It’s a Thursday evening somewhere in Middle America. A young lower middle class family of four is sitting down to have dinner. As they thank the Lord for the food on their table, the father turns on the kitchen television set. Alex Trebek segues into a commercial break, and the fading sound of the Jeopardy theme song is abruptly interrupted by dark ominous music and an unflattering picture of a forty-something black man in a suit. “Barack Obama wants to teach YOUR six year old children about SEX!” Without a moment’s reflection, the decision has already been made for this small town family “No way, no how, NOBAMA!”
Extreme an example though it may be, ads just like this one have been used by the McCain camp for months in an attempt to mislead Americans on issues ranging from education to foreign policy in Iraq. It’s nothing new. McCain’s playing out of the old Karl Rove playbook (who got it from Goebbels): take a candidate’s policy, remove a few or all the details, and reinvent it as a moral issue. But the strategy was too recognizable, and liberals along with freethinking conservatives across the country were less willing fall for it.
Then suddenly, amidst a storm of negative political ads and shameless smears, a beacon of light shone through what was in recent weeks a dark and dirty campaign. That beacon of light was John McCain himself. Last week the first of a series of debates between the presidential candidates was conducted at the University of Mississippi campus in Lafayette. With a stern smile and a firm handshake, the Arizona senator, leaving behind a wave of negative adverts, political gimmicks, and “suspend the campaign” stunts entered a debate he was as of a few days ago being dragged into kicking and screaming.
By the very first opening statements of the two candidates the tone of the debate was clear: no misquoting, no photoshopped pictures, no slogans, just straight and unadulterated political discourse. Criticisms would be dealt out harshly, but with respect for the other candidate and, more importantly, the facts. This was the moment we remembered who John McCain truly was.
Speaking on issues of tax reform, spending cuts, the war in Iraq, earmarks, immigration, the economic crisis, and others, McCain was detailed, presenting facts and figures as well as clearly stating his positions and views of the opposing side. Old crowd pleasers like “They hate us for our freedoms” and “They’re going to follow us home” were nowhere to be found. Classic republican scare tactics, as if fighting to somehow make their way into the discussion, were mostly stifled, forcing the candidates to appeal to voters on the basis of issues and reason.
John McCain’s performance in the September 26 debate seemed in many ways a rebirth of the straight talk express character he popularized in 2000. The rebirth was unfortunately short-lived; immediately following the debates, the McCain camp ran an ad grossly misrepresenting Obama’s responses. However, this one moment of providence could be the saving grace for McCain among undecided voters who feel lost in a sea of mudslinging and party-hackery. Independent of ones views of McCain’s policies, last week’s debate, if nothing else, gave voters a clearer and more coherent basis on which to further research the Arizona senator and make a more informed decision this November. Even after coming to a full understanding of the value of his ideas, however, the question becomes, what does John McCain’s smear campaign say about his integrity and by default his ability to lead this country.
Sex Education Ad
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NseW0UPMLtg&feature=related
Obama Debate Responses Ad
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec3aC8ZJZTc
Humorous sketch about McCain ads http://www.videosift.com/video/SNL-Im-John-McCain-and-I-Approved-This-Message
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2 comments:
yeah, i hear what you're saying on this. the problem i face with each campaign is that the camps assemble too early... everyone has decided way before november who the best candidate is and if not, they default to their simple generalizations of what this country is about. Americans SHOULD feel like crap about our state of affairs (instead of always defaulting to how we're the best, yak yak yak) and should want to know more about both candidates before sticking to one with utter certainty, which we know is either and expression of ignorance or false bravado. neither obama nor mc cain was destined to lead, this is not armaggedon, so get over it! the best man will win. if we're going to pray, let's focus it on the people who are putting this man in office and his ability to turn around what needs turning around!
Good point, a bit idealistic though it may be. As Bill Maher says, the greatest country in the world needs to start acting like it. The fact that citizens of the very nation which defeated communism are so easily influenced by party loyalty and empty slogans is tragically ironic. A country's most valuable resource is indeed its people, and if we want to stay on top, then maybe oil isn't the only thing we should be importing from abroad.
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