< Back to Front Page Text size +

More hits on McCain from MoveOn.org

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor May 27, 2008 05:49 PM


The antiwar group aggressively backing Barack Obama, MoveOn.org, has two new TV ads attacking John McCain -- one light and humorous, the other dark and foreboding.

The first shows McCain and President Bush attempting to dance, then singers, in a takeoff on the opening theme to the "Patty Duke Show" from the 1960s, say the two Republicans laugh alike, walk alike, and talk alike. The spot tries to drive home the Democrats' argument that a McCain presidency would be the equivalent of a third Bush term.

"You can lose your mind,'' the singers end the spot, "when cousins are two of a kind.


The second goes after Charlie Black, a top adviser to McCain, and his ties in his lobbying career to dictators in Angola, the Philippines, and Zaire.

The ad calls on McCain to fire Black -- and tries to highlight the number of lobbyists in the upper reaches of McCain's campaign. Several have resigned, and McCain instituted a tougher conflict-of-interest policy.

UPDATE: For his part, McCain began airing in the swing states of Michigan and Pennsylvania his ad promising to make taxes simpler and fairer, energy cleaner and cheaper, healthcare affordable, and corporate CEOs accountable.

“The contrast in this election couldn’t be demonstrated more clearly than today’s dueling ads by John McCain and Barack Obama’s chief supporter, MoveOn.org," Republican National Committee spokeswoman Blair Latoff said in a statement. "MoveOn.org issues an angry retrospective that undermines the importance of this election, while John McCain outlines his vision for the future of the country. It appears that Barack Obama and his supporters don’t want this election to be about who has the experience and judgment necessary to lead the country into the future.”

31 comments so far...
  1. Move-On may be doing more harm than good. More and more, people are starting to equate the shrill and increasingly strident tone of MOORG as the muttering of an "out of touch" organization franticly seeking relevance. Voters see through "pandering" as never before, and bitching and "fishwifery" have never been winning strategies.

    Posted by Ed Weirdness May 27, 08 02:06 PM
  1. Obama does not need to play foolish games to get elected; he just needs to sorround himself with the best Cabinet he can organize once he's elected which will definitely happen. Who thought China would rise so quick? Same meteoric rise is occuring and it's a good thing for this beleagured and divided country at this point.

    Posted by Randy May 27, 08 02:06 PM
  1. There is no question that McCain would continue the Bush policies into a third term. He has supported most of what Bush has wanted all along why should any one expect him to be suddenly different.

    Posted by jeff May 27, 08 02:07 PM
  1. Congrats to Move On for helping pull the mask off ol' Maverick McCain. Every day, every sound bite he puts out, It becomes increasingly obvious how irrelevant McCain is to the national discourse: get ready for President Obama, America!

    Posted by eminencefrontman May 27, 08 02:08 PM
  1. fwiw, the "advertising jingle right out of the 1950s or 1960s" is the theme to the Patty Duke show.

    Posted by * May 27, 08 02:10 PM
  1. The people like Charlie Black are responsiblble for the wars and genocides in Africa. creating conflicts to devide and get access to the ressouces such as gold, diamond, and other brut materials. He makes a living by dealing with the african dictators he is a criminal and should be tried by the HCR.

    Posted by Ace May 27, 08 02:11 PM
  1. But the fact remains, Hillary Clinton became "unelectable" last Friday. Who would be the #1 suspect if anything happened to Obama. Plus; imagine what the "conspiracy theorists" would have to say about it all. She better hope Obama lives a long, healthy life!

    Posted by Carla Monson May 27, 08 02:14 PM
  1. MoveOn.org can do whatever they want. McCaine is our next President. McCaine is the only candidate out of the 4 running who has the guts to speak the truth even if it will hurt his numbers. He does not play games like Obama (who thinks he can end the war quickly, CHANGE EVERYTHING in a second), Hillary (who thinks the election is about being a woman or not). Obama is the worst Presidential candidate EVER. No experience. He thinks he can change the whole world in a flip of a switch. No my friend - the President only has powers to Veto bills not to bring change. The Congress can bring change. MoveOn.org thought they had won last times election for flp-flop John Kerry and John Edwards. Who won? Republican Bush - the real saviour of the USA in these turmoiling times.

    Posted by James May 27, 08 02:22 PM
  1. As a country, the USA can not endure another term of Bush via John McCain. The new President has to be a Democrat. I would support Barrack Obama or Hilliary Clinton. I thought I would support Hillary until I realized that she is an evil / sinister individual. If you do not believe me check out these videos on YouTube:

    (Part 1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq8aopATYyw

    (Part 2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMfUajhL24I&feature=related

    I could never vote for her after viewing these videos. If the election came down to Senator McCain (Republican) or Senator Clinton (Democrat), I would not vote. Thank goodness for Barrack Obama. Protesters should have very vocal demonstrations against John McCain, shouting "NO MORE BUSH"! I will be sending Senator Obama's campaign donation for the general election as soon as Hillary is totally eliminated out of the primary. GO BARRACK!

    Posted by RadianChalant May 27, 08 02:37 PM
  1. I'm MOVon' to vote for the other side now. McCain will win the general election because he'll be facing Obama if the extreme left our our party gets its way. I can't believe or tolerate the sexism of the left against Hillary Clinton, and I don't like her - I even wore a "Wicked Witch of New York" pinback depicting her with a green face and in Margaret Hamilton-like wardrobe. NOT ANYMORE. What Howard Dean, Soros, Air America, et. al have done to this woman, solely because she is a woman, is regretful and distasteful. I'm hoping McCain gets Condi Rice to sign on as his V.P. I'm not sure the extreme left wing of our party doesn't want Bombing Bill Ayers as Obama's V.P. This from a 61 year old white male who had been a Democrat since 1967. Call me Independent now.

    Posted by Boston Brahmin May 27, 08 02:39 PM
  1. James,

    Quick, spit out the kool-aid!

    Posted by Mark M May 27, 08 02:44 PM
  1. James, it's McCain, not McCaine. The current resident had no experience and look at how he changed the course of history. Maybe someone with "no experience" but with a great deal of intellect, integrity, and determination can encourage the same amount of change, but in the right direction. OBAMA IN 08

    Posted by Pat May 27, 08 02:47 PM
  1. Is MoveOn aware of Mr. Obama's plan to redeploy troops to Afghanistan and around the ME? How does that fit with its anti-war stance? Or is Obama FOS?

    Just wondering.

    Posted by Frustrated May 27, 08 02:49 PM
  1. James,
    First, I am NOT an Obama supporter, but I do NOT believe Obama believes he can change everything in an instant.

    I DO believe that MANY of his supporters believe that Obama can change everything in an instant. NOT all, just many.

    What led to this belief I do not know (does Obama project this in his speeches?), but I do wonder if those supporters who share that belief have heard of "Congress"? Can't get much done without Congress on board.

    Pretty

    Posted by None of the Above 08 May 27, 08 02:53 PM
  1. Hill the shill is an elephant in a donkey suit. Most of her support comes from the elephants of course a number of the shill`s support will go to Mcsame in the general election duh.

    Posted by Hoboclown May 27, 08 03:04 PM
  1. Anyone can tell when you take choice sound bites from video and stick 'em in your personal "anti" whatever ad. It's time we all grow up a bit and put forth some "advertising" addressing real issues. I'm tired of this kind of fluff as most Democrats are - I hope.

    Posted by Southern Gardener May 27, 08 03:23 PM
  1. Obama will get Osama in 2010! Obama means new, change and youth - McCain means old, mean and angry. What do you choose America? Let's have a foot race, we'll put McCain in one lane and Obama in another and we'll see who's faster a foot, makes connections faster and has less senior moments.

    Did I say he's "Fresh"?? And McCain's shelf like is like expired or something.

    Besides McCain calls his wife a C**T. The next president should not be so sexist or crude. Don't you agree America - I vote freedom first and my vote goes to Obama!

    Posted by Darr West May 27, 08 03:23 PM
  1. Watch for MCSame to name turncoat donkey joe Leiberman as his date to the ball

    Posted by Hoboclown May 27, 08 03:50 PM
  1. "Republican Bush - the real saviour of the USA in these turmoiling times."

    Surely you jest. No one could possibly *still* be stupid and be breathing.

    Posted by Babu May 27, 08 04:37 PM
  1. James... wow! What a completely moronic view of the political landscape. An obvious Fox News brainwashee kool-aid drinker.

    Obama in 2008... because the rest are bought and paid for by special interests.

    Posted by CluedIn May 27, 08 04:51 PM
  1. Watch for MCSame to name turncoat donkey joe Leiberman as his date to the ball

    Posted by Hoboclown May 27, 08 04:51 PM
  1. You are all missing the point. Obama will lose in a landslide by the time the republicans finish with him. Obama has a lot of baggage nobody is aware of. Just wait until October. Why October? Simply because Americans have short memory. You will see Republicans at their best. One month bad news for Obama is in the waiting.

    You will all be shocked.

    Read more at:

    http://www.AudacityOfHypocrisy.com

    Posted by Audacity May 27, 08 05:05 PM
  1. Boy, referring to Bush as a Savior really shows just how mentally unbalanced some people have become.....................

    Posted by david May 27, 08 05:13 PM
  1. I have been voting since the Nixon era and I can tell you Obama is the only candidate during my lifetime that scares me to death. Vote for his guy and we will really be in deep sh. Truly this guy scares the sh outa me. Just look at who he associates with. Nuff said.

    Posted by Jake May 27, 08 05:47 PM
  1. News to everybody who hates Bush. McCain does not equal Bush. If the primary strategy to beat McCain is to link the hatred of President Bush to Senator McCain, it is a strong sign of how insignificant the policies are of the Barack (and Clinton) campain. Don't vote for McCain, because you will hate him as much as McCain. Coming from a learned conservative who is always open to other opinions, McCain has differed from Bush on many accounts, including his tax cuts, energy policy votes, immigration reform, etc. If you subtracted the war issue (and don't you hate the war issue), Bush and McCain are very different. And at the other end of the candidate spectrum, you have Obama. Obama, the most liberal of all senators, makes both Bush and McCain look like Barry Goldwater. His mentors, including card-carrying Communists, terrorists, and Black Theologists, have fooled you with Marxism disguising itself as change. If I want Marxism, I will move to Cuba or Venezuela. If you want Marxism, vote for BO. Sorry to dissapoint people with facts (see the above), but I have yet to see a candidate that will limit government, secure out nation, and return America into the dream that was once our founding fathers...

    Posted by Brad Kinsey May 27, 08 06:34 PM
  1. McCain is McBush. He has flip-flopped on the tax cuts and the keeping of lobbyists in his campaign. He isn't a maverick so much as he is ill-tempered and angry.

    McCain admits that he does not understand the economy even after decades in the Senate and his self-proclaimed area of expertise, foreign policy, shows him to be as ill-equipped as Bush ever was. The reality is that McCain is Bush. They come from the same privileged, elitist background. They did poorly in school and were helped by nepotism. Neither has a clue as to the problems of the average American.

    Mc

    Posted by David Dun May 27, 08 07:21 PM
  1. Now what, Barrack Hussein Obama suggesting creating another bureacacy department for homeowners?Oh boy I thought this guy is for "CHANGE" he sound exactly the same as past Democratic Administration creating a Welfare system to feed the fat cows out of taxpayers hard earned dollars.Anybody get it Obama can run but he cannot hide who is advising the poor guy about such solution to the mortgage problem.Oh please there is better ways to handle the Housing market than adding more to it.

    Posted by skmj May 28, 08 02:06 AM
  1. To boston brahmin - well you go on being an independent....McCain will have a very hard time winning the GE after he admitted following most of Bush's policies. Americans were foolish enough to vote Bush in a 2nd term no less and now look at the shape this country is in. With McCain destined to continue the Bush policies, the american people will be doomed further. McCain can talk all this prehistoric foreign policy & experience but news flash - IT HASN'T WORKED. I repeat, all these experienced candidates have made the U.S. a diaster - having a bad reputation worldwide. McCain sucks on the economy. I want change. Let's put someone in the white house with new ideas - we did it with kennedy & ronald regan.

    Posted by DION KEATZ May 28, 08 07:54 AM
  1. Obama means socialism. This is what organizations like Move On want. They think the USA is an evil country and needs to be fundamentally changed. When Obama says things like we need to increase the capital gains tax because it is only "fair", that is a pretty big red flag. Especially after it was pointed out to him that every time that tax has been cut it helped the economy. Obama doesn't believe in helping the economy, he just wants the grow the government. What is sad is that people follow these politicians around like they are somehow going to make our lives better when they just need to let people figure out how to take care of themselves. Stop sucking your thumbs America!!!!

    Posted by Laura May 28, 08 10:01 PM
  1. moveon.org is a Nazi vacation camp , led by m fat moore and it's shining the Hussein's shoes ! It smells badly !

    Posted by GTX13 May 28, 08 10:30 PM
  1. Wow, a third Bush term or a second Carter term. That's a tough choice. Do I want to go to sleep in a secure country, with my thermostat set at whatever I choose it to be or do I want to put on a sweater when it gets cold and sit around and sweat when it gets hot? How about 440 days of hostages being paraded around by the Iranian president? That makes for good entertainment. But not to worry, Barack will just ring him up and "change" his mind. I'm sure he is just waiting for the chance to have a meaningful dialogue with such an obviously enlightened individual after having to endure 8 years of Reagan and another 8 years of Bush. Get real, people! There haven't been any smoking holes in the ground in this country lately for a good reason. You may not like Mr. Bush, but he's kept your ungrateful behinds safe for the last 7 years and it would have been 8 if his predecesor had been less interested in his intern and paid more attention to this country's security.

    From Barack's book, Audacity of Hope:

    'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'

    How secure does that make you feel?

    Posted by PEH June 5, 08 04:02 PM
add your comment
Required
Required (will not be published)

This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.

About political intelligence Field reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors covering the 2008 presidential campaign and the national maneuvering of Bay State politicians.

Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com

archives

browse this blog

by category