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…

McCain’s latest advert is a light-hearted mockery of Obama’s change mantra. The message appears to be “the only thing he has changed is the Presidential seal - he can do that on Photoshop!”

But after watching the advert, I get the distinct impression that voters may see it differently. “Obama on Mt Rushmore! Obama on the Statue of Liberty! Obama on our $1 bills! Obama’s so American, and not at all foreign or Muslim!”

I am amazed McCain is wasting money contradicting the tripe he spews about his opponent!

Compare and contrast with Obama’s first TV ad:

Isn’t that much, much better? Well filmed, a positive (if fairly empty) message and clever imagery. Obama, relaxed in the home; a family man, then. Obama as a smiling baby with smiling parents; a normal child, not the raging fanatic indoctrinated by Islamists, Ms. Malkin. Obama, relaxed as a young man in his leather jacket; contrast this with the angry, ageing McCain. Obama with old, white people, smiling and laughing; so a caring figure able to cross racial and generational boundraries, and most definitely not a Muslim, Ms. Malkin. Some of the imagery can be very subtle in what it suggests.

More than the words, at least; they’re fairly meaningless when it gets down to it, central statements of commonly held values. But that’s the point. They paint an everyman for everyman. Note phrases such as “we didn’t have much” - connecting with less wealthy voters while countering accusations of elitism. It’s all a deliberate attempt to connect Obama’s experience and values with the voters he’s appealing to. And it’s done well.

Critics might label the ad vacuous trash which lacks any solid content or useful indication of Obama’s intentions for the presidency. But they miss the point; the ad isn’t about policy or plans, it’s about Obama and his appeal across races and generations. It’s an image thing, and it’s done very well.

Let the shitstorm commence! Another Republican attack ad:

And guess what? It’s as weak as the first. One question will do for the moment, I think; if Obama is such a dangerous Muslim, then why make such a fuss about his (Christian) pastor? He can’t be a fanatical liberation Christian and a closet fanatical Muslim at the same time.

Oh, and of course there’s the obvious question - why would having a Muslim childhood matter? It’s clear that it does to them, otherwise they’d have never hurled accusations of secret Jihadi childhood indoctrination at him in the first place. Obama rejected those slurs (and perhaps should have put to the nation the rather ridiculous image of Islamist ideologues renowned for their hatred of the United States priming a child…to run for president of the nation they hate so much…) rather than the notion that, at one point, he went to an Islamic school. So, a poor spot recycling old, old campaigning excrement.

Verdict: Must do better next time, vaunted Republican shit-stirrers. Or face relegation from “Nasty Party” to just plain old “Stupid Party”…