McCain hits Obama on energy in new ad
Jonathan Martin's Blog — Launching his second negative ad since Friday, John McCain is going up on the air with a spot taking aim at Obama over high gas prices.   It is running in the same set of swing states in which he's been on for weeks. "Who can you thank for rising prices at the pump?" asks the narrator. Cue the adulatory Obama chant. Then the closing line: "Don't hope for more energy, vote for it." As with his baby boomer throwback ad of a few weeks ago, It's a way of using the Democrat's fervent backing against him (if also acknowledging his rock star ...

McCain Targets Obama on Gas Prices in New TV Spot
The Page by Mark Halperin — The 30-second ad criticizes the Illinois Senator for opposing offshore drilling, says “Don’t hope for more energy, vote for it.” Also asks, “Who can you thank for rising prices at the pump?” while others chant “Obama, ...

McCain: 'Pump'
Ben Smith's Blog — "Who can you thank for rising prices at the pump?" the ad asks, answering with an image of a grinning Obama, with the chant "Obama, Obama" in the background. The point of the ad is that Obama opposes offshore drilling, as McCain used to; though Pelosi is the one who blocked a measure that would have opened more land to it. (I'm not sure the continuing lack of offshore drilling can really be blamed for "rising" prices; some suggest it could slightly reduce the rise.) UPDATE: In response, an Obama aide sends over this link to a recent McCain speech: "Let me give ...

New McCain Ad: Barack Obama To Blame For Gas Crisis
TPM Election Central — This is interesting. The McCain campaign, which has long thought it holds an advantage on foreign policy issues, is shifting the focus to domestic concerns with a new ad blaming the gas crisis on Barack Obama... The ad, which will run on national cable and in "key states" (no further details given), reflects the fact that the McCain campaign believes it has staked out an advantage on the gas-crisis issue. The Dem polling firm Democracy Corps recently concluded: "McCain's message adding domestic oil production to a policy of alternative ...

"Pump"
Hotline On Call Part Deux — New John McCain television spot running on national cable and in unspecified "key states." A female narrator notes that with gas prices hitting as much as $5 a gallon, "some in Washington are still saying no to drilling in America. No to independence from foreign oil. Who can you thank for rising prices at the pump? Obama, Obama." Script available after the jump. Script For "Pump" (TV :30) ANNCR: Gas prices - $4, $5, no end in sight, because some in Washington are still saying no to drilling in America. No to ...

New McCain Ad: Obama To Blame For High Gas Prices
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — John McCain is out with a new campaign ad (his second attack spot in less than a week) with a message that is hardly discreet: Barack Obama is to blame for skyrocketing gas prices. The spot, entitled "Pump," will air on national cable and in key states according to the campaign. And it is a doozy. Opening with a picture of a solitary pump -- for some reason positioned in the middle of a river -- a narrator chimes in: "Gas prices -- $4, $5, no end in sight, because some in Washington are still saying no to drilling in America. No to independence from foreign oil. Who can you thank for rising prices at the ...

New John McCain Television Ad - Don’t HOPE for More Energy, Vote For It
FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog — The Latest John McCain television ad - “Pump” John McCain has targeted Barack Obama in his latest television ad, “PUMP.” The script: ANNCR: Gas prices - $4, $5, no end in sight, because some in ...

"Drill More"
The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan — By Patrick Appel McCain's new energy ad:

Idiocy Watch: McCain blames Obama for high gas prices in new ad
Political Animal — Several recent polls show Americans believe Barack Obama is better prepared to deal with energy prices than John McCain, and given the importance of the issue on the minds of voters, the McCain campaign has decided to rely on a tried-and-true method of campaigning: lie like a rug. Here’s McCain’s latest television ad: For those who can’t watch clips online, the ad starts with an announcer explaining, “Gas prices — $4, $5, no end in sight, because some in Washington are still saying no to drilling in America. No to independence from ...

Shots from the Show
Tammy Bruce — **This post will be updated throughout the show** Here's your during-the-show linkage to material mentioned/discussion/torn to pieces/given the baby shake. I have a posted a stand-alone piece on the circuit court's decision to reverse the CBS 'wardrobe malfunction' fine. President Bush hosts the US Olympic athletes. The games, set in that genocidal pit of Beijing, are a mere 17 days away. The New York Times rejects a McCain editorial less than a week after they run an Obama editorial about Iraq. They insist McCain change his essay to ...

McCain Ohio TV Ad Hits Obama On Gas
Hyscience — McCain TV ad for Ohio hits Obama with great take away line: "Don't hope for more energy, vote for it." HT - Politicker.com ...

New McCain Ad On Gas Prices Contradicts McCain
Wonk Room — Our guest blogger is Adam Jentleson, the Communications and Outreach Director for the Hyde Park Project at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. McCain has a new ad up that claims offshore drilling will lower the price of gas. Referring to McCain, it says, “One man knows we must now drill more in America and rescue our family budgets.” In response to the ad, Progressive Accountability highlights the 28 lobbyists (plus one) to whom McCain has outsourced his energy policy. Watch it: McCain ...

McCain Desperation Watch
Political Animal — [image] McCAIN DESPERATION WATCH.... Is the McCain campaign losing it? In an ad today about spiraling gasoline prices, the narrator asks portentiously: "Who can you thank for rising prices at the pump?" This is accompanied by the picture on the right and background noise of a crowd chanting "Obama! Obama!" Are they serious? They're going to try to convince the American public that Barack Obama is responsible for $4 gasoline? Or is this one of those pseudo-ads that never really gets aired anywhere and is released just to see if it can get some press attention from suckers like me? Regardless, this is really lame.— Kevin ...

The Futility of Hope...
Power Line — ...as an energy policy: the McCain campaign came out with this terrific ad today, blasting Obama for his adamant opposition to developing our domestic petroleum resources: The ad is running on broadcast TV in eleven swing states and on cable nationwide. They can't run it often enough, as far as I'm concerned.

Straight Talk on Gasoline
Matthew Yglesias — John McCain's new ad says that Barack Obama's refusal to open America's coastline to drilling is to blame for high gas prices: They say nobody ever went wrong underestimating the intelligence of the voting public, but it is staggering that you can't find any credible people anywhere prepared to argue that McCain's drilling schemes will bring any short-term relief from high gas prices or that the long-run price reductions would be anything other than tiny. Meanwhile, it's McCain who has no plan to help bolster alternative fuels and no plan to bolster alternatives ...

Idiocy Watch: McCain blames Obama for high gas prices in new ad
Crooks and Liars — Several recent polls show Americans believe Barack Obama is better prepared to deal with energy prices than John McCain, and given the importance of the issue on the minds of voters, the McCain campaign has decided to rely on a tried-and-true method of campaigning: lie like a rug. Here’s McCain’s latest television ad: ...

Don’t Hope For It, Vote For It
Say Anything — Although it points to Obama, who represents the party, if you take it to mean the party he does and will continue to represent, the ad is spot on! Hat tip Hot Air Cross Posted at Proof Positive ...

Don’t Hope For It, Vote For It
Say Anything — Although it points to Obama, who represents the party, if you take it to mean the party he does and will continue to represent, the ad is spot on! Hat tip Hot Air Cross Posted at Proof Positive ...

Instapundit — DOMESTIC DRILLING: Pump TV. I think this will have some traction.

McCAIN AD: “DON’T HOPE FOR MORE ENERGY, VOTE FOR IT”
PoliticsTV.com » Page not found — John McCain ad says Barack Obama is to blame for rise of gas at the pump.

End Dependence On Foreign Oil
Dean's World — There’s one of the better reasons to support Senator McCain. It is ridiculous that we refuse to drill in America, which would not only help lower prices on gas but would also generate jobs. It’s also more eco-friendly to do it that way rather than ship it across oceans in tankers. ...

This Is Going To Hurt
Classical Values — This Is Going To Hurt H/T Instapundit

7/22: All About Iraq
Blogometer — July 22, 2008 7/22: All About Iraq Iraq remains the dominant topic in the political blogosphere today following the announcement by the Iraqi government that it hopes the U.S. will withdraw its troops by 2010 -- which is "roughly the same time frame laid out by Barack Obama " . Liberal bloggers were delighted by this development, which they believe is politically devastating to John McCain . They think that McCain -- who has repeatedly argued against timetables -- is "now all but forced to concede to Obama's stand on the timing of withdrawal" . Conservative bloggers, on the other ...

McCain Blames Obama for Rising Gas Prices
TalkLeft — I had the tv on in the background and this new ad came on. On my TV, the "Obama, Obama, Obama" (in response to the question, who's to blame for rising gas prices, was louder than it is in the video released by the McCain campaign. It's clever to use real Obama supporters as the chanters but will anyone buy that Obama is responsible for ourrent high gas prices? A better argument (although also not true)would have been that if elected, Obama won't make prices go down. As a Senator, and one who has rarely been there to cast votes the last year and a half, ...

There Isn't Too Much Else to Say . . .
Little Miss Attila — There Isn't Too Much Else to Say . . . Got it via Insty.

McCain's Sloppy Attacks
The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan — By Patrick Appel Dickerson thinks McCain attack on Obama over gas prices shows a lack of discipline: McCain is attacking too much and indiscriminately. The barrage undermines his brand, takes time away from telling voters what he might do for them, and looks awfully old-timey in a year when voters want a new brand. He should go on the offensive, yes, but in targeted forays...Perhaps McCain could go after Obama more often and more vehemently, as the goaders would have it, if he were better at it. But most of the time he's not. When he's angry, he can be withering, but that's ...

New McCain Ad: 'Don't Hope For More Energy - Vote For It'
Hyscience — Simple and straight forward:

The New and Improved John McCain
Pajamas Media — The arrival of ex-Bush campaign wiz Steve Schmidt has breathed new life into the candidate's moribund efforts. [image] A month ago Republican insiders were in a tizzy about the McCain campaign. They complained that John McCain had no winning domestic message, lacked focus and had come up with a decentralized structure destined to flounder. Rather than maximizing his relations with the media, McCain seemed in a losing war with the MSM. McCain did make a change, but not one that most Republicans expected. Campaign Manager Charlie Black was kicked upstairs to a general oversight role and Steve Schmidt, former ...

The Slime of the Ancient Mariner
Balloon Juice — Just a quick update on the “respectful campaign” being run by St. John McCain. This all happened in the last week: 1.) Released a ridiculous ad claiming Obama was responsible for high gas prices: ...

Tracey: Small buy for two negative ads
Ben Smith's Blog — John McCain's current message is heavily focused on Obama's national security credentials, his canceled troop visit in German, and in general on pushing back against the wave of good press and good images that came out of Obama's trip. But McCain's television advertising campaign doesn't seem to be matching that message. Both his first foreign policy attack, released at the beginning of Obama's trip, and the hard-hitting latest spot, appear to be directed almost entirely at the media and insiders. The new ad has been aired in the Washington, D.C. and Denver, Evan Tracey, who tracks media buys at ...

John McCain: Webster’s Definition of Hypocrisy
The Great Plains Observer — Soon after I moved my blogging efforts from my old site to this one, I had a few people ask me why I switched. Besides the fact that I felt the definition of a moderate in South Dakota had changed so much it no longer applied to me, my 3 year run digging deeply into the political process had opened my eyes to just how much hypocrisy was being displayed by politicians and that realization gave me a whole new direction to follow. That position was further solidified when something wonderful happened, John McCain won the GOP primary. Almost daily McCain gives me fodder for the blog, you know the Obama attack ad that blamed him ...

Looks Like McCain Scored a Direct Hit
The Corner on National Review Online — Tuesday, July 29, 2008 [image] Looks Like McCain Scored a Direct Hit [ Mark Hemingway ] The Mrs. and I like to watch Jeopardy! at night. Northern Virginia's a pretty heated battleground in the presidential race, so in our TV market there are usually political commercials. Anyway, Obama's now running an ad specifically refuting McCain's ad attacking him for opposing domestic oil drilling. McCain's ad must have hurt. The rebuttal didn't strike me as a very good ad. (You can watch it here .) Apparently, Obama's going to crack down on those evil "oil speculators." I doubt the average voter has the slightest ...

Live by the Poll, Die by the Poll
The American Spectator — According to a poll conducted June 18-19, Barack Obama had a15-point lead over John McCain. A poll conducted July 25-27, however, showed McCain with a 4-point lead over the Democrat. Given this 19-point swing in favor of the Republican candidate over a period of 38 days, if the trend continues at the current rate, on what date will Obama's support reach zero? (Extra credit: If the Democrat gets no votes, will McCain get 100 percent? If not, please estimate the percentage of the total popular vote that will be won by Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney and Ralph Nader.) While you run through those equations with your ...

The McCain Ad Strategy
Sound Politics — The McCain Ad Strategy A couple recent ads from John McCain's campaign have drawn much fire from the MSM, which has declared their content unfair and too snarky. First, the latest one: Now, the precursor with a similar theme: These ads turn comfortable conventional wisdom on its ear. Indeed, the lovable maverick of 2000 would never say such things about the Second Coming Barack Obama. Yet, this election only turns John McCain's way if he pops the protective bubble of Obama's celebrity. This will grate on some people, even some Republicans like former McCain advisor John Weaver ...

Cindy McCain: "My Husband Is Absolutley Opposed To Any Negative Campaigning At All"
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — In a recently unearthed clip of Cindy McCain she makes the claim "none of this negative stuff, you won't see that come out of our side at all." This statement would prove untrue, as the Senator would release not, one, not two, not three, but four negative ads. Watch Mrs. McCain and the negative ads below: ...

The McCain Strategy: From Autobiography To Attack
The Huffington Post | Full News Feed — There is no doubt: in the past few weeks John McCain has made a conscious decision to run a negative, personalized campaign against Barack Obama. A campaign that was once focused on pushing the biographic attributes of its own candidate has now become almost uniquely intent on tearing down the opponent. This reading is objective. In the past month, the McCain campaign has launched ten web and television advertisements. The first two spots were almost entirely devoted to McCain. The last eight contained only three brief mentions of the Arizona Republican. Indeed, of the 16 minutes and 35 seconds of space that these eight ...

Is Obama’s Victory a Statistical Certainty?
The American Spectator — Analogies from sports are often employed to describe the competitive clash of politics and I've used a baseball metaphor myself to describe the current presidential campaign. However, my eyebrows were raised when I learned that Internet poll guru Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight (538 = total number of Electoral College votes) comes to political punditry from a background of baseball statistics . (See the Newsweek article here .) The real problem with this is that, unlike the cold reality of baseball statistics, campaign polls are a flawed instrument that yield only an approximation of public opinion ...

Test Your Damned McCain Narratives
Open Left - Front Page — Various insiders are now fretting about Obama's campaign strategy going off course, and are doing what insiders do, which is to recommend shifts in how the campaign operates.  My guess is that, as with Gore and Kerry, at this point no one is in charge of the Obama campaign, there are too many competing fiefdoms for message discipline to work.  That's why lobbying on the inside doesn't really work for things like message changes on a Presidential level. ...