Video: Barack Obama goes on the offensive

That Pacific air certainly seems to focus the mind. Returning from his Hawaiian vacation to sinking poll ratings, Barack Obama has heeded Democratic calls for a tougher stance against John McCain and unleashed a multi-pronged attack against the Republican nominee with a series of state specific ads distinctly more negative in tone than his previous offerings.

The first, "Economy",  is airing in Philadelphia; East Lansing, Michigan; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and at least five other major cities in battleground states such as Colorado and Indiana. It paints McCain as out of touch with the lives of ordinary Americans, contrasting some of his previous positive statements on the economy with the experiences of voters.

In Des Moines; Tampa, Florida; and at least 10 other cities, Obama attempts to tie McCain's support for the Iraq War to the foundering economy through an imaginary book, "Economics".

In a twist on Hillary Clinton's earlier "3am" ad, "Ringing", airing in Texas, refrains from mentioning McCain by name but takes on his claim to the commander-in-chief mantle by highlighting Obama's judgement on a number of key foreign policy issues.

Meanwhile "Punch", airing in Ohio, emphasises McCain's role in a deal that saw foreign-owned DHL takeover an American shipping company, leading to the loss of thousands of local jobs. The ad taps into the anxieties of blue collar Americans over unfettered free trade - of which McCain is a vocal advocate - using the word "foreign" as many times as is possible in a 30 second spot.

But how will the negative turn, from a man promising to eschew the Washington politics of old, be greeted by voters? With the nominee having taken a hit in the polls following a volley of Republican attacks, most Democrats now view the move as a necessary evil. Meanwhile, analysts note that while Obama has gone on the offensive locally, his national advertising campaign remains generally positive.

“If you can go quietly negative, that’s what he’s done; I think the perception is that he’s still running the positive campaign,” Evan Tracey, president of the Campaign Media Analysis Group of TNS Media Intelligence, told the New York Times. “It’s a pretty smart, high-low, good cop/bad cop strategy.”

Readers, your thoughts please.

Comments

[William Naegele]

Obama is offensive to anyone who contemplates the world with even a modicum of logical thought...

[Steve]

Ahhh...Hawaii is well into the NORTH Pacific. Hello!

[Dan Schwartz in NJ]

Here in the States, negative campaign ads work... And have been used for over 200 years, all the way back to the Adams-Jefferson contest.

This past Saturday night, Barack Milhouse Obama got splattered all over the walls of Saddleback Church in the Forum, causing his poll numbers to drop among independent voters... Hence his campaign having to roll out negative ads against McCain.

[Mike]

I have nothing against Obama, its his leftwing ideology I don't like. His answer to every problem is more centralized big government, and more pathetic mandates pursued in the name of fairness, and equality. A government with veritable hordes of unnamed unelected, unaccountable, agents deciding who's been naughty, or nice. A cradle to grave nanny state that smothers the spirit and soul to save the body. The Constitution actually forbids that type of government , and when in doubt, I'll always side with the forefathers.

[Jimmy C]

Barack is just too soft in his approach for my liking! He is running for the Presidency of the United States - the world's most powerful office. His opponent is constantly attacking him, even with false ads and willfully malicious lies. And what does he do? He hits him back with a feather!
Barack Obama is allowing John McCain to define him and to define his campaign! In the last month, he has done nothing more than respond to McCain's accusations. In Town Hall meeting after Town Hall Meeting, he is spending a lot of time responding to McCain, and trying to allay people's fears, instead of pushing forward his own agenda (to which McCain should be responding!). In other words, he is allowing McCain to dictate the Presidential Campaign! Is it any wonder that McCain - the old man with poor economic policies, who is apparently running for GWB's third term - is now ahead in the polls?

If Obama wants to win this campaign, he ought to do two very simple things:
1) Change his strategy and begin playing hard! Turn the tables on McCain by hitting him hard on talk shows, radio programmes, stronger ads (I don't agree that the above are hard hitting enough), etc.
2) And most important of all, he needs to pick a running mate who is a tough attack dog and doesn't mind getting in the mud... This isn't Joe Biden. I'm sorry, he just shouts to get his point accross! This is none other than Hillary Rodham Clinton!
I don't like Hillary, but this election is Barack's to lose. And without Hillary on the ticket, he will find it hard to get out the female vote in his favour. If Barack wants to unite the Dems, then he should put her on the ticket - and worry about other things when he is in Office!

[Louise]

why dont you post McCain's ads ? McCain has made huge grounds recently attacking Obama on his POLICIES. The empty suit is beginning to lose the hearts and minds of everybody apart from the left/liberals, who would never vote republican no matter who was running.

[john miller]

Never judge a man by what he says, only what he does. Obama says new but does old.