Democrats Love...McCain!

I don't usually talk politics here, as regular readers know, not because it isn't an endlessly fascinating subject (*gag*) but because everybody else talks politics in this election year and somebody ought to be covering all the other stuff. But this was too much to pass up:

John McCain, who has been running his campaign like a geriatric Lee Atwater, swapping one day's Alzheimersarian confusions with the next's slime attacks straight from the GOP Gutter, finally had a not bad idea for a tv ad and it's causing all kinds of hell: a series of clips of Democrats praising him and telling the camera what a great guy he is.

On Thursday, McCain's campaign released a one-minute Web ad seeking to burnish his maverick image -- with testimonials from prominent Democrats.

The montage includes Hillary Rodham Clinton's scathing assessment of Obama's readiness to be president: "I know Sen. McCain has a lifetime of experience he will bring to the White House. And Sen. Obama has a speech he gave in 2002."

There is footage of Obama defender Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, who reportedly considered McCain as a running mate in 2004, calling McCain "a courageous, patriotic American who stands up for what he believes." Delaware Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., a potential vice presidential pick, is shown stating he would be "honored to run with or against John McCain."

Perhaps most embarrassing is a 2003 clip of Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean saying he modeled his own presidential bid on McCain's 2000 run because of McCain's direct manner.

This is brilliant, give credit where credit is due. The problem is, of course, that all these quotes pre-date the new McCain, the Bush's Shadow McCain, the McCain who has violated everything he used to believe (when he can remember what that was) in order to capture the hearts of the heartless Republican base.

Except one: Hillary Clinton's. Personally I'd count that one the most embarrassing because it's the most recent. But John Kerry (who supposedly once considered McC as his running mate in '04 and if true therefore deserves everything he's getting now) sums it up neatly.

Kerry described it as desperate: "The real question is what happened to the John McCain we used to know and why he changed overnight into a George Bush nominee with a Karl Rove campaign."

Biden said it was "unfortunate" McCain had "changed so much in just eight years." Dean contended the McCain of 2000 would not "consider voting for the John McCain of 2008."

There's room here for an Obama tv response ad, and it wouldn't be hard to put together: "Democrats praised him when he was saying this (clip) but now he's saying this (clip of a flip-flop)." Three or four of those would not only deflect the energy of McC's little effort but put him in the position of having to explain that he hasn't flip-flopped when it's obvious he has.

Just an idea....

Comments

[eRobin]

That is a good idea for a response ad. I guess it would depend on how successful this one is. If it hits a nerve, then Obama should definitely consider what you're talking about.