McCain ad: Lies and Sighs
posted at 10:10 am on October 3, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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It didn’t take the McCain campaign long to generate a new ad from last night’s debate. Titled “Lies and Sighs”, the ad mostly hits Joe Biden for his flat-out untruths, but detours at the end into a complaint about deportment:
I’m less concerned about Biden’s exhalations, and even then, in this case, it sounds more like an inhalation. The ad was more effective when it focused on Biden’s fabrications, and it isn’t as though that was a limited resource. According to the list at the McCain Report, the campaign’s official blog, they had 14 to use:
1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted “the exact same way” as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.
2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.
3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, “Drill we must.” But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to “raping” the Outer Continental Shelf.”
4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it’s passage.
5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he’s always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.
6. ALERNATIVE ENERGY VOTES: According to FactCheck.org, Biden is exaggerating and overstating John McCain’s record voting for alternative energy when he says he voted against it 23 times.
7. HEALTH INSURANCE: Biden falsely said McCain will raise taxes on people’s health insurance coverage — they get a tax credit to offset any tax hike. Independent fact checkers have confirmed this attack is false
8. OIL TAXES: Biden falsely said Palin supported a windfall profits tax in Alaska — she reformed the state tax and revenue system, it’s not a windfall profits tax.
9. AFGHANISTAN / GEN. MCKIERNAN COMMENTS: Biden said that top military commander in Iraq said the principles of the surge could not be applied to Afghanistan, but the commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force Gen. David D. McKiernan said that there were principles of the surge strategy, including working with tribes, that could be applied in Afghanistan.
10. REGULATION: Biden falsely said McCain weakened regulation — he actually called for more regulation on Fannie and Freddie.
11. IRAQ: When Joe Biden lied when he said that John McCain was “dead wrong on Iraq”, because Joe Biden shared the same vote to authorize the war and differed on the surge strategy where they John McCain has been proven right.
12. TAX INCREASES: Biden said Americans earning less than $250,000 wouldn’t see higher taxes, but the Obama-Biden tax plan would raise taxes on individuals making $200,000 or more.
13. BAILOUT: Biden said the economic rescue legislation matches the four principles that Obama laid out, but in reality it doesn’t meet two of the four principles that Obama outlined on Sept. 19, which were that it include an emergency economic stimulus package, and that it be part of “part of a globally coordinated effort with our partners in the G-20.”
14. REAGAN TAX RATES: Biden is wrong in saying that under Obama, Americans won’t pay any more in taxes then they did under Reagan.
Ever since Al Gore lost the debate to George Bush with his exaggerated gestures of impatience, partisans on both sides have conducted a Sigh Watch. Most people don’t care about it unless it becomes obvious, as it did in 2000, when Gore clearly wanted to communicate that Bush didn’t belong on the stage with Gore’s gigantic intellect. Otherwise, a sigh is just a sigh — and it’s the fundamental things that apply as time goes by.
Stick to the fabrications and drop the Sigh Watch. Fortunately, Biden has given Team McCain plenty of ammunition in the days ahead.
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The sigh was noticeable in the debate. But I don’t think it’s ad worthy, it’s water-cooler worthy.
Spirit of 1776 on October 3, 2008 at 10:14 AM
“Of all the VP debates in the world, she walks into mine.”
BigD on October 3, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Rove had a list of 10 errors made by Biden.
This needed to have all 10.
Borislav on October 3, 2008 at 10:15 AM
The democrats have made me crazy, ’round the bend, off my rocker, over the cliff, with help from the republicans.
Screw it, burn baby burn. Lets hear that fiddle music.
rockhauler on October 3, 2008 at 10:19 AM
i’d have rather seen two more lies – than the sighs. but it harkens back to al gore’s immaturity. i think that’s where they were probably heading with it.
darkegop on October 3, 2008 at 10:19 AM
That sigh part of the ad was goofy. Biden was just taking a deep breath to relieve stress.
jgapinoy on October 3, 2008 at 10:19 AM
A ground-rule double.
Ditch the sighing, keep the “lies vs. truth”.
Also, enough with the video playing on TVs or computers.
JUST SHOW THE %&*#$@ VIDEO STRAIGHT UP!!!!
Religious_Zealot on October 3, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Now when are they going to hit Obambi in the same way?
NeighborhoodCatLady on October 3, 2008 at 10:21 AM
They could show Ifill stopping Palin three times to help Biden escape Gaffs. Even helping him mid-sentence once.
Or asking “followup” help Biden questions.
Best of all they Could quote Palin “White flag of defeat”.
Ah forget the first two for adds. To hard.
Steveangell on October 3, 2008 at 10:21 AM
A great line: “By the way Joe, it is Drill Baby Drill…”
right2bright on October 3, 2008 at 10:22 AM
I am a lot more impressed with Palin now, she held her own and more, let’s get them into office (Mac and Palin)
foxone on October 3, 2008 at 10:22 AM
They need an ad with Palin’s “never again” line. And with McCain saying “change is coming”?
D0WNT0WN on October 3, 2008 at 10:23 AM
good lol!
maverick muse on October 3, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Does the McCain campaign not proofread its (note: no apostrophe) press releases?
hicsuget on October 3, 2008 at 10:24 AM
She did a wonderful job and I’m sure there were tears of joy from supporters all over the country.
I still like Joe and would LOVE to spend a day hanging out with him, say January, when he’s BACK in the Senate.
originalpechanga on October 3, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Biden had about 27 gaffes in the last two weeks that went totally unnoticed and unreported by the MSM.
I guess he thought it was safe to just stand there and lie his arse off in front of the 60 million viewers.
I thought Palin did a terrific job last night, but was disappointed she didn’t lay into him when he gave her a few openings. I wish she had nailed him on his suggestion of partitioning Iraq, while McCain was calling for a surge. The surge has worked, partitioning would only have fueled a bloody civil war over there.
Final Score ….. Hockey Mom 1, Lying Lawyer 0
fogw on October 3, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Niiiiice. lol
csdeven on October 3, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Give ‘em time, you don’t want to pack an ad with too much info or the particulars will get lost. Death by a thousand ads can be applied against Biden and Ostupid.
Bishop on October 3, 2008 at 10:26 AM
According to McCain’s people:
1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted “the exact same way” as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.
2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.
3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, “Drill we must.” But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to “raping” the Outer Continental Shelf.”
4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it’s passage.
5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he’s always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.
6. ALERNATIVE ENERGY VOTES: According to FactCheck.org, Biden is exaggerating and overstating John McCain’s record voting for alternative energy when he says he voted against it 23 times.
7. HEALTH INSURANCE: Biden falsely said McCain will raise taxes on people’s health insurance coverage — they get a tax credit to offset any tax hike. Independent fact checkers have confirmed this attack is false
8. OIL TAXES: Biden falsely said Palin supported a windfall profits tax in Alaska — she reformed the state tax and revenue system, it’s not a windfall profits tax.
9. AFGHANISTAN / GEN. MCKIERNAN COMMENTS: Biden said that top military commander in Iraq said the principles of the surge could not be applied to Afghanistan, but the commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force Gen. David D. McKiernan said that there were principles of the surge strategy, including working with tribes, that could be applied in Afghanistan.
10. REGULATION: Biden falsely said McCain weakened regulation — he actually called for more regulation on Fannie and Freddie.
11. IRAQ: When Joe Biden lied when he said that John McCain was “dead wrong on Iraq”, because Joe Biden shared the same vote to authorize the war and differed on the surge strategy where they John McCain has been proven right.
12. TAX INCREASES: Biden said Americans earning less than $250,000 wouldn’t see higher taxes, but the Obama-Biden tax plan would raise taxes on individuals making $200,000 or more.
13. BAILOUT: Biden said the economic rescue legislation matches the four principles that Obama laid out, but in reality it doesn’t meet two of the four principles that Obama outlined on Sept. 19, which were that it include an emergency economic stimulus package, and that it be part of “part of a globally coordinated effort with our partners in the G-20.”
14. REAGAN TAX RATES: Biden is wrong in saying that under Obama, Americans won’t pay any more in taxes then they did under Reagan.
jgapinoy on October 3, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Who is the ass clown doing these ads? I have no problem with the content but the production needs to be more innovative if you ask me. Get rid of the booming narrator. Just show Biden making a statement then show how it was a lie. Repeat. Get an average person to narrate these things.
Show Biden making the statement that Obama said he wouldn’t meet with Ahmedinejad follwed by Obama saying yes. Repeat. Repeat again. Can the cheesy narration, please. Make it simple but visually powerful.
Make the ads more interesting thematically and more people will talk about them. These types of ads are a dime a dozen and people forget them 10 minutes after they see them.
McCain needs IMPACT ads. Gianna Jenssen made an impact. McCain needs ads that carry a message of that magnitude to capture the imagination of swing voters.
Just my $.02
Metro on October 3, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I agree but that would have only given 6 seconds per lie for a one minute spot.
carbon_footprint on October 3, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Libs are spinning the Iran thing again, that DinnerJacket has no power and its really the Mullah’s that do. Therefor nothing wrong with meeting with DinnerJacket without pre-conditions
jp on October 3, 2008 at 10:36 AM
the sighs are for the PUMAs
funky chicken on October 3, 2008 at 10:37 AM
None of this really matters. Biden can lie all he wants and those that are already going to vote for Obama will still vote for Obama. Facts stopped mattering a long time ago.
Those who are going to vote for McCain will still vote for McCain.
Those in the middle, the undecideds, either will not take the time to sort out the truth from the fiction offered from the Obama campaign, or the lies don’t really matter to them anymore because they have become so commonplace. They will finally, in the end, vote on emotion.
This election, and it’s outcome, will be decided by emotional factors. Ads that touch the emotions, as opposed to those that parse the lies, will effect that slim margin of victory that lies in the hands of the undecided.
Yoop on October 3, 2008 at 10:37 AM
I don’t think this was really much of a sigh… there was a sigh that was extremely audible when Palin was speaking. I’ll have to go back to the tapes to find it.
Abby Adams on October 3, 2008 at 10:37 AM
I thought the “You can tell I am not from Washington” line was pretty effective.
For her to keep reminding people she is not an attorney, or a beltway elitist, is nothing but gold.
Biden? he should be slick he has spent his life in the beltway, he is an attorney…and nothing wrong with pointing that out, time and time again.
right2bright on October 3, 2008 at 10:37 AM
“You despise me, don’t you, Sarah?”
“If I thought about you, I’d despise you, Joe.”
Ed Morrissey on October 3, 2008 at 10:40 AM
After carefull deliberation on all the Lie’s that Biden said last night during the debate, all that I can say is once again Ed and the RNC show their Racism against people with plugs in their hair.
cmptrnerd on October 3, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Is Pennsylvania still in play as a “battleground state”? It seems McCains team should be playing that Biden video daily in that state for the next thirty days.
Rovin on October 3, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Where is the list of Palin mistakes? I’d like to send out both to friends/family as a factual educational primer.
The only one that jumped out at me was when Palin said “we aren’t giving tax breaks to oil companies.” This is actually false, but it is also one of the big things that I wish Team McCain would jump on. McCain wants to give tax breaks to ALL ‘companies,’ oil companies are ‘companies’ but Team Obama is just singling them out to ram home more hatred about the evil big oil firms and their 4-5% profit margins.
Maybe Team McCain could runs adds saying that Obama/Biden are against taxes for baby food manufacturers and sports franchises. After all, they are ‘companies’ too.
cannonball on October 3, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Lies, and Sighs… and Cries!
andycanuck on October 3, 2008 at 10:43 AM
They rushed it out so fast they forgot to spell check it. It’s “exaggerate” not “exagerrate.”
Laura on October 3, 2008 at 10:44 AM
The only mistake on Palin I heard was a really weak one by Colmes. He said that she was off by 3000 troops on the pre surge level.
cmptrnerd on October 3, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Here’s the ad they should be running:
Part of the “Ready To Lead?” series, just open with the logo and the announcer asking “Is Barack Obama ready to lead?”, then this section from last night’s debate:
(Probably just the highlighted part).
In CNN’s transcripts it’s in the “Heartbeat Away” section, Joe’s fifth response up from the bottom.
KCSteve on October 3, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Nice ad; the first half, anyway.
What gets me is people who lie when they don’t have to lie. Obama’s “base” think Bush is the world’s biggest terrorist, so why cover for Obambi? Hell, they’d rather have Ahmadinejad in office than McCain anyway. So why piss away whatever credibility you have left to “unsay” what his supporters want to hear anyway?
saint kansas on October 3, 2008 at 10:45 AM
I don’t like the use of the word “lies” in politics.
MayBee on October 3, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
madmonkphotog on October 3, 2008 at 10:48 AM
I agree with you. It did start to bother me though after awhile. Couldn’t he have moved his mouth away from the mic?
Esthier on October 3, 2008 at 10:48 AM
I agree, put more lies in. The last part was to long. But, it is hard hitting. Also, did you notice she called him Obiden?
reshas1 on October 3, 2008 at 10:52 AM
My husband caught that.
Esthier on October 3, 2008 at 10:54 AM
He list is also missing the big time flubup about the constitution that Biden made
ConservativePartyNow on October 3, 2008 at 10:57 AM
My wife is very non-political and she noticed that Biden was sighing alot
ConservativePartyNow on October 3, 2008 at 10:58 AM
It was hard not to. It really started getting annoying towards the end.
Esthier on October 3, 2008 at 11:03 AM
I thought Palin did great last night. The MSM can’t take away what the American People saw with their own eyes. But
I think they need to be running much stronger ads then this. The stupid polls have McCain down my an average of 7 points. McCain needs to get serious right now and start flooding the airways with ads like he did right after the convention.
spypeach on October 3, 2008 at 11:04 AM
I thought that was a HUGE moment. He basically stated that, indeed, Obama has training wheels and a helmut on.
I’d prefer to know that the President offered counsel to the “new” V.P., as opposed to the President needing the V.P. to hold his hand.
nyrofan on October 3, 2008 at 11:08 AM
The sigh
Umm.. this was clearly a planned bit of stagecraft Biden had been instructed to use in Honor of Reagan’s “there you go again.” Since both sides tried to use this, it should be obvious that the McCain people most closely connected to the debate prep and response would be hypersensitive to it and therefore think Biden’s efforts ad worthy.
I don’t think so, but they’re the people on the spot.. sigh..:)
Paul Murphy on October 3, 2008 at 11:09 AM
What else should we call a knowingly untrue statement?
I’m tired of PC touchy-feely ‘don’t hurt their feelings’ garbage.
When Biden said that Obama didn’t agree to meet with Iranian leaders without preconditions – that was an out-an-out lie.
Religious_Zealot on October 3, 2008 at 11:10 AM
It isn’t about not hurting their feelings. I think it reflects unfavorably on the person who says it.
I don’t mind “untrue”, “absolutely untrue” or “not factual” or even “ridiculous”.
MayBee on October 3, 2008 at 11:13 AM
15. Biden claims the US and France kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon! That would be big news to the Israelis and the Lebanese. Hezbollah has been hunkered down in Lebanon for 30 years. The US has not even tried to kick them out, and if we had, does anyone really believe that France would have fighting along side us. France?
james23 on October 3, 2008 at 11:13 AM
I think she did great as well and I believe this ad could and should spin off at least 3 more.
In one of them should be his snarky comment about the bridge to nowhere. She should have nailed both Biden and Obama on this. And this leads me to say this, if the McCain camp and McCain himself does NOT seize moments like these in the next debates, the American people will not be able to CLEARLY see through what most of us already know and that is Obama is dangerous to America and a liar. When Palin quoted Reagan last night about how freedom is just one generation away from extinction she was soooooo right and in particular THIS generation and THIS election. This morning we are hearing about how teachers in VA are being encouraged to wear Obama Blue and to convert not the adults, but the children. Perhaps we are no longer a generation away. Perhaps freedom might just die with this generation if we do not defend her. If ever McCain needed to fight for his country again, I think it is now.
freeus on October 3, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Agreed. If inhalations bother debate watchers, that will be a personal and perhaps subconscious observation on their part, but the McCain campaign should stay out of that arena. This was nothing like Al Jackass Gore’s arrogant sighs during the Bush debate, and in any case there is so much more in the way of substantive issues to attack on, which the first part of the ad did very well.
Buy Danish on October 3, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Good catch. But elsewhere, you’ve complained about Palin’s pronunciation of nuclear. Give it a rest. I don’t care that Bush gets ridiculed for it; it’s actually a common regionalism. Let Rachel Maddow nitpick about that nonsense. Palin’s still our gal and America’s gal.
One Lie #1:
I think McCain and Palin waste time with the Obama-voted- to-raise-taxes-on-the-middle-class argument because Obama has beaten it into the consciousness that 95% of taxpayers are getting a tax cut. What they have to do is succintly shred the 95% tax-cut notion with a few points.
First, Obama can’t pay for his programs without raising taxes on the middle class. Cite the Bill Clinton tax increase in 1993.
Second, call Obama’s tax cut what it really is: welfare. Obama doesn’t provide these people with a change in the law that acknowledges an existing expense as a new tax deduction. He’s running welfare through the IRS to reimburse people for these expenses. And they should point to IRS stats that report that 38% of households already don’t pay income taxes. With Obama’s “tax cut,” the number of households that don’t pay income taxes will increase to about 50%. How does that square with Biden’s definition of “fairness.”
Third, McCain and Palin should argue that the amount of time and paperwork that middle class families will waste to claim Obama’s five to seven refundable credits will make them far more hassle than they’re worth. Seriously, the existing Earned Income Tax Credit is so complicated that bar associations around the country annually run low-income tax clinics to help people claim the credit. Do families really want to sift through a two-page form and four pages of instructions for each credit when they’ll net a total refundable credit of $1,000 (or whatever the amount)? H&R Block must be a primary contributor to Obama’s campaign. Who needs that hassle? People want to live their lives. Can you see that ad with a husband and wife at the kitchen table sifting through that complexity? It’s absurd. Call it out.
BuckeyeSam on October 3, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Whew…
Thank you Sarah.
absolute fabulous photo of the Governor over the Gateway pundit
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/10/palin-biden-debate-at-washington.html
patrick neid on October 3, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Like this?
jdpaz on October 3, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Where’s the ? at the end of “words”?
Spanglemaker on October 3, 2008 at 11:26 AM
That helps me put Krauthammer’s article in perspective, BUT I would like the particulars on McCain’s positions, especially concerning ALTERNATIVE ENERGY VOTES, REGULATION, and THE BAILOUT. The dates and votes would be too much to ask for, I know but playing clips from McCain’s ‘maverick’ speeches in the Senator would do more to educate voters than vague statements about how Biden lied. That sounds like a bumpersticker, (that shouldn’t be made, just chuckled at).
Sarah just may have given the ticket enough of a bounce to allow some effective ads to work. I have ever digit crossed, no wonder I can’t type.
Christine on October 3, 2008 at 11:29 AM
I totally agree with you Yoop.
Many undecideds are people who don’t give rip about educating themselves on whether the candidates are telling the truth. The truth IS out there. You just have to look for it.
I was surprised how many distortions & lies Biden got away with up there. I would never have known about them if I didn’t research this stuff for myself.
Biden is slick and polished. Palin was somewhat rehearsed, but what in the hell do you expect? She hasn’t been spending the last 20 years or so orating meaningless crap in front of people. She’s been working. Actually getting things ACCOMPLISHED.
It’s too bad there are so many emotional people out there who make important decisions without engaging their brain.
Kudos to Sarah for telling it like it is. Hopefully people can look past Biden’s polished and practiced ’sincerity’ and look towards Palin’s (albeit awkward at times) frank responses.
I know the truth when I see it!
Badger40 on October 3, 2008 at 11:32 AM
You are SO right. How in the hell can you call it a ‘tax credit’ when you are not PAYING taxes?!
Badger40 on October 3, 2008 at 11:41 AM
meh
If it WAS a lie (the person knowingly told an untruth), then it should be CALLED a lie.
The bigger problem, IMHO, is when inconsistencies and ignorance are called lies.
For example, I hesitate to call what Biden said about Hamas and Lebanon a ‘lie’ because I have no idea if he really knows any different.
Religious_Zealot on October 3, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Who can top that?
BigD on October 3, 2008 at 11:45 AM
And what was that last bit about Israel? Was there supposed to be a clip of Plugsy saying he didn’t support Israel?
Good message, weak ad production. Meh.
J.J. Sefton on October 3, 2008 at 12:26 PM
Ifill announced the debate format then abandoned it. She asked Biden the first two questions and let Palin respond, rather than alternating who gets asked the questions. Plus as I recall the first two questions did not get their two-minute discussion segments.
Also, Ifill asked this of Palin (paraphrasing): “John McCain’s health plan has been attacked because it would tax Americans $5,000. How do you defend those attacks?”
Palin shoulda said, “Y’mean the attack you just attacked me with, attacker? That attack?”
Akzed on October 3, 2008 at 12:31 PM
They really need to hit him more on his complete and total ignorance. It directly contradicts his intended role on the ticket — to cover for the things Obama doesn’t yet know.
He is billed as a teacher of constitutional law. His discourse on what the Constitution says about the Vice Presidency was laughable.
He is billed as a foreign policy expert. He made up a remarkable story about Hezbollah.
Is this the kind of advice he would be giving a President Obama? Would Obama know enough to laugh at these errors?
ClintACK on October 3, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Say what you want about John McCain, but he has a kick ass ad department.
It’s not their fault they don’t have a single coherent and inspiring message to convey. There’s only one man in the world who can do that, and he won’t.
logis on October 3, 2008 at 1:43 PM
That’s really silly to do an ad based on a person’s sighs. But the rest of the ad was pretty good.
SoulGlo on October 3, 2008 at 5:26 PM
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