2008 Who Loves America?
posted by on July 8 at 9:15 AM
John McCain loves America. More than that other guy. Who was at Woodstock. Or something:
This is not the first time McCain has taken on “Summer of Love” hippies, though the last time he was doing it Hillary Clinton was the intended target. (And isn’t it a little bit easier to imagine Clinton as part of the “Summer of Love” than Obama, who was about six years old at the time?)
In any case, the end of this minute-long commercial is worth focusing in on. McCain, borrowing a page from Clinton, tacitly admits that Obama is a great orator but argues that words are not enough. Remember the “just words” refrain from the Clinton camp? It’s back, in slightly altered form, from the McCain camp:
Beautiful words cannot make your lives better. But a man who has always put his country and his people before self, before politics, can. Don’t hope for a better life, vote for one. McCain.
It didn’t work for Clinton to attack Obama’s eloquence and hopefulness, and I’m not sure it will work for McCain, either.
But, if it does end up working, it will be because McCain is offering an additional element in his argument against words and hope—an element that Clinton didn’t add, and one that could make the attack more potent this time around.
The landing pad for people following the Clinton argument was her experience: Obama’s got nice words, sure, and yeah, he talks about hope, but words and a lot of hope talk are not enough. I’ve got the experience to actually bring about change.
The landing pad for people following the McCain argument is that McCain is simply a better man than Obama, a more American man, a man who exemplifies “a better life.” McCain’s saying: Obama’s got nice words, sure, and yeah, he talks about hope, but I’m a better American and a better American makes for a better America.
We’ll see how this plays. (And we’ll also see whether any undecideds are even paying attention in the middle of summer.) But it does at least seem true that for McCain’s target audience, “more American” is probably a better sell than Clinton’s “more experienced.”
McCain has said that he did not really love American until he was tortured for five years.
The clip was taken down from Fox when the story was about how Michelle Obama was proud of America "for the first time."
It really is all the fault of the hippies.
Landing pad?
@3: Just words...
Is that Powers Boothe? Damn it, I knew he was a bad guy . . .
Did Jesse Helms write this?
"Just show a bunch of hippies and nee-groes co-mingling about. No right-thinking white man would ever vote for a black panther..."
Also, I love the right's big talking points against Obama.
"He's a great speaker!" "He's smart!" "He's hopefull and optimistic!"
We certainly don't want anyone with a brain or speaking ability to be in charge. No sirree.
The Summer of Love was more than 40 years ago. It has huge relevance for a demographic (on both sides) that's starting to die off. For most people, it's like talking about the Civil War; they don't know, they don't care.
He's not saying he's a better American, he's saying he's a better public servant. I guess if you're counting quantity over quality, that might be true -- he's certainly been doing it for longer. But what's he accomplished?
We won't support NO-Bama whatsoever and will re-defeat him in November.
I supported Clinton and I'm voting for Obama in November. That said, if you think this is a negative ad, you haven't been paying attention to our political discourse over the past 16-20 years.
Is the reference to the Summer of Love an attempt to link Obama to dirty hippies? I guess if you want to say it is, I'll give it to you. Is it out of context in the ad? It is the period during which he as a POW and did indeed refuse early release as the ad says; and that act, regardless of his character now or his politics, is an act of courage and integrity.
Is the last bit about beautiful words a slight against Obama? Absolutely. A slight slight. If this is the most negative either campaign goes, we're in for the most pleasant presidential campaign on record. I'm not holding my breath.
McCain was sleeping around with young women while his wife and daughters were at home back then.
Obama's not old enough to have been there, other than as a babe in arms ...
Methinks people in glass houses shouldn't cast stones.
@ 10: It is still early. I'm not holding my breath either...
I'll agree I don't know how effective this piece would be in actually influencing voters - because no, no undecideds are paying attention at all right now - but I've got to say that the copy for this piece is fantastic. I've listened to it three times now. I don't agree with it, at all, but it's persuasive and eloquent and just sounds good to the ear. I dig.
Juris is right, it's summertime and nobody cares.
John McCain is Jesus Christ. He suffered and died for your sins, you goddamn hippies.
In related news: the "H" in Jesus H. Christ: rumored to stand for Hussein!
Rationally, this ad is utter bullshit, but emotionally, the level where ads operate, I think it's effective.
Wil I thought we all agreed not to use "methinks" in our posts.
The Dirty F'n Hippy stuff works to rile up the Nixonian base. Plus, McCain IS more American, if you're a racist, chip-on-shoulder grouch. Obama's mama was a miscegenator, and loved people from all over the world (some of them literally) and learning their ways and their languages, even LIVING in funny furrin' countries. I must remind you, from my bunker deep in Red State Jebusland, this kind of stuff DOES bother a lot of folks, still. There are folks running loose here who think that no American should go to some other foreign country unless they're in, you know, the military.
OTOH, yeah, half the voting public isn't old enough to remember Jimmy Carter's presidency, let alone Woodstock.
BTW, I grew up in an era when zillions of folks claimed to be at Woodstock, more than ever could have attended... no.. wot, nobody went? Not ONE future Republican/O'Reilly stooge? Riight.
Also, I'll have less of a short fuse for this 60's-bashing culture war once the conservatives give up their no-fault divorce, contraception, etc etc etc.
(Sure would love to know McCain's (possible) mistress's opinion on contraception and abortion.)
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