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September 10, 2008
Obama Just Can't Help It
Kathryn Jean Lopez and some of the NRO-niks, as well as other conservatives, seem concerned that the McCain campaign is descending into the depths of grievance politics with their web-based "Lipstick" ad.
When I first saw the ad, I thought releasing it was a bit much. In thinking about it, though, it seems clear to me that the advertisement was meant for one person - Barack Obama. As a web-only ad, it received quite a bit of play in the media and the ad's tone was bound to irritate Obama and goad him into a response.
And goad it did. Watch the video and behold the unpresidentialness of his response. There's no whining in politics, Barry.
The McCain campaign followed that ad up with this one. This hits Obama right where he's most vulnerable at the moment - the difference between his message of hope, change and new politics and the actions of his campaign. That's nothing new for Obama, whose tactics have always undermined his message. It's just that either no one bothered to point it out, or the media ignored it when they did.
The latest ad peels back his hopechangehappyunicornrainbowfarts message and shows Obama for what he really is - just another politician. And given the vacuousness of his policy proposals, that's not an image he can afford to create. His brand was new politics and that's basically all he had. Lose that, and you've got an empty suit and a teleprompter.
Posted by slublog at September 10, 2008 07:45 PM
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