New Obama Ad Smartly Brings up McCain's SS Privatization

[Lunar]

I think investing SS in the stock market isn't an issue McCain wants associated with him right now.  Props to Obama's campaign.  The ad is generic but it's an issue McCain probably does not want to talk about.  And of course, the ad stays on message with the Bush III thing.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1185304443/bctid1797097902

The script:
Obama: I’m Barack Obama. And I approve this message.
Female narrator: A broken economy. Failing banks. Unstable markets
Families struggling.
To protect us in retirement…
Social Security has never been more important.
But John McCain’s voted three times in favor of privatizing Social Security
McCain says, “I campaigned in support of President Bush’s proposal.”
Cutting benefits in half. Risking Social Security on the stock market.
The Bush-McCain privatization plan.  Can you really afford more of the same?

*** UPDATE *** Factcheck.org takes issue with the ad's contention that the Bush Social Security plan would have cut benefits in half. Citing a report by Obama economic adviser Jason Furman, Factcheck.org says that the plan would have cut benefits by 28% -- not half.

[The Duke]

Very effective.

And mind-bogglingly dishonest.

Barack Obama has no conscience.

[Lunar]

Oh please, this ranks like 10th or 12th in terms of sleaziness of ads run this election.  Obama's Spanish ad "Dos Caras" is of course the sleaziest.

Both sides have run farr less ethical ads, haha. 

[NDN]

Very effective.

And mind-bogglingly dishonest.

Barack Obama has no conscience.

And McCain's ads have been any better? At least this one is on an actual issue.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Very effective.

And mind-bogglingly dishonest.

Barack Obama has no conscience.

And McCain's ads have been any better? At least this one is on an actual issue.

How dare you dismiss the obviously sexist tendencies from the Obama campaign.

[JSojourner]

Very effective.

And mind-bogglingly dishonest.

Barack Obama has no conscience.

And McCain's ads have been any better? At least this one is on an actual issue.

Don't forget.  Barack wants to sex your babies!

[The Duke]

Very effective.

And mind-bogglingly dishonest.

Barack Obama has no conscience.

And McCain's ads have been any better? At least this one is on an actual issue.

Yes, it is about an issue.

It lies about an issue.

So much for ending the politics of fear.

[Lunar]

Very effective.

And mind-bogglingly dishonest.

Barack Obama has no conscience.

And McCain's ads have been any better? At least this one is on an actual issue.

Don't forget.  Barack wants to sex your babies!

Actually, that ad had some remote basis in truth (him allowing a bill get out of a committee).  I would rank the lipstick ad, where McCain admitted he didn't think Obama meant it that way and where they used Katie Couric out of context, worse.  They were forced to take it down though because Couric threatened them legally foro misusing her statement about sexism in the race.

But anyway, both sides have run lots of lying, unethical ads.  I would say Obama runs more than McCain, but not profoundly so.

[TomC]

It's about time. Run it during "Golden Girls" and "Matlock" reruns in Fla ad nauseum.

[Brittain33]

Yes, it is about an issue.

It lies about an issue.

So much for ending the politics of fear.

The only thing that might be wrong is "cutting benefits in half." It's absolutely true that McCain was a big supporter of privatizing Social Security and generally favors deregulation and turning things over to Wall Street. If that stance hurts him now, well, that's an accountability moment. Imagine if his and Bush's plan to invest Social Security in the market had passed, where we'd be, and be thankful for Republicans' sake that this is just a hypothetical they're associated with or else the whole state of Florida would be braying for blood.

[Brittain33]

Run it during "Golden Girls" and "Matlock" reruns in Fla ad nauseum.

The people watching "Golden Girls" reruns, in general, are young and middle-aged gay men.

[The Duke]

Yes, it is about an issue.

It lies about an issue.

So much for ending the politics of fear.

The only thing that might be wrong is "cutting benefits in half." It's absolutely true that McCain was a big supporter of privatizing Social Security and generally favors deregulation and turning things over to Wall Street. If that stance hurts him now, well, that's an accountability moment. Imagine if his and Bush's plan to invest Social Security in the market had passed, where we'd be, and be thankful for Republicans' sake that this is just a hypothetical they're associated with or else the whole state of Florida would be braying for blood.

Claiming McCain wants to cut benefits in half isn't a marginal thing here.  It's a huge lie that will scare the hell out of old people (Which is precisely why the ad is running in the first place).

And McCain only wants to privatize social security if you don't know what the word "privatize" means.

[Likely Voter]

This ad wrote itself decades ago...its the old Democratic 'they are going to take away your social security' trick. Just like the republican 'they are going to raise your taxes' thing. Every election they both say the same thing.

But Obama has a weakness with older voters so I guess he needs to start pandering to/scaring them

[Lunar]

This ad wrote itself decades ago...its the old Democratic 'they are going to take away your social security' trick. Just like the republican 'they are going to raise your taxes' thing. Every election they both say the same thing.

But Obama has a weakness with older voters so I guess he needs to start pandering to/scaring them

Well, the clever thing is to pull the punches with this right now as people have misgivings about the stock market. 

This and the equal pay issue are the two wedges that the Obama campaign is pushing at every opportunity right now.  They are clearly attempting to establish the issues on their ground and not McCain's (offshore drilling, other things).  It's sort of a trap, if McCain responds, then he'll make it a cool contentious issue for the media to cover.  "On your Social Security, McCain says Obama somethingsomething no real plan, while Obama talks about the risks of McCain's/Bush's plan to invest some of senior's social security in the stock market"

By the way, I agree with McCain and Bush on the issue and not Obama.

[Brittain33]

Claiming McCain wants to cut benefits in half isn't a marginal thing here.  It's a huge lie that will scare the hell out of old people (Which is precisely why the ad is running in the first place).

And McCain only wants to privatize social security if you don't know what the word "privatize" means.

I'm familiar with how Republicans have backpedaled on this issue since the bold proposals of the 1990s and 2005, and how "privatize" was defined and redefined and hedged. McCain's record on what he supported and what he voted for are there.

I'm sure he wouldn't cut Social Security if elected President, because Congress wouldn't let him and because the politics of the issue has shifted so much that his past commitment to deregulation, cutting entitlements, and reducing government spending has been jettisoned. However, I'm equally sure a President John Kerry wouldn't have raised taxes $1 gazillion in 2004 for the same reason, but that didn't stop Republicans from running ads talking about his past record to scare people about what he would do.

[Brittain33]

This ad wrote itself decades ago...its the old Democratic 'they are going to take away your social security' trick. Just like the republican 'they are going to raise your taxes' thing. Every election they both say the same thing.

But Obama has a weakness with older voters so I guess he needs to start pandering to/scaring them

It is very helpful that McCain, unlike non-senator George W. Bush of 2000, has a voting record on this issue that backs up the ad.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

A. That was fantastic.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

A. That was fantastic.

[TheresNoMoney]

It's a very good ad, I've been waiting for Obama to go after McCain on this issue.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Also after the "Elect Democrats and there will be terrorist attacks!" that the Republicans have been using forever and people like Naso still play, I don't see how any Republican can attack the ad for being dishonest or fearmongering.

[Horus]

Whoever voted F is just bitter that this was a great ad... B+

[Ban my account ffs!]

Also after the "Elect Democrats and there will be terrorist attacks!" that the Republicans have been using forever and people like Naso still play, I don't see how any Republican can attack the ad for being dishonest or fearmongering.

I agree that this ad was rather Republican-esque.  But the Republicans have no room to complain about ads being "fearmongering" or dishonest.