Check out this latest ad from Obama:
And check out Mitt Romeny's response, which boils down to:
- The claim that Big Oil gave John McCain $2 Million dollars is technically true, but that's the donations of individuals and executives who gave to his campaign. What about all the individuals and executives in the oil industry who gave to Barack?
- The 4 billion dollar tax cut that McCain wants to give Big Oil is also technically true, but it's part of a tax cut he wants to make across all of industry - not just to the oil industry
I have to agree with Mitt on this one, the ad seems to be fundamentally oversimplifying and misleading, exactly the kind of sludge that I like Obama for avoiding. I like it when Obama talks to his supporters like adults, not like a crowd easily manipulated by inflammatory stats.
C'mon Obama, next time you see junk like this, don't approve it.
Folks on the left and right -- what am I missing here?
I'm not paying particularly close attention to the race.
ReplyDeleteBut potentially oversimplifying is one thing, comparing a candidate to Paris Hilton is quite another.
You feel sorry for Paris, right? ;-)
ReplyDeleteIn Mitt's response, he claimed that Obama's ad was dishonest, while John's Paris ad was funny.
I think Obama's was sleazy, and so was John's.
John's was sleezy in a subtle, harder to fight back against way...but sleezy none the less.
But c'mon, I expect more from O.
I'm a cynical bastard when it comes to politics. But you expect more from O. Don't you expect more from McCain - or do you agree that comparing a presidential candidate to a sex tape star is appropriate and above the board?
ReplyDeleteYou run through ANY political ad on any issue and I guarantee you can pull the same oversimplifications out of all of them. That's not a great statement on American Politics, but I really think it's true.
To this point, the campaign as I see it (again, not paying close attention) McCain is jealous of Obama's positive press.
I don't really think the issues matter any more.
Khyle -
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, I should expect more from McCain. And you're right, I should probably stop watching the ads altogether, as they are probably junk on both sides of the campaign.
Certainly the Paris ad was a nasty maneuver, as it wasn't as easily defended against.
OK, so I think I've figured out why I expect more from Obama than McCain...
ReplyDeleteI think it has to do with the fact that I find his speeches to be nuanced and not just the same rhetoric (the race and patriotism speeches being a good example).
These speeches didn't sound bite well, but to me they demonstrated that Obama wasn't taking the simple way out of matters.
I liked that.
And ads like this, show that he's...well a normal politician running a normal campaign. Who wants that?
I don't disagree with you. But doesn't it seem like Obama is being held to a higher standard?
ReplyDeleteThey're ALL politicians at the end of the day - trying to get elected. Overall, Obama is less politician-y.
I think Obama expects by now to be held to a higher standard. Is that fair? No, but if he wants to be the "change" then he should say it, take it and move on. Hillary had the same problems in the primary where she felt she was being held to a different standard than Obama and I think she handled it wrong. She fought against it instead of simply embracing it and saying..."I'm held to a different standard, which I hope will make me a better leader, and you should hope to be held to such a level." I think that's what Obama should say. Although I agree that this is politics and therefore its much easier just to sling mud back, and of course you have to say something otherwise the swift boats will get ya.
ReplyDelete