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…

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.

Time for some shit-slinging from McCain’s campaign:

Note the failure typical of McCain’s election ads; they don’t engage at all with any particular issue. There’s little continuity between each ad, and they very rarely make any positive statement. This, for example, doesn’t address an issue that’ll affect American citizens every day. Nor does it make a soaring statement of why they should vote for McCain - or even why Obama is bad.

This simply feeds into Obama’s campaign narrative. He’s the candidate of change, who appeals to all levels of society and who doesn’t stoop to partisan aggression. McCain’s the Political Establishment - and what does the Political Establishment do, when threatened? It fights dirty. Irrelevent ad-hominems such as this attack simply identify McCain as a politician of the Old Order for potential Obama supporters, and confirm his threat to that Old Order.

And, of course, this ad misses the rather obvious point. If he’d make such an excellent president, why aren’t the media swooning over McCain?

This is just too wonderful. That image of Obama riding a unicorn will, I hope, last like “Dave the Chameleon” did.

(via PlayPolitical)

And now McCain’s latest effort:

Notice anything? Yes, that’s right. It’s not very good - again. The actual video is simply dull, visually. Very blocky, dark and far less intelligent than Obama’s. The comparison that springs most readily to mind is a Japanese hybrid car advert, not a brilliant piece of political propaganda. The closest this comes to actual visual or emotional manipulation is the relentless focus on technology and space - signalling a forward looking McCain quite at odds with that white.

White hair McCain seems very reluctant to display, mind. Compare Obama’s presence in his spots - young, smiling and all over the place - with McCain’s gloomy avoidance of the camera. Just two, short appearances in this, and short and sombre at that. It’s almost as if he’s afraid the voters will see him.

But perhaps that’s the point. The video’s underlying message is far more concerning. On the surface rides the usual bumpf; America is wonderful, McCain wants to keep it that way, he’s a patriot. To summarise: Blah. But underneath that comes the real message.

Observe the constant emphasis in the script:

American technology protected the world. We went to the moon, not because it was easy, but because it was hard.

John McCain will call America to our next national purpose: Energy Security. A comprehensive bipartisan plan to: Lower prices at the pump; Reduce dependence on foreign oil through domestic drilling; And champion energy alternatives for better choices and lower costs.

Putting country first. McCain.

Emphasis, as usual, mine. Just look at it; over and over, a focus on resolution and security. McCain will provide a, “purpose,” for America. He’ll, “reduce dependence,” on foreign oil, and so increase America’s economic security. And he’ll cross boundaries as a, “bipartisan,” leader.

The final picture: a strong, resolute leader who’ll work across traditional boundaries for the nations’ good. A uniter, not a divider (sound familiar?). And completely uncontroversial, and not a right wingnut you need to worry about.

And, unfortunately for McCain, it’ll flop. The claims he makes can be scotched in easy terms. The ad says he’s a resolute man who’ll keep at a task until it’s done; which, naturally, explains why this is his third slogan in as many ads. He’s an uncontroversial bipartisan - whose last spot was an attack ad. He isn’t a rightist loon, the ad implies - just one who wouldn’t be averse to, say, bombing Iran.

Oh, and the “uniter not a divider” bit. Already gone, I’m afraid. Change and unity have been Obama’s message from the start, articulated in soaring rhetoric; McCain is a member of the (conservative) Republican Party. That he’s been forced to snatch the meme for himself suggests one thing only - that he’s already lost the election on his own views, and must find someone else’s.

So, he’ll lose?

And the theme of today’s video is - political positioning! (duh?)

Note the careful imagery again: Barack in shirt-sleeves, because he’s not a stuffy office boy but a man of the people. Barack as a young man, because he’s not a 71 year old who won’t see his second term. Barack at a community meeting, because he’s a man of the people. Barack on the phone (at 3AM?), concentrating - because he’s a hard worker, who’ll never let you down. Barack signing a law, because he’s got some experience in Washington and isn’t the callow youth of Republican propaganda. Barack with workers, smiling, because he’s a man of the people. Barack with children, because he loves them as much as you. Barack talking to workers, because he’s a man of the people. Barack shaking hands with more workers, because he’s a man of the people. Barack hugging an old (working) lady, because he’s a caring and happy man of the people who everyone loves.

Conclusion: Barack Obama is a kind, friendly, hard-working man of the people, and not at all the aloof, inexperienced elitist of Clintonite agitprop.

And so on. And the message of the script? Much the same:

Obama: I’m Barack Obama, and I approve this message.
Announcer: He worked his way through college and Harvard Law. Turned down big money offers, and helped lift neighborhoods stung by job loss.

Fought for workers’ rights. He passed a law to move people from welfare to work, slashed the rolls by eighty percent. Passed tax cuts for workers; health care for kids. As president, he’ll end tax breaks for companies that export jobs, reward those that create jobs in America. And never forget the dignity that comes from work.

Emphasis mine. The message boils down to:

Barack Obama is a hard-working, ordinary guy. He worked his way through college; hard-working. And he’d rather work hard for others; turned down big money.

He’s a man of the people. He gave them what they wanted; but didn’t let them lounge on the dole like that nasty quasi-socialist the Malkinites claim he’d be. No, he protects American workers, and loves children. A Man of the People, and a Patriot.

So, a message totally consistent with his last ad. There, he talked to camera, espoused mainstream values, and painted himself a man of the people. Here, he protects workers, works hard, loves his countrymen - and paints himself as a man of the people. And rebuffs accusations of cold, unpatriotic, middle-class elitism from Malkin et al.

It’s pure political positioning. Obama needs to erect a break against shit slung by Republicans who smear him as foreign, aloof and socialist; so he emphasises hard work, “American values” and his populism. Vacuous? Mostly. Lacking in a policy message? Certainly. Dull? For anyone across the Atlantic, very probably.

But that’s not the point. 30 seconds isn’t enough to preach a sermon, but it’s enough to give an impression - and that’s what Obama’s doing. And it looks like he’s hit the right (hah…) spots so far…