Sharp words from the Anonymous Liberal:

The McCain campaign insists that he did not cheat and it outraged at the very suggestion of any impropriety. In a classic non-sequitur (and one that represents a microcosm of the entire campaign to this point), the McCain campaign issued a statement saying: “The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous.” Apparently POWs are, by definition, incapable of cheating on anything (something that would likely come as news to McCain’s first wife).

This interests me:

Look at the implicit message. Obama shares what these prominent Christians perceive as a respect for the family. McCain, by contrast, doesn’t; that shared look at 0:30 certainly implies that, presumably inspired by the affairs that, by his own admission, destroyed his first marriage.

I doubt ads like this will persuade Christian fundamentalists (defined here as those whose religion forms their primary voting concern) to vote for Obama in droves. Few would deny that he’s religious, or that he loves his family; but at the same time, the various vicious rumours about Obama’s church, and the Democrats’ general stance on issues like abortion, will probably put most of them off. Support from Clerics like Caldwell might act as a pull - but so support from Clinton, and virtually every other hate-figure the right constructs, will act as a push.

What they might do is persuade those fundies not to vote for McCain. That videos like this even exist demonstrates how disillusioned they are with McCain. Many pinned their hopes on Huckabee, and denounced McCain for moderation in the primaries; that flopped, and so have McCain’s attempts to win their confidence. And so a portion of the Republican base drifts away. Ads that continually remind that base their nominee isn’t “one of them” - and that his opponent is - will keep it that way.

Just so long as Obama doesn’t listen to them…

And I am interested in good relations between the United States and Russia. But in the twenty-first century, nations don’t invade other nations.”

John McCain, while not even joking.

Sometimes I am so glad that satire exists.  In this case, because the boundaries of satire demonstrate clearly that this video is far, far beyond them.

Via Mike Rouse.  It’s a couple of months old, too, but who’s complaining?

Some commentators have criticised Obama for not responding to McCain’s attack ads in kind. He simply doesn’t need to - voters do it for him. Like so:

Obama gets the attack ads; they hit home. And he can claim he’s still the insurgency candidate who’s above the old, negative politics. Rather what he’s looking for, no?

(Hat-tip: Jennie)

McCain’s campaign hit a new low today when Paris Hilton made fun of him. That she displays a sharper grasp of elementary satire of McCain, his advertising and herself is bad enough; that she can make a more effective attack ad than his campaign must just hurt.

(Hat-tip: JimJay’s Twitter feed.)

Ali scoffs at McCain’s ad strategy - and I’m inclined to join him. But there’s evidence that McCain might slowly develop a more effective line:

Superficially, the ad makes little sense; Obama is popular, so he must be bad. But that’s not the point. Just look at the imagery deployed. Paris Hilton, screaming crowds, camera flashes - the world of vacuous, effeminate celebrity. McCain portrays Obama as a suit as empty as Hilton’s head, and as ill-deserving of his popularity.

It won’t convert many floaters - who’ll see the ad and quite possibly share Ali’s reaction. What it’ll do is rally Republicans who were so disillusioned by the whole election as to stay home. If McCain can turn Obama into a figure they hate - the effeminate vacuity of these ads - they might just come and vote for the Republican, however much they feel he’s a shallow moderate himself.

Obama’s response to such attacks is the only possible, and should prevent too many independents being taken in. But McCain’s insidious new line might help him a little.

I am amazed by McCain’s latest attacks on Obama. They seem to rest on the idea that Obama is popular and is promising change. Remind me why to vote against him…

The latest batch of misjudged attempts at attacks have been striking in their total lack of constructive message. McCain is, effectively, spending huge sums of money on adverts that argue “Obama believes the next President can do some good, so he wants to be President. Vote for McCain!” Hilarious. Amazingly, though, some appear taken in by that vacuous message.

Obama’s response is fair and just.

The text of Obama’s Berlin speech can be found here. Video: