Althouse: "It's Barney the purple dinosaur's speech at the next Bloomberg Nonpartisanship Symposium."

April 9, 2008

"It's Barney the purple dinosaur's speech at the next Bloomberg Nonpartisanship Symposium."

"Repeat playing would be an excellent enhanced interrogation technique."

Mickey Kaus does not like John McCain's ads.

That was an attempt to create an Obamesque mood — for complete squares.

21 comments:

Peter V. Bella said...: Let's see, I get to watch paint dry, then go down and watch the guys change oil at the ten minute service shop. Come home and watch the golf channel. Then I have to watch a commercial by John Mccain.; 4/9/08, 8:08 AM
Christy said...: Yep, awful. Leaving the negative word "Disagreements" up for too long and with the face of McCain appearing behind it was not good. Particularly surprising when the word "Respect" is later carefully placed over the shot of a black man and then a Latino woman. Surely this cannot be a professional ad!; 4/9/08, 8:10 AM
Peter Hoh said...: Seems kinda soft on liberals. I don't think Sean Hannity will approve.; 4/9/08, 8:27 AM
section9 said...: These are the same people who are going to talk John McCain into picking Mitt Romney as his running mate.

Yeeesh. Makes my skin crawl.; 4/9/08, 8:40 AM
Sloanasaurus said...: It isn't the best ad, but it get's McCain's point across that he wants to be less partisan. Moreover, there is some ideology in it. McCain argues that freedom is and should be the bedrock of our country. Many Democrats, including Obama, may disagree with that notion or at the least support policies that reduce freedom.

One of the problems for Obama with the respectful campagin theme that both he and McCain are trying to portray is that Obama is much more of a rookie in politics than McCain. Obama has already cracked on this issue in several places, i.e., lying about McCain's 100 years comments, and reniging on public financing. Therefore, the issue may benefit McCain more in the end (if he keeps his temper).; 4/9/08, 8:44 AM
Sloanasaurus said...: These are the same people who are going to talk John McCain into picking Mitt Romney as his running mate.

I still think McCain picks Tim Pawlenty from Minnesota. Pawlenty is a mainstream republican from a working class background, who will be able to identify more with the white Reagan democrats that Obama can't afford to lose.; 4/9/08, 8:48 AM
Triangle Man said...: I zoned out after a few seconds, but this caught my attention: meaningful phrases are scattered throughout the voiceover, but I had to wonder why this phrase, in particular, was altered from the original, "in accord with the laws of nature and nature's creator." The line from the Declaration of Independence is, "...the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them..." Why the change from God to creator? Did anyone else catch the context?; 4/9/08, 8:51 AM
rhhardin said...: The new tone of respect means never bringing up the Keating Five.; 4/9/08, 9:06 AM
Spread Eagle said...: McCain was cleared of wrongdoing in the Keating 5, but was left in so it wouldn't appear to be a partisan thing because everybody else was a Dem.

As for the ad, love it or hate it, it's pure John McCain. That is who he is.; 4/9/08, 9:11 AM
MadisonMan said...: L. O. N. G.

But McCain's personality comes through, if you stick around to listen.; 4/9/08, 10:20 AM
chaz said...: kaus also points out THE MISSPELLING OF MCCAIN'S FIRST NAME at the end of the commercial. i'd ask for my money back.; 4/9/08, 11:26 AM
MadisonMan said...: THE MISSPELLING OF MCCAIN'S FIRST NAME

Didn't notice that. Hilarious!; 4/9/08, 12:02 PM
Joe said...: Both "commercials" were too long, but the first wasn't bad. The second was condescending and self-righteous.

Both demonstrate why so-called "clean" politics doesn't work; you end up with even more mindless pablum. Come on, let's get back to the mud slinging.; 4/9/08, 12:18 PM
The Drill SGT said...: I don't like the ad much, but it would go over well with my Dem wife, McCain supporter, who is fed up with politics and thinks McCain is the "only adult" in the race.

It won't run anywhere but the internet, and it innoculates McCain on a number of things, race and civility being 2 of them. It tries to seize the "civility" and bi-partisan change agent mantle.; 4/9/08, 12:23 PM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: It's hip to be square. Sqareness is the new counter-culture movement.; 4/9/08, 12:28 PM
Synova said...: It's long and boring but I think it does work well for those (at least for me and other "square" people?) who are sick and tired of every last thing being an evil plot, or racist, or some other thing and never ever ever a matter of reasoned disagreement.

I know that I'm sort of tired of the idea that there is only one *obvious* answer to any question and it's the liberal one. Anyone who isn't a "bad person" must agree with the liberal view point.

I'm sure I'm not the only person sick of it.; 4/9/08, 1:20 PM
Methadras said...: It's actually a good ad. However, the problem with it is, is that it ascribes to much passivity to continuing the 'argument amongst friends' with respect to how our country should be run. For example, should we really still continue the national discussion on the war when it is clear that the Leftists/Liberals have been wrong about it since the start? What other discussions must we continue to prattle on about as a national talking club instead of a national action club.; 4/9/08, 3:48 PM
rcocean said...: I hated it, but its just the kind of ad that boobish independents love. Interesting that the word "Respect" was flashed over a black man and a woman in a pants suit.

McCain can't attack Obama for anything other than being inexperienced on National defense and Foreign Policy. So he'll be running a lot of soft commercials and "vote for me I'm a war hero" ads.; 4/9/08, 6:05 PM
Synova said...: Boobish independents seem like a good group to target.; 4/9/08, 6:40 PM
Rafique Tucker said...: In terms of substance, it's all true and good, and I'm in total agreement. As an ad, though, it's kind of a snoozer. It goes on too long, and has that "intro to a longer speech" feel to it, as opposed to a brisk campaign ad feel.

He could have said all of this in much shorter time. Good message, bad delivery.; 4/9/08, 10:04 PM
Rafique Tucker said...: To be honest though, knowing that this is an exclusively Internet ad, I think it works, although it is still a bit long.

I'll say again that the message is solid, and one of things many of us left-leaning types respect about McCain.; 4/9/08, 10:17 PM