McCain ad: “Dome”
posted at 7:24 am on September 18, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Team McCain returns to traditional economic themes in their latest ad, “Dome”. They hit Barack Obama as being a traditional, doctrinaire liberal who will spend hundreds of billions of dollars and expand federal government — at our expense:
When our economy’s in crisis, a big government casts a big shadow on us all.
Obama and his liberal Congressional allies want a massive government, billions in spending increases, wasteful pork.
And, we would pay — painful income taxes, skyrocketing taxes on life savings, electricity and home heating oil.
Can your family afford that?
The McCain campaign has succeeded in driving this message. In most polling, Obama has lost most of his lead on economic matters, the biggest issue on the minds of voters this year. John McCain has attacked Obama’s strength and succeeded, while Obama has spent most of his time attacking Sarah Palin.
I’m surprised that the McCain campaign didn’t cut an ad about McCain’s attempt to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2005/6 and point out Obama’s inaction on the bill. Maybe that’s coming later, but now is the time to hit that point — while it remains fresh in the minds of the voters.
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tough to watch TV at this point the media has McCain/Palin taking serious fire.
This latest round of polls–which are skewed (CNN and CBS)–are fodder for the talking heads…
They wanted a momentum shift, and they got one, but it will swing back.
joepub on September 18, 2008 at 7:31 AM
this is just plain weak. with ripe targets like the duplicity of fannie and the dems and reid admitting his incompetence, why waste time with weak stuff like this.
get on offense
billypaintbrush on September 18, 2008 at 7:34 AM
They forgot to put lipstick on Obama.
eigafan on September 18, 2008 at 7:37 AM
Can your family afford that?
Not bad,but I think the RNC should of
included Hopeys $25,000 dollar a plate
fundraiser in Hollywood,that was attended
by the Dirty Rotten filthy Rich screen idols!!
And, if Hopey is making backroom deals,like Iraq,
how can he really be trusted to carry out his
policies,he’s saying one thing now,but he’ll do
another!!
canopfor on September 18, 2008 at 7:38 AM
Also true for AP on here.
Tommygun on September 18, 2008 at 7:38 AM
I would prefer an ad where the names Dodd, Raines, Kerry, Frank appear. I want them to start naming names. These people belong in jail for sending the taxpayers of this country down the river.
bopbottle on September 18, 2008 at 7:38 AM
The hard-left faction of the Democrat Party thinks this is the big one, they’re finally storming the Bastille.
We think this is just another dopey election with the stupid bumper stickers and State Fairs and pancake breakfasts.
They think this is a revolution.
Be strong.
jeff_from_mpls on September 18, 2008 at 7:39 AM
Fairly cheap CG work, though. You can tell they knock these out in a matter of hours.
cyclosarin on September 18, 2008 at 7:41 AM
All true. Unfortunately most of the attack can be reflected right back on liberal McCain.
Not to mention McCain has a 25 year history in D.C swimming in big government establishment.
Painful Taxes? Wait until we start paying for those 25 million illegals as bonafide U.S. citizens that McCain is dead set on welcoming with open arms. It’s gonna make the Wall Street debacle look like a broken piggy bank event.
Dumb.
Fletch54 on September 18, 2008 at 7:42 AM
all of McCains ads are starting to look the same…Can’t tell one from the other.
Its time for the debates.
joepub on September 18, 2008 at 7:42 AM
tough to watch TV at this point the media has McCain/Palin taking serious fire.
As you said, it’s skewed.
As someone on an AP topic here pointed out, GOP candidates are often far further down than either of those polls at this time. And as Limbaugh would point out, all the standard political formulas say Hussein should be 20 points ahead.
I make this point over and over, and it bears repeating: We need to keep fighting. I do what I can, and I know for a fact it has impact. McCain has been in tougher fights than this, and won in the end. Palin is truly a Barracuda. She is learning, but no doubt unfazed.
It’s good to be sober and even properly critical. But NEVER give up hope. Our opponents didn’t in 2000, not even after losing the vote, and they almost won. We must–minus their refusal to accept the rule of law–show the same tenacity.
Let the comments–and the cause–continue.
Tommygun on September 18, 2008 at 7:46 AM
If they think I’m just going to sit here while they implement communism, have they got a surprise coming!
Browncoatone on September 18, 2008 at 7:46 AM
Just think how much more taxing will
happen with Changey,if Hopey decides
to add more to goverment like,
Office of the Hope and Change!
Office of The Shall not Talk about Michelle Obama!
Office of the Keep Tabs on Republican’s!!(Snark)haha.
canopfor on September 18, 2008 at 7:48 AM
Can your family afford that?
Not bad.
But I would have preferred:
Develop that theme in later ads. Washington can’t keep the sticky fingers off the trillions it already gets. They spend it on things like an Energy Department with 120,000 workers. Yet we have an “energy crisis”. Huge bureaucracies are supposed to regulate banks and financial institutions. Yet we have a “credit crisis”. And on and on and on….ad nauseum.
jeanneb on September 18, 2008 at 7:51 AM
Thanks for posting this ad. I think it’s good and hope it is widely viewed. For the past two years, we have had a Congress that has done nothing to protect Americans from threats to our national safety and economic security. It is little wonder that Americans have so little faith in Congress.
The threat of the liberal Democrats to our economy and national security is very real. Yet, the MSM seems to hide facts that might be damaging to their liberal allies, while promoting fear, hysteria and liberal propaganda that could damage their Republican opponents, for example,the intense MSM bashing that Governor Palin has been taking.
It’s difficult to win a national election when the national media are opposing you. McCain/Palin cannot rely on fair or balanced treatment from the MSM in the “news” coverage, and the MSM may even attempt to sandbag them in the debates. McCain/Palin have to buy time to get their message across, or find other means to speak to the American people.
Loxodonta on September 18, 2008 at 7:53 AM
McCain will hgain traction as oil continues on a downward spiral. He needs to have Palin do an ad where she explains that “oddly” as the US gets more serious about domestic production the house of Saud makes sure oil goes down, and that that means it is likely in our best interests to have our own production. “I want a 700 billion dollar a year economic stimulus, we call it cheaper domestic energy.
sven10077 on September 18, 2008 at 7:55 AM
What has happened to the McCain campaign? Have they become too concerned about what the media will say to hit Obama?
This is becoming odd to say the least.
Jdripper on September 18, 2008 at 7:55 AM
I now want to see the debates kick into high gear. I am sick of seeing all these campaigns ads on both sides. In Chicago, NBC station WMAQ Channel 5 is now running nothing but Democratic campaign ads to the point I wrote to the station to complain about them being in the tank for one party and have since stopped watching their network. I now want to see McCain get up there in front of a live audience and expose B.O. for the phony Chicago Democratic Machine politician empty suit that he really is!
pilamaye on September 18, 2008 at 7:56 AM
I am optimistic and I also remember that most people in this country are not political animals like many of us who find the internals of obscure polls to be fascinating and/or cause for not sleeping at night.
I do believe that McCain will win and that his advisors have a very good understadning of what is going on. But its like watching a football game and wondering why your team doesn’t continue to run the ball when they are making grat headway…just frustrating.
But we WILL win!
joepub on September 18, 2008 at 7:56 AM
We can count on one thing from the Do Nothing Congress:
Democratic Congress May Adjourn, Leave Crisis to Fed, Treasury
Loxodonta on September 18, 2008 at 8:01 AM
That might make them look pretty bad.
forest on September 18, 2008 at 8:04 AM
When trouble hits of their own making they run and leave it to the gorwn-ups….
then show SanFranNan at a book signing…
sven10077 on September 18, 2008 at 8:04 AM
Harry Reid: This economy is lost.
Loxodonta on September 18, 2008 at 8:09 AM
What is wrong with the McCain campaign?
Here you go:
“Financial markets are in turmoil, and ordinary Americans are suffering…”
(clips showing newspaper headlines, workers leaving Lehman brothers in tears etc)
“What’s Barack Obama’s response? To party with his multi-millionaire supporters in Hollywood…”
(clips of celebrities arriving at parties in limos, flashlights, archive of Obama with celebrities)
“Hollywood looks down its nose at ordinary Americans. It doesn’t feel their pain. And neither does Barack Obama.”
“Barack Obama: out of touch with America, not ready to be president.”
There. How difficult is that? Pull your finger out McCain campaign.
I’m EnglishMike and I approve this message.
EnglishMike on September 18, 2008 at 8:12 AM
Yep. All they did was increase the Democratic percentage to give Obama a lead and then they can talk about the Obama’s bounce from those evil repukes ruining the economy.
You’ll notice real pollsters like Rasmussen still have it even.
lodge on September 18, 2008 at 8:12 AM
I’m afraid if Obama wins this is what America will get.
When the Labor Party (read Democrats) in Australia won the election last year they immediately withdrew some of John Howards tax cuts (sounds familiar?).
And Australia is now grinding into a recession due to the “do nothing” approach of Labor Party.
What more do you expect of the Left? Sounds the same whatever country you live in.
Crux Australis on September 18, 2008 at 8:15 AM
The media polls are absurd. Their constant reporting of daily changes is pure mathematical garbage. Their samples are not representative of the likely voter population and respondents are lying to the pollsters. In most cases the polls are both unreliable and invalid and in some cases intentionally politically biased in favor of a predetermined position. I’m sure that there are some internal polls that are mathematically valid and reasonably predictive, but they do not include the flakey garbage being pumped out by media sources. Ignore them . . . there is only one poll that will matter and that will be conducted in November.
rplat on September 18, 2008 at 8:17 AM
NO, It’s time for the deathmatches!
m064404 on September 18, 2008 at 8:17 AM
Eh. Better than the last one, but not great.
McCain needs to smack Obama over the money he’s gotten from these crumbling financials while it’s fresh.
Make an ad on how Obama spent one of the worst financial days in recent history in Hollywood at a 28k a head dinner with Babs.
Stop being generic and hit Obama hard.
BadgerHawk on September 18, 2008 at 8:19 AM
Instead of a 30 sec ad w/ no specifics, McCain ought to produce a 60 sec one that really nails BO by listing examples of his pork/earmark habits.
jgapinoy on September 18, 2008 at 8:19 AM
I agree. Maybe they’re waiting until the last month to really start attacking hard, but there’s already so much material, I don’t think they can cover it all in 30 days.
Here’s a 15 second spot I’m waiting for on TV and radio:
“‘And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.’ – Senator Barack Obama at a San Francisco big money fundraiser.
I’m John McCain, and I don’t approve of his message”
forest on September 18, 2008 at 8:20 AM
Exactly. It’s not that tough. Chop chop Team McCain.
BadgerHawk on September 18, 2008 at 8:20 AM
Hey EnglishMike, what’s even worse is that the Hollywood shindig was organized by Penny Pritzker. Google “Pritzker Superior collapse” and see how that’s relevant.
DrSteve on September 18, 2008 at 8:23 AM
McCain, make them famous!!!!!!!!!
This is not hard enough!
freeus on September 18, 2008 at 8:23 AM
McCain needs to become ruthless. Trying to be civil when your fighting against the venomous slime of the Democrats and their thugs will only result in defeat. The left intends to win at all costs and only a “balls to the wall” effort will stop them. The opposition is unreasonable and determined and they must be met head on and matched blow for blow.
rplat on September 18, 2008 at 8:24 AM
out of touch with America….
EnglishMike on Sept 18,2008 at 8:12AM.
EnglishMike:I agree,should of shown clips,of the twenty
five thousand dollar plate fund raiser in
Hollywood!!:)
While obama lives rich,the voters can eat cake!!
canopfor on September 18, 2008 at 8:24 AM
Absolutely. Call for investigations to expose Fanniegate! Make the charges and name the names. Fanniegate has knocked us off our game and we must get back on offense.
To regain control of the narrative, McCain should announce that now he supports drilling in ANWR, and zero in on the energy issue from here to November.
petefrt on September 18, 2008 at 8:32 AM
Heck of ah job Dubyah…!
When are you going to muster up enough of that Bush family courage and face the American people to explain your total incompetence…?
J_Gocht on September 18, 2008 at 8:37 AM
Press 1 for English! Well done Mike.
Rovin on September 18, 2008 at 8:39 AM
Talking about competence…?
J_Gocht on September 18, 2008 at 8:45 AM
Barack Obama’s Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Connection<
Loxodonta on September 18, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Do you think McCain should demand these illegals pay back taxes once they become citizens?
csdeven on September 18, 2008 at 8:48 AM
I’m surprised that the McCain campaign didn’t cut an ad about McCain’s attempt to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2005/6 and point out Obama’s inaction on the bill. Maybe that’s coming later, but now is the time to hit that point — while it remains fresh in the minds of the voters.
Yeeesss! When are they going to do this? What is the holdup? They need to do this yesterday.
JohnW on September 18, 2008 at 8:52 AM
I can just hear the Left whining about the “code” in this ad: A dark shadow over America, a black President takes office. Kos-heads: Begin your machinations. Let this ad take off on YouTube.
EMD on September 18, 2008 at 9:01 AM
That was a decent ad — up until the very end where it showed the baby. I mean, really? A baby?
If that’s the playbook they’re gonna use, they should just cut to the chase and run an ad that says “If Obama is elected, this will happen…” and show a picture of a whole bunch of infants followed by one of a mushroom cloud.
McCain’s people can do better than using infants to play on the fears of voters.
I personally think McCain should do a whole series of ads where it’s just him, talking directly to the viewer and laying out his plans for Washington, with specifics.
Harpazo on September 18, 2008 at 9:05 AM
AND, drive home the fact that while Maverick was trying to reform Fannie and Freddie, The One was taking huge campaign contributions from them. AND, that the guilty parties have direct and high-level advisory roles in Obama’s campaign.
This is a very, very target rich area of difference between the two. Team McCain needs to get moving and get it all out there. ALL of it.
GulfCoastBamaFan on September 18, 2008 at 9:05 AM
After 26 years on the Senate Commerce Committee…
“The fundamentals of the economy are strong!”
J_Gocht on September 18, 2008 at 9:12 AM
In the meantime, taxpayers get another wringing at the clothesline to pay for McCain’s grand government bailout economic stimulus vision. So which road to socialism do you want to travel?
Fletch54 on September 18, 2008 at 9:15 AM
Hey Gucci I notice that blame is a unilateral thing and all success is bipartisan in your deluded world…
sven10077 on September 18, 2008 at 9:16 AM
Hey Kvetch did McCain get elected overnight?
Man thank God that’s a load off my mind…
epik phail Kvetch
sven10077 on September 18, 2008 at 9:17 AM
Given that this banking crisis has been coming inevitably for the better part of the last 50 years (it’s the predictable and predicted result — one of several — of Keynesian economics; keep your eyes peeled for rapid currency devaluation next), it is hardly Bush’s fault. Most of the POTUS’s in the latter half of the 20th century were simply putting it off. He simply had the poor fortune to be in office when it finally started to spill over. Granted, his home-ownership push didn’t help, but it’s hardly the cause.
Idiots and moonbats (repeating myself) bleat about how BooshyChimpHitler-burton has ruined everything with his nefarious genius-incompetance. Adults consider facts soberly and thoughtfully.
Harpazo on September 18, 2008 at 9:19 AM
“ALL of it…?”
Perhaps NOT…!
J_Gocht on September 18, 2008 at 9:21 AM
THE ALL CAPSLOCK ELECTION!!!!
Loxodonta on September 18, 2008 at 9:23 AM
The fundamentals of the economy ARE strong. You can not refute that. The fundamentals are our workforce, our entrepreneurship, and hard work ethic. This is a true statement. What has screwed up the economy are the non-fundamentals; government involvement, vis-a-vis Fannie/Freddie for instance.
carbon_footprint on September 18, 2008 at 9:24 AM
And in this particular economic crisis, which candidate proposed reforms to address these issues?
McCain.
Which candidate failed to support such reforms?
Obama.
And which candidate has the most financial and staff ties to the failed institutions?
Obama.
Loxodonta on September 18, 2008 at 9:26 AM
sven baby, both you and I know the big dog gets the blame.
Remember what Harry said; “The buck stops here.”
You cain’t have it no other way… It wouldn’ be prudent.
J_Gocht on September 18, 2008 at 9:31 AM
Yep. John “Cleared” McCain should get it all out there.
Show the world that a man who hasn’t been in the Senate two years has managed to come in #2 on the list of lawmakers receiving the most money from Fannie and Freddie over the last decade.
Greed.
GulfCoastBamaFan on September 18, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Yep, a baby. One that wasn’t forced to be born prematurely and left to die in a soiled linen closet in a Chicago hospital. One of those.
The Monster on September 18, 2008 at 9:35 AM
I agree with Ed’s last thought. Here’s how the ad should go.
http://myriadscreed.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/my-suggestion-for-mccains-new-ad/
Claypigeon on September 18, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Not a bad ad, but it could hit harder. Sarah Palin, during her interview with Sean Hannity last night, did say that Obama had 94 opportunities to vote on taxes, and voted 94 times either to raise taxes or against tax cuts. With Obama claiming that he wants to cut taxes for 95% of Americans, McCain/Palin need to hit home on what Obama has DONE, not what he SAYS.
I agree with other posters that, during this financial crisis, McCain needs to hit three themes in his ads:
1) McCain introduced a bill to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2005, but was voted down by the Democrats–in other words, HE saw this coming, but the Democrats, led by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, thwarted him.
2) Harold Raines, Jamie Gorelick, and Jim Johnson made tens of millions of dollars mis-managing Fannie Mae with taxpayer money, and are all working for Obama. Can voters trust Obama to reform Fannie Mae?
McCain needs to name names here, like Sean Hannity does!!!
3) Over the last 20 years, Obama has the second highest campaign contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac of anyone in Congress, and he’s only been in Congress 4 years.
Can voters trust Obama to reform them, when he’s been bought by those who ripped off the taxpayers?
Steve Z on September 18, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Explain how this is Bush’s fault, J.
Chuck Schick on September 18, 2008 at 9:38 AM
Hey Gocht, copying and pasting articles seems to be your forte. Ever have an original thought? By the way, here’s a little something you forgot to paste from the article …..
It was written by Roger Altman.
He is currently chairman and chief executive of Evercore Partners and was deputy US Treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton. He was a co-head of investment banking and a board member at Lehman Brothers in the 1980s.
HAHAHAHA. You lose again.
fogw on September 18, 2008 at 9:40 AM
One afterthought about the recent national polls–we’re not seeing the same swings toward Obama in state polls. Hurricane Ike knocked out power in much of East Texas, including the oil-refining area, which generally votes heavily Republican. If national pollsters couldn’t call that area, it could have provoked a Democrat skew in national polls, which wouldn’t be reflected in state polls outside Texas.
Steve Z on September 18, 2008 at 9:43 AM
Checking it out now – but you need to lose the quotes on the Google search, or else the only result is your comment!
EnglishMike on September 18, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Looks like every other ad we’ve seen over the past 40 years. This isn’t going to change the mind of anyone in the last 4% of the populace.
Mr_Magoo on September 18, 2008 at 10:05 AM
This is a good ad. Keep it simple and keep it focused on taxes. Voters know that every new President pushes a big tax bill, and the more they fear higher taxes under Obama the better off McCain is. I also like tying Obama to the unpopular Democratic Congress. The tax issue is what has pulled McCain even in this race, whether we like it or not. He is not going to win by pointing out that Obama took a bunch of money from Fannie Mae.
The vast majority of Americans are not seriously affected by the financial markets meltdown. They are affected by higher taxes and higher gas prices.
This is also going to keep driving the Obama campaign and its pals in the media nuts. They keep trying to fact-check these tax ads and McCain is running them anyway. Which do you think resonates more with avreage voters: “That guy wants to raise your taes” or “that guy has a bunch of lobbyists running his campaign”?
rockmom on September 18, 2008 at 10:07 AM
That’s a good ad. The creeping shadow of the Capitol dome is an effective visual IMO.
CliffHanger on September 18, 2008 at 10:07 AM
I see a lot of darkness in that ad…looks like a “code ad” for racism…says Sebelius (will someone get her a step stool?)
right2bright on September 18, 2008 at 10:13 AM
He is infamous at these “quotes” but never stating where they are from.
His posts are just the masturbation of other peoples thoughts.
right2bright on September 18, 2008 at 10:16 AM
I’m waiting impatiently for this one too. It should be the talking point of his campaign right now.
Buy Danish on September 18, 2008 at 10:17 AM
I don’t know, I think the baby was a good touch. It reminded me of MoveOn’s “Don’t take Baby Alex” ad, except I immediately thought “Don’t take Baby Alex’s electricity”:)
Buy Danish on September 18, 2008 at 10:25 AM
There has to be something each of us can do to help. I’ve just emailed the SW Florida liason for McCain/Palin to ask what I can do.
They will need all the help we can give them, especially in these battleground states.
Marybeth on September 18, 2008 at 10:29 AM
I have a problem with “not ready to be president.”
It implies that there would be some point in the future when Obama would not make a disastrous president.
Count to 10 on September 18, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Good point. I’ve been trying to figure out what happened that Obama suddenly shot up in the polls. Is that a large enough portion of the population?
Count to 10 on September 18, 2008 at 10:37 AM
He hasn’t “shot up in the polls”. It’s called a BOUNCE because it goes UP and then back down.
Watch the campaigns, not the polls. Obama’s campaign is still in retreat. It has not secured its own base yet. It is hemorrhaging money.
rockmom on September 18, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Nice ad. I like the ominous shadow cast by the Capitol over the typical suburbs.
doppelganglander on September 18, 2008 at 11:27 AM
I am just baffled that they haven’t done that yet, when it is such an obvious winner for McCain. Steve Schmidt, you need to get on top of this!
thirteen28 on September 18, 2008 at 11:43 AM
What a racist ad. Capitol Dome. Teapot Dome Scandal. Teapots are filled using kettles. Kettles are black. Pots are black. Blacks smoke pot. I think the racist reasoning in this ad is obvious for all to see. Crackers!
andycanuck on September 18, 2008 at 11:53 AM
VERY effective add. Especially the dome shadow covering the baby. This add is a plus.
The add focuses on Big Government Obama.
Sapwolf on September 18, 2008 at 1:25 PM
I agree that they need another add on Fred/Fan and links to O-man.
Sapwolf on September 18, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Hey foggy, I have a rather difficult and challenging row to hoe here, keeping you wingnuts on the straight and narrow.
If I don’t document or second source everything I write; I’m accused of being a contemptible, despicable, dammed liar and piece of fresh dog excrement.
I link, so you wouldn’t have to tax your scatological vocabulary; just for you foggy…!
BTW: You too r2b2…! ;)
J_Gocht on September 18, 2008 at 2:50 PM
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