collection of property improvement tax, in addition to a posible safety violation. It now appears that without good old JOE, Senator McCain would not have any justification for his Tax Platform. Good old Joe is an insult to all the license plummers who perform their jobs legally, an above board. Every job performed by Joe will have to be re-done by a license plummer. In the state of Ohio, if I am correct is a First Degree Misdemenor. This is punishable by six month imprisonment , and or $1000.00 fine, or both. Senator, why do you glorify this person who is no more than a comnon criminal!

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

I don't think he's a plant. You're forgetting that Obama visited his neighborhood.

[RC1]

Yes Barack Obama went to Joe's neighborhood but Joe asked a specific question about buying a business he cannot afford and is not licensed or bonded to do this type of work and we find out Joe is a tax evader. Is this the best example John McCain can come up with? If the deck was stacked correctly, John McCain's campaign would be dead in the water and most Americans know why he is still a within reach of Barack Obama.

John McCain's continued use of all the Joe's is quite humorous but the bottom line is most of us know why McCain is using all these so-called Joe's. There are not many folks in America who will have their tax's raised under Obama's tax plan simply because 99% of these so-called Joe's will never reach the income of $250,000.
As someone said, making this amount of money for most Americans is only a dream and most small business owners won't make that much is a single year.

[Wordwrangler]

I'm Bill, the Voter.
Born in Ohio on the Fourth of July.
Voting for Obama on the fourth of November.
Enough said?

[LTCJeffWhite]

Is this where somebody is expected to say that you really aren't Bill, or a voter, or that you were really not born on the fourth?

How about this.

I'm Jeff the Soldier, and I already voted - and it's my business who I voted for, but I did it based on the issues, and my understanding of the candidates' positions on them.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, this kind of "politics" gets very ridiculous very quickly.

Meanwhile, real issues requiring thought pile up unaddressed in this nitwit culture.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Hardly. :)

[Wordwrangler]

I'm Bill, the Voter.
Born in Ohio on the Fourth of July.
Voting for Obama on the Fourth of November.
Come hell or highwater, enough is enough.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

That's nice.

[proudnavywife]

Geez, I couldn't get past the first ad! What the HECK were the Bush tax cuts?!? How can they possibly say that Obama tax cuts for the middle class are welfare and refuse to repeal the tax cuts for the wealthy that were given over the past 8 years?!? What was that then? Welfare for the rich?!
We are stationed overseas and I see I have been missing out! Thank God, I would have a stroke if I had to watch that crap on TV all the time.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, the McCain take was that giving tax breaks to people who don't pay taxes is welfare. Of course, you could say the same thing about corporations in that situation.

[proudnavywife]

Everybody pays taxes. When the states have to make up for cuts in fed spending they increase retail and property taxes. Everybody pays taxes.

[TRIATHLON]

PROP VS SAFETY NET

The (DNIP) Democratic Nominee for the Imperial Presidency (D-IL) US/Senator Barrack Hussein Obama, ask the question what is wrong with taking moeny from those that have and just giving it to Joe the Plumber, Nancy the Nurse, or Tom the truck driver. That's a simple one, it not a socialist safety net funding project, Joe, Nancy and Tom don't need to be proped up, they need higher pay, not a hand out, they need work not a reason to not work, why work if your going to get paid anyway.

A Social Safety Net is only for those oh need them, those to young, old, weak, or infirm who need a helping hand the needy of any society, not the heath working age strong, and firm members of society. Socialism is a valid form of government, but don't try to just call it the redistribution of weath, it's SOCIALISM, and in this case will be AFFIRMATIVE BASED SOCIALISM.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Good luck convincing the American people that the progressive income tax and government programs constitute socialism.

[TRIATHLON]

DOWN TO BRASS TACKS

This article has just about run its time limit and should go away in a day or two. So lets really get down to brass tacks. If your running your own business or are self employed you would be insane to bust your backside past a point were each dollar you earn is just going to be (TAKEN, REDISTRIBUTED, SHAVED, TAXED) whatever term you want to use. The minute you reach that magic number your better off working for money under the table in cash or just going on vacation until the next tax period a little time on the Mexican Beaches.

And, the idea of having to seach for help based upon some sort of quota system to fill when you have a solid proven preformer who fits the bill doesn't make sense either, but that's what Obama is selling and it simply will not work in an economic system that has melted down. This is the time of Nietzche only the strong, mentally, physically should and will survive and average or below are in trouble. And yes it means inequality, its going to get mean fast.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for your inaccurate assessment on time limits.

This is not the time of Nietsche.

All those candidates lost in the Republican primary.

Very badly, actually.

[TRIATHLON]

DANCING WITH THE STARS ECONOMIC THEORY!

(CAPITALISM): Dancing with the stars (DNIP) Democratic Nominee for the Imperial Presidency Socialism. On dancing with the stars the most points that a contestant can obtain in a show is (30) thirty points, and the least number a contestant can get is (3) Points. This would be a Capital “C” Capitalist outcome with only one person winning the mirror ball trophy.

(SOCIALISM): Now, with the Dancing with the stars (DNIP) Socialist scoring, no one would get over (21) twenty-one points as points would be (RE-DISTRIBUTED, SHAVED, TAKEN AWAY FROM, TRANSFERRED) from the top scoring dancers to the lowest performing dancers, so the lowest performing dancers scores would never be below (12) points or (9 + 3 = 12), bringing the group into a (12 to 21) point spread. This would be a straight Socialist Outcome.

(AFFIRMATIVE ACTION SOCIALISM) : But, with the Dancing with the stars (DNIP) Socialist Affirmative Action scoring an additional (3) three points would be reserved by the judges and simply given to those who fell under the Affirmative Action Program, a (1) one point per judge mandatory point award above the score given, so their so vice having a normal point spread of (12 to 21) points, a (DNIP) Socialist Affirmative Action

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Keep in mind that there is not "New Soviet Russia."

I know a number of those folks.

[bpress]

There are buzz words in use these days which include 'fundamentals' and 'Joe the Plumber'. Fundamentally, I am sick and tired of hearing about Joe the Plumber. I'm sure many others are too. Of course we have McCain and his advisors (mainly lobbyists), who love a good 'hook' to make a sale. In this case, they will find that it is a NO SALE.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

"Joe the Plumber" is not what Don Draper would come up with.

[TRIATHLON]

THE (DNIP) SOCIALIST SOLUTION! (PART ONE)

The (DNIP) Democratic Nominee to the Imperial Presidency’s solution to the economic crisis is Social Restructuring by Wealth Redistribution using an aggressive Progressive Income Tax Plan, taking from the strong and daring the innovators the Capital “C” Capitalist, and spreading the wealth directly to the vast herd of the common people not for work or labor performed, but for a perceived common good. Basically, going over to Charmin Tissue Company and printing money on the same machines as the Charmin Tissue, at the same rate, and now at the same value. Or a modern day corrupted version of Robin Hood taking from the rich and giving it to the poor, by printing Pound Notes as fast a possible.

“If there is to be a fiscal stimulus program, it should be primarily in infrastructure and not on tax cuts: these tend to be saved and not spent (and the (DNIP) are more of a new entitlement program to people who don't pay any tax at all).” (Source: Mort Zuckerman)

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Obama is not a socialist.

[LTCJeffWhite]

Sure he is.

Does he not advocate a "progressive" tax schedule?

[TRIATHLON]

THE (DNIP) SOCIALIST SOLUTION! (PART TWO)

The (DNIP) has little understanding of the financial world, while drawing the wrong conclusions from Wall Street follies and make the wrong decisions, and not making positive decisions toward a revival of Capitalist financial system.

An right in the middle of the worse economic downturn the Chicago trained Socialist Action candidate will renew an aggressive Affirmative Action Plan, (some refer to it as reverse decimation plan), as a means to continue the correction of perceived decades of inequality. Opting for social justice over the social long term goal of economic survival. At a time when things must be gotten right, the (DNIP) is opting for Affirmative Action selections vice the drafting of very best talent for the shaping of a new administration with new progressive policies, which will turn the economic downturn into a (1929-1954) Deep Depression.

The (DNIP) intends to continue playing the Grand Chessboard Match, of Full-Spectrum-World-Domination, strategy of Zbigniew Brzezinski, with “Butcher of Islam” Crusader King David H. “Betray US,” More Money, More Time, More Troops, and Mission Creep at a (1/2B) half Billion per month rate.

[NuOrigin]

I just watched the entire exchange Obama had with Joe the (not) plumber and for him to say that Obama tap danced around his question is as big a lie as I have heard from the McCain camp. He took about five minutes to explain to that liar what his plan detailed, and if that dummy didn't understand what Obama was saying, he deserves all of the criticism he is getting.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, that is politics, especially in the desperation stages, which Team McCain is now in.

[StringOfLights]

We've just spent 8 years listening to a guy who can't pronounce "nuclear" and now they want us to elect a guy who can't say "Washington"?

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Which guy is that?

[election0816]

It seems MCain supports higher income earners paying more taxes. Poor Joe the plumber. I hope he doesn't feel too used!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi. Since I've been studying politics, I've had this question that I've never fully understand. Why is it that someone like my father, who goes to school for 13 years, gets penalized in a huge tax bracket because he's a doctor? Why is that -- why does he have to pay higher taxes than everybody else, just because he makes more money? Why -- how is that fair?

MCCAIN: I think your question -- questioning the fundamentals of a progressive tax system where people who make more money pay more in taxes than a flat, across-the-board percentage. I think it's to some degree because we feel, obviously, that wealthy people can afford more. We have over the years, beginning with John F. Kennedy, reduced some of those marginal tax rates to make them less onerous.

But I believe that when you really look at the tax code today, the very wealthy, because they can afford tax lawyers and all kinds of loopholes, really don't pay nearly as much as you think they do when you just look at the percentages. And I think middle-income Americans, working Americans, when the account and payroll taxes, sales taxes, mortgage pay -- all of the taxes that working Americans pay, I think they -- you would think that they also deserve significant relief.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, it depends on the time of day, doesn't it?