'Are You Better Off' - DNC Attack Ad

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has launched its first :30 second negative attack TV ad of the general election. It's titled "Are you better off." In the past 96-hours, neither Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton have called upon the DNC to engage in any sort of "new politics" and stop slinging political mud in order to elevate the discussion" or "unify the nation."

This Democrat attack spot is scheduled to run for three weeks.

The Associated Press did a fact check on the ad and concluded the ad was "edited to exclude the remainder of his answer, where he acknowledged that 'things are tough right now.'"

Of course, John McCain was giving some straight honest talk on America's economy. Noting there is reason for hope, after all, the unemployment rate is lower today than it was in 1996 when Bill Clinton ran for re-election. That was a political gaffe that happens when a politician answers questions. Democrats see that as a weakness.

The ad's script reads:

SCRIPT: CNN's Anderson Cooper: "Senator McCain, are Americans better off than they were eight years ago?" McCain: "I think you could argue that Americans overall are better off, because we have had a pretty good prosperous time, with low unemployment, low inflation. A lot of good things have happened. A lot of jobs have been created ... I think we are better off overall."

KEY IMAGES: A clip of McCain at the Jan. 30 Republican debate in Simi Valley, Calif., sponsored by CNN. A split screen depicts scenes of foreclosure signs, a shuttered plant gate and $4 gas prices as text on the screen states: "Unemployment Up," "Highest Inflation in 17 years," "Gas Prices Up 200 Percent" and "1.8 Million Jobs Lost." The ad ends with two text questions: "Do you feel better off?" and "Is John McCain the Right Choice for America's Future?"