Video: The forbidden Wright attack ad
posted at 10:55 am on December 8, 2008 by Allahpundit
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A footnote to what Obama mega-shills like Sullivan and Joe Klein insist was the dirtiest campaign evah, yet somehow not so dirty that it would resort to a line of attack deemed legitimate by Obama himself. Fred Davis, McCain’s ad guy, tipped Time to the existence of this spot a few weeks ago, calling it his favorite of the campaign but a casualty of the fact that Maverick wanted to steer well clear of anything that could be demagogued as racist.
Davis says that concern about race played a major role in the entire aesthetic of McCain’s ads. The photographs of Obama that the ads used, for instance, which often showed Obama elongated and smiling, were carefully selected, he recalls. “We chose them with only one thing in mind, and that is to not make them bad pictures because bad pictures would be seen as racist,” Davis says. “How many shots in their ads did they use a John McCain [photo] looking decent and smiling?” He says the campaign also agonized over the music in the ads, paying special care not to play drum-heavy tracks that could be seen as an African tribal reference. “We were held to a totally different standard,” he says.
Steve Schmidt insists McCain never saw the spot and that it was “never considered for air,” but surely someone outside the inner circle was considering it: This looks like it was ready to run, pending only a change of heart by the candidate himself. Would it have made a difference if it had? The only close wins Obama had on election night were Ohio by four points, Florida by two points, and North Carolina by one thin percent; flip all three into McCain’s column and … The One still conquers with more than 300 electoral votes.
Speaking of the good reverend, in case you missed it in Headlines, he returned to the pulpit at Trinity yesterday. Among the lessons of the gospel shared with the faithful: Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s a “dumb broad” and a “dizzy blonde,” and December 7, 1941 was apparently the day the U.S. nuked Hiroshima. Click the image to watch.
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The campaign is over John.
Firebird on December 8, 2008 at 11:04 AM
In 2000, probably.
In 1980, definitely.
But with the voting cohort that is alive today, not at all.
The collective group of “American voters” circa 2009 is a scary group: probably 90% of the under-30 crowd has grown up watching Republicans be the villains on movies, in television, and in the white house (BUSHHITLEROMG); the old WWII vet generation, the “greatest”, are dying off each week by the thousands, and the typical ‘middle class suburban’ family has been hoodwinked by global warming, gay marriage “rights” (still can’t figure what ‘extra’ rights I possess as a straight man), and the “right” to choose abortion. Add to that the under-30 crowd’s view of Christianity as anti-gay and therefore worthless, plus the aging hippie view of Christianity as “illogical”, you have an electorate that is full of crazies.
And don’t get me started about the potential extra 12 million voters amnestied for 2012…..
Fact is, the PA GOP wright attack ad SPECIFICALLY backfired in the Philly suburbs, making the PA loss double-digit.
I think it’s a generational thing of “attacking a black man for any reason, even if guilty, makes you a racist”— only explanation for the suburban philly result.
So NO, sadly, JMac was still doomed from September 15 on.
battleoflepanto1571 on December 8, 2008 at 11:05 AM
McCain is the lightest of lightweights. He was AFRAID of being called racist. He wasn’t afraid of the prison camp, but he was AFRAID of being called racist. He needs to lose his senate seat. I blame him for NC having a terrible D governor. Since we have to suffer, he should. Fire McCain AZ. If you want a real Democrat, elect one with a D next to the name. I’m so glad that I don’t have to pretend to like McCain anymore.
ThackerAgency on December 8, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Call me crazy but…
Looking back it seems that McCain never really wanted to win this thing.
He didn’t fight, he didn’t reject the pork laden bailout and make the people that wrote it famous, he didn’t bother to even come up with a coherent campaign message.
He went on to make a pretty upbeat and almost immediate concession speech, and in that days that followed never seemed even remotely unhappy that he lost the election.
I’m glad I didn’t shell out six bucks for a campaign sign.
Dorvillian on December 8, 2008 at 11:06 AM
John McCain is a hero of his country and one of the most honorable men to ever serve it.
But his sense of honor sank his campaign and could sink the country he loves.
He should have taken at least a knife to the knife fight, because the other guys wouldn’t understand honor if it slapped them in the face. They are liars, crooks, criminals and worse….they have no shame about it whatsoever. They stopped at nothing, and they will stop at nothing.
notagool on December 8, 2008 at 11:06 AM
“Call me crazy but…
Looking back it seems that McCain never really wanted to win this thing. ”
This comment may be exactly correct. There are so many things McCain could have done, and didn’t.
notagool on December 8, 2008 at 11:08 AM
You know, the greatest generation begat the self-absorbed me generation.
TexasDude on December 8, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Which is just proof that great people don’t necessarily make great parents.
I don’t know if this ad would have helped at all, but there wasn’t anything wrong with it. It’s Wright who should be shamed. Calling a woman a broad in this day and age? A white man would have been destroyed with just one such comment.
Esthier on December 8, 2008 at 11:15 AM
John McCain ran this race without balls. What a sad old loser.
chunderroad on December 8, 2008 at 11:15 AM
It doesn’t matter now. It wouldn’t have mattered then. Obama could have attacked a puppy with a Sawz-all on live TV and 65 million idiots would have allowed a fawning media to justify it.
CurtZHP on December 8, 2008 at 11:17 AM
I kind of understand the “he didn’t want to win” theory, but then where does Palin fit into that? Did he pick her to lose? Or did he pick her to win? Maybe, just maybe, if Palin wins one day, he will look back and say that is his legacy. The first female president…and if that’s what happens, I’m okay with it.
Also, my feeling is that McCain struggled with being the guy who defeated the first black candidate…he didn’t want that burden and the crap he would have to endure, thus he decided not to slug it out, fearing being labeled racist.
I get it. Not happy about it, but I get it.
joepub on December 8, 2008 at 11:22 AM
And nowhere is that more evident than in health care these days: the elderly are being tortured by technology that keeps them alive when they should go peacefully, and the baby-boomers are the most self-absorbed, addicted, entitled, pains in the a** to take care of.
What a group.
keebs on December 8, 2008 at 11:23 AM
In this way, he shares a major fault with GWB. Imo, both get confused between duty and personal belief, and both share with the socialists and the uninformed voters, the blame for Obama’s win.
JiangxiDad on December 8, 2008 at 11:27 AM
There seems to be selective amnesia here. McCain was ahead in the polls until the banks started failing and the stock market tanked. McCain had no answer for this and looked foolish suspending his campaign. And let’s face it, even if he hadn’t, whoever held the White House in such times would have been thrown out by the voters, and rightfully so.
Sheerq on December 8, 2008 at 11:32 AM
This ad probably wouldn’t have made any difference. The MSM had already rationalized away Wright’s blatant anti-Americanism (”a different generation,” “justifiable anger of a black man,” etc.), and Obama’s acceptance of it (he only joined Wright’s church because he needed the support of the black community in Chicago to launch his political career, etc.). And let’s face it, a lot of Obama voters feel the same way about this country that Wright does.
McCain lost because of his inability to articulate a vision for America that a majority of voters agreed with. Had McCain been a real conservative and able to explain to voters that the giant expansion of government Obama promised would mean a lesser, not better, quality of life, and fewer, not more, rights for them, then McCain might have made a better showing.
AZCoyote on December 8, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Was it just me, or does McCain seem happiest in his role as loser and back to reach-across-the-aisle’r?
He’s literally disappeared down the gubmint rabbit hole.
Palin/Petraeus 2012!
Let’s roll.
ex-Democrat on December 8, 2008 at 11:34 AM
That sounds about right. I mean, if he had won, he would likely have been even more reviled than Bush (or he would have without Palin as the lightening rod for those attacks).
Esthier on December 8, 2008 at 11:34 AM
You haven’t had a chance to meet the Baby Boomers’ offspring I see. Some of my contemporaries make the Boomers seem like Mother Teresa in their self-absorbed me first lifestyle.
Illinidiva on December 8, 2008 at 11:35 AM
McCain was never in the race to run against the Left; he was in it to run against the Right.
Mission accomplished.
Bruno Strozek on December 8, 2008 at 11:37 AM
i remember some of the talking heads all saying this point right after the conession speech: charlie gibson on abc, foxnews, etc…. it’s as if this was a dirty secret during the campaign that was embargoed until the election results came in…. mccain probably would have done the same against hillary, but not as wimpy — while i can’t stand barry, and think he’s a horrible role model for black america, i get mccain’s thinking. kinda would have liked to see him win in 2000, just to see how we would actually have done vs fundamentalist islam w/o iraq in 2003… maybe we still would do it, but in 2005 or something. maybe we would have cut off ties to the saudis or attacked syria or something. i dontknow.
i just mac would have been infinitely better than gore.
battleoflepanto1571 on December 8, 2008 at 11:38 AM
He had the best answer but royally FAILED: he could have fought AGAINST the bailout. Against the pork it represented. Against the danger of government bailouts.
“Fight with me! Fight with me! Fight with me!”
Turned into:
“Bailout with me! Bailout with me! Bailout with me!”
It was here he lost the election IMO. He proved to be just a politician like the rest of them. (We all knew it anyway though didn’t we?).
Let’s roll.
ex-Democrat on December 8, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Let’s hope Republicans don’t repeat history in 2012.
Valiant on December 8, 2008 at 11:42 AM
This election was the O.J. Simpson trial on a national scale…had nothing to do with the facts or the truth.
Let’s roll.
ex-Democrat on December 8, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Wouldn’t have made any difference whatsoever.
nickj116 on December 8, 2008 at 11:43 AM
McCain was never in the race to run against the Left; he was in it to run against the Right.
Mission accomplished.
Bruno Strozek on December 8, 2008 at 11:37 AM
BINGO!
Alex Martinez on December 8, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Yes, that’s true, but he’d only been ahead in the polls for a week or two, and it was all because of Palin. Before he picked her, he was just as down in the polls as he was when the collapse happened.
I believe that picking Palin was his attempt at fighting but that he wasn’t willing to go much further than that.
Esthier on December 8, 2008 at 11:44 AM
McCain lost because he didn’t have a coherent theme, good economic ideas (how about a middle class tax cut… Gingrich’s proposal to do away with the 25% bracket that slams the middle class seems pretty good now?), and was screwed by events (i.e. the meltdown). He didn’t lose because he didn’t talk up Rev. Wright.
Moreover, what if he had used the Wright ad and had one?? Although I think that it is legit issue, I don’t think that many of the Messiah’s supporters would have thought that way. Unfortunately, considering some of the immaturity of the Obama’s diehards, it could have really gotten ugly in certain urban areas if the Messiah had lost. Using an ad that could be spun as racist would have just added fuel to the fire. In that way, I do think that McCain was putting the U.S. first by being extra sensitive.
Illinidiva on December 8, 2008 at 11:46 AM
now that the ad is seen anyway, would good did not showing it do?????
way to lose McCain!
jp on December 8, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Black people in America generally never worry about being perceived as racist. Black comedians in stand-up shows and in movies make racist remarks all the time, whether it’s whites (you know, crackers), or Asians (as in the Rush Hour trilogy).
Whites, on the other hand, may or may not be racist, but go out of their way to avoid appearing so. Martin Luther King wanted men to be judged by “the content of their character.” That should have been the issue here, but the popular culture, and the bias in the media, ensured that it wasn’t. Had this election been a level playing field, nothing in this ad would have mattered. But the Republican leadership, cowed as they were by the MSM, touted the least offensive candidate possible.
McCain’s experience in Vietnam was laudable, to be sure. But to what extent did his own campaign show any pride in it? If this strategy was any indication, I would say not.
manwithblackhat on December 8, 2008 at 11:47 AM
It had the potential to be more like the Rodney King trial on a national scale.
Illinidiva on December 8, 2008 at 11:48 AM
McCain just showed us how Republicans lose: Go to the middle.
Saxby Chambliss just illustrated how Republicans win: Right turn, Clyde.
perroviejo on December 8, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Classy move Mav.
THE CHOSEN ONE on December 8, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Which was another incentive for McCain to lose.
Esthier on December 8, 2008 at 12:00 PM
I feel that with this campaign Americans have allowed the media to dupe them into trading Truman for Hoover.
Speakup on December 8, 2008 at 12:01 PM
I agree, and would add that circumstances such as the market collapse added to his problems. That’s always been McCain’s problem though: he’s never had a clear philosophy of governance. He just wants to try to do the right and honorable thing. That’s not a bad thing (in fact it’s a good thing to want to do the honorable and right thing), but it’s not the way to govern in an executive position. You have to have an overriding philosophy beyond that to guide your decisions and your legislative goals.
meltenn on December 8, 2008 at 12:04 PM
I think that’s about right. Coupled with McCain’s inability to articulate an economic message and his move to vote FOR the bailouts, he sunk himself. Living here in NYC, I have been around enough Obama supporters, noticing how much a lot of them truly dislike America, some to the point of being repulsed by the sight of the American flag, etc. Their primary concerns seem to be voting for candidates who will affirm their sexual perversions and infanticidal desires; no thought is given to patriotism, honor, or the good of the country.
Fallen Sparrow on December 8, 2008 at 12:16 PM
I don’t think that McCain wanted to lose. He did play to win (i.e. Palin), so I don’t think that he was just playing the loyal opposition. However, I don’t think that he wanted to win by 300 votes in PA due to an ad that he run that could be perceived as racist. That being said even if McCain had won by 10% and 400 votes in the EC, I think that there would have bee riots in certain urban areas… which is a pity when you consider how MLK Jr. reacted in the face of real racism.
Illinidiva on December 8, 2008 at 12:17 PM
McCain screwed this up when he criticized the NC GOP who ran their Wright Ad which was legit and not out of bounds. It may be one of the stupidest political moves ever.
They should’ve pounded Obama over Wright all summer then moved over to Ayers after convention.
instead they let Wright get rationalized and taken off the table for no good reason, other than losing
jp on December 8, 2008 at 12:17 PM
he needed more than this one advertisement to make it an effective issue.
Drunk Report on December 8, 2008 at 12:20 PM
McCain was always the weak link from the start, there were a lot of things about him that made me cringe and its the conservatives fault for nominating this idiot. While I commend him for his great service, if he refuses to take off the gloves in the name of ‘honor’ when it makes no sense to-then he deserves to lose.
Of course he was in the lead before the economic crisis hit, but he should’ve still made Obama’s character and inexperience a key issue which would’ve solidified his lead. He should’ve also realized that the liberal media was not his friend (anymore) and to be more on guard.
I’ve often heard conservatives state that moving to the center was a major mistake. You cannot win without reaching out to disaffected Dems and Independents. Its naive to think otherwise and to McCain’s credit, that’s the only reason he was a serious contender in the race.
I was pulling for Giuliani and his regular appearances as McCain’s surrogate proved to me he was the far better choice for nominee. Hopefully conservatives don’t make the same mistake in 2012 and actually pick someone well-rounded, likeable, right-of-center (but not extreme) and who’s not afraid of doing whatever it takes to win the election. God McCain still pisses me off for his badly run campaign.
thinkagain on December 8, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Giuliani did an awful job in the primary, so I highly doubt that he would have been a good general election candidate.
Illinidiva on December 8, 2008 at 1:08 PM
I doubt this would have turned it around. I see 700 billion reasons McCain lost, not one.
EconomicNeocon on December 8, 2008 at 1:08 PM
I still believe that McCain’s candidacy was a result of cross-voting by Dems in early GOP primaries, specifically funded by Soros.
jay12 on December 8, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Good luck attempting to talk any sense into these mouthbreathers.
wise_man on December 8, 2008 at 1:16 PM
That said, the speeches at the GOP convention were awfully weak. There was no moment like the one provided to Obama at the 2004 Dem convention.
jay12 on December 8, 2008 at 1:16 PM
then prove it, jay12.
wise_man on December 8, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Early on in the campaign, somebody asked “Is John McCain TRYING to lose the election?”
I had the hardest time explaining: Of course McCain wants to win the election; he just doesn’t want to defeat Barak Obama.
The days of country-club Rockefeller Republicanism have to end. And they have to end NOW.
logis on December 8, 2008 at 1:26 PM
McCain’s campaign was like the team that suprises everyone (including themselves) and makes it to the Super Bowl, only to be blown out in the big game. The one positive move he made (selecting Sarah Palin) apparently had internal opposition. She was moving the campaign forward, generating energy and excitement, until the media unleashed on her with lies and desceptive reporting.
jerseyman on December 8, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Why?
jay12 on December 8, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Giuliani’s blunder was to skip the first few states in the primaries because he didn’t think he’d do well in them-but of course that meant he lost out on chance to build the momentum necessary to win other states.
Recall that before the primaries began Giuliani was expected to become the nominee and was the most popular candidate. He simply made a rookie error and blew his chances. I think he’d have had a good shot had he simply kept himself in the running-it wouldn’t be fair to generalize on his abilities over a goof-up like that. Its a case of a smart person making a dumb mistake.
I’ve heard he might try again in 2012-if he screws that up to, then I’ll agree with you that he doesn’t have the skills to lead/win. :)
thinkagain on December 8, 2008 at 1:34 PM
i would think Drill baby drill and M Steele were loads better than obama’s “there is no red america and no blue america there is a united states of america”
dude i heard that like 1,000 times from november 2000 until 2004.
people act like he’s a great speaker (obama)…. name me one line of his that wasn’t already in the public vernacular
battleoflepanto1571 on December 8, 2008 at 1:35 PM
I don’t know what convention you were watching… Sarah Palin’s speech was all sorts of awesome. On the other hand, I don’t remember Barry’s weak offering.
Illinidiva on December 8, 2008 at 1:37 PM
1999 Atlanta Falcons. Book it.
Beat the best Minnesota Vikings team I’ve ever seen AT minnesota, and maybe oneof the best offensive juggernauts ever (minn was 15-1 that year)
who’s minnesota then?
HUCKABEE?? FRED!??? DUNCAN HUNTER???
battleoflepanto1571 on December 8, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Rudy Giuliani is an experienced politician who sunk due to severe tactical errors as well as his messy personal life. Competing in one state was an incredibly stupid idea, and he paid for it. Whose to say that if he had somehow won the Republican nomination that he wouldn’t have made enough mistakes to make McCain’s campaign look like a model organization?
Illinidiva on December 8, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Agreed… One of the issues was that the McCain campaign was shocked that they won and didn’t know what to do afterward. I think that Salter, Davis, and company were hoping for McCain to finish a respectable second in New Hampshire, so that their guy could bow out with honor and they were as shocked as anyone when he won.
Illinidiva on December 8, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Sounds like you’re saying they were playing with matches and claim they didn’t know they could start a fire so they’re not responsible for the outcome. How freaking pathetic and childish, if true.
JiangxiDad on December 8, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Manchurian Candidate? Were the DNC pulling McCain’s strings? Was the McCain campaign heavy weights sabotaging the RNC?
I say yes to all.
portlandon on December 8, 2008 at 2:15 PM
It still boils down to an “anti-Obama” campaign rather than a pro-McCain campaign. Rather than hearing why we should vote for McCain, all we heard was why we shouldn’t vote for Obama. The only reason often given for voting for McCain was “he isn’t Obama”.
The GOP needs to get more positive in presenting “role of government” issues and showing people why they should vote Republican and stop the “why you shouldn’t vote Democrat” angle. You need candidates and campaigns with forward vision. Knock out the social policy crap and start with basics … getting government off the backs of the people.
crosspatch on December 8, 2008 at 2:19 PM
McCain all along thought that Hillary would get the nomination. I think mentally he was ready to run against his old ‘buddy’ in the Senate-an old-fashioned campaign over the issues Bill Clinton and George Bush ran on. After Obama prevailed I don’t think, in football terms, that he matched up well with Obama; Obama is cool, sleek, charismatic, and deceitful. McCain is yesterday, withered, uninspiring and candid. I also believe that McCain was burdened with the faction of ‘white guilt’ that never wanted to be accused of being a racist, let alone fomenting a race riot. He was never up for the job that needed to be done against Obama. McCain considered Sarah as a safety valve not a game changer; he never allowed her to truly vent everything she wanted to say about Obama and thus sabotaged his own campaign. If nominated in 2012 Sarah will run a far different campaign against Obama.
technopeasant on December 8, 2008 at 2:21 PM
I remember Obama giving some sort of speech the night before Sarah Palin came out and rained on his parade the next day. Do you remember where you were when Sarah Palin was announced the VP spot? I was out work, I actually had a lady at work who was a HUGE Nobama supporter cry because Palin was picked. All that morning she was slamming crap around at her desk. Then we watched Palin’s intro speech that morning in Ohio and she started balling again!! Best day at work EVER. Worst day at work? Nov.5th.
portlandon on December 8, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Not really. Blacks have historically voted 90% for Democrats. Obama got 95% this time, that extra 5% was NOT the difference in this election. It was the 18-29 internet generation that screwed America.
cannonball on December 8, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Let’s get back to the point of the post. This was a killer ad. I think it hit the mark, spot on. If only McCain had the balls to run it in all 57 states. Once again, America, if you wanna win, you gotta play like you want it real bad. This is true for wars as well as campaigns. The guy that wants it the most will win. BUT YOU GOTTA WANT IT!!!!
Andy in Agoura Hills on December 8, 2008 at 2:40 PM
Not really. Young voters turned out in the same numbers as for the 2004 election.
Andy in Agoura Hills on December 8, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Couldn’t counter Obama on Illegals. McCain is just TOO liberal. Good news? Obama vastly outspent McCain, and had ALL of the media (except fox) and still didn’t win by that much:) I’m actually encouraged.
marklmail on December 8, 2008 at 3:19 PM
Can we pleeeeeze let John McCain dry up and blow away? He and GW can open a bed and breakfast in Wyoming. Maybe Dick Cheney can send a few errant shots their way. Just kidding about the birdshot, but I really don’t ever want to hear from either of them again.
SKYFOX on December 8, 2008 at 3:37 PM
I don’t think it was hard enough. The problem with McCain was he was running a “whisper” campaign of the 1950’s. This was configured for little old ladies who met in tea parlors and spread the rumor mill gossip. Today with the Internet, any rumor is debunked, or minimized because the Hive-think of the opposition takes the bite out of the accusation. Plus the media was debunking ANYTHING McCain shot across the USS Obama’s Bow. By the time it got close to Obama it was a fizzling gunpowder burst at most.
McCain needed to run as McCain and not the alternative to Obama.
portlandon on December 8, 2008 at 4:27 PM
The old doddering fart was too “confused” to stay on message.
“Country first”, then “Obama’s a socialist”, then “Unrepentant Terrorist”, etc.
He is a piss-poor product that was marketed by fools.
omnipotent on December 8, 2008 at 5:14 PM
Can we please stop the autopsy on this one.
He lost.
Hope he rides into the sunset with Lindsay Graham and they are never heard from again.
Then, I woke up.
John McCain. Please go away.
HornetSting on December 8, 2008 at 5:48 PM
If this ad had run in September or early October,
and the general theme was hammered relentlessly, and then McCain had not mishandled the bailout thereafter, the whole campaign narrative might have been different.
Sure, J Mac would have been called a racist and demonized, but it also might have put “that one” off script. And once off his telepropmpter, The One wasn’t
so seemingly messianic.
Next go round, hopefully our nominee will use all the weapons at his or her disposal and will raise enough bling
to get our message out.
HGFinley on December 8, 2008 at 6:59 PM
WELCOME TO THE ASSYLUM
Yeah, I got that impression, too.
yonaton on December 9, 2008 at 12:12 PM
CORRECTION
I misattributed the above quote, it was by..
Dorvillian on December 8, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Sorry about that.
yonaton on December 9, 2008 at 12:14 PM
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