The video should be viewed by more people to appreciate what G.I.s (past, present, and future) are doing “For US – not themselves”. As a retired (Vietnam vet) I know what Sen. McCain went through and respect him, with all of my being, for being strong enough to survive.

But we should not confuse ones personal hell with their political will.

Go home and build the Fence, John.

Christoph on August 30, 2007 at 12:45 PM

Christoph wins the kewpi doll. Mitts! ad shows him without the polish etc. He did not look plastic or fake. For crying out loud, his hair was actually TOUCHING his forehead!

I’m gonna go through the comments to see if anyone knows why and if not, I’ll enlighten you heathens. ;-)

Jared_MA on August 30, 2007 at 12:24 PM

Heroes don’t wave their own flag in order to become president. The fact that John did it and we all know it is enough. He cannot bury the shamnesty vote by draping himself in his past sacrifices.

JiangxiDad on August 30, 2007 at 11:59 AM

Hey, I got this the second you said it. I was thinking the same thing. I even cringed a bit.

But the person who looks at McCain’s ad here and isn’t impressed with him needs a heart transplant worse than the TinMan ever did. McCain is a Man who will do the right thing when America needs to be defended. And that includes defense against illegal alien thugs.

Subsunk

I kind of like the ad, but I don’t give it 5 stars.

I like that you see him and hear him (as opposed to some of his other ads where there is this creepy voice over and then just a snippet of Mitt). But, as far as delivering a policy message it’s forgettable. I think it’s okay for people who aren’t policy wonks and vote on the Q factor, and there are millions of voters like that.

I do have to laugh that he is doing something “athletic” in this ad, since in “A Mormon in the White House” much is made of the fact that he is not an athlete.

McCain:

I don’t think it is playing to a “sympathy” vote, I think it is meant to demonstrate his courage, and the idea is that he is strong and experienced enough to deal with the enemy (unlike the weaselly and wasckally Democrats).

I think it could be a good reminder to young voters of what the stakes are at wartime, but it’s like a tree falling in the desert in that sense.

As for the length, it must be meant for people like us who are choosing our Party’s candidate. One could easily edit it into a 60 second spot though, and if he got the nomination it would be powerful with the general populace. However, we all know what the meaning of the word “if” is.

After his disastrous Campaign Finance “reform”, his position on immigration, his messing around with our procedures to interrogate the enemy, his membership in the Gang of 14 for Judicial nominees, and his general irascibility, all the ads in the world won’t resurrect him.

I’M 68 YEARS OLD AND RUN LIKE A CHEETAH.

Allahpundit on August 30, 2007 at 1:18 PM

That’s nothing. I run after cheetahs. Oh wait that’s cheeto’s. Never mind.

I don’t think the McCain campaign can afford the airtime…

Ochlan on August 30, 2007 at 2:31 PM

Good point. Now that you mention it, I’m surprised he could even afford to make this ad in the first place, much less air it.

Mitt better hope these ads never get shown together as we’re seeing them here

I don’t think the McCain campaign can afford the airtime…

I remember the entire McCain ad, though–all 12 minutes. I can picture the haunting Vietnam images, the details of his injuries, the Christian guard he encountered, his mothers’ comments, the soldier’s bracelet he wears, etc. That’s a good ad if it sticks with a person that strongly after just one viewing. Still not voting for him, but there’s just no contest between the ads. Mitt better hope these ads never get shown together as we’re seeing them here.

Hahaha. That pretty much covers it.
Allahpundit on August 30, 2007 at 2:20 PM

I don’t know…he left out an important one.

He will drop the banhammer on anyone who:
-suggests slow zombies are inferior to fast zombies
-questions the musical brilliance of The Beatles

Now the list is complete.

He’s 32.
He goes outside once a week for 90 minutes (beer run, probably).
He wants an iphone.
He looks democrats with nice racks.
He has a robot fetish.

I think other than that, he’s a blank slate.

Hahaha. That pretty much covers it.

There’s some info about his jogging in a Times blog. Not sure it’s definitive.

Boy I do. There are miles between him and John Kerry. Spirit of 1776 on August 30, 2007 at 12:39 PM

I agree wholeheartedly! I’ll take a McCain over Kerry ANY day. But not today… Go MITT!

Professor Blather on August 30, 2007 at 1:18 PM

I don’t have it out for Mitt or anything, but that’s actually what I thought when I watched it…

Spirit of 1776 on August 30, 2007 at 1:34 PM

It’d be easy enough to find out if his running is as sincere as his hunting … if he’s a runner, there ought to be some evidence of that.

For example, thanks to the magic of Wikipedia I know that Dubya ran a pretty nice 3:44:52 at the age of 47 in the Houston marathon. And I can see from the same source that back in the day the Pink Sapphire was a pretty decent distance runner; I can also see that Al Gore has always been the same flabby windbag.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_marathoners

So any similar evidence that Romney actually does, you know, run? Not saying he has to have run a marathon, of course. But I’d be happy to find out, after watching that ad, that he does in fact run regularly.

Because to tell the truth, for me personally (I personally believe that, such as) that phony bit with the hunting really spoiled Mitt in my book. That’s exactly the sort of fundamental dishonesty I don’t want in my leaders.

The Mormon thing is insignificant compared to how bothered I was by Romney’s little lie of omission on something so insignificant.

So … Mitt-heads? Does your boy actually run? Or did he take up the sport about five minutes before the cameras rolled?

Enquiring (sic) minds want to know.

St. John’s best chance at the Presidency is to switch parties, or even go Independent. Maverick evough for you? The MSM would eat it up.

was blown away. Very powerful ad.
BadgerHawk on August 30, 2007 at 1:16 PM

Riight. Strawmen blows easily.

He’s 32.
He goes outside once a week for 90 minutes (beer run, probably).
He wants an iphone.
He looks democrats with nice racks.
He has a robot fetish.

I think other than that, he’s a blank slate.