Download the Politics Daily Toolbar
Our new toolbar integrates the latest news and analysis into your Web browser and installs in seconds. Download it now!

Politics DailyPolitics Daily

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • COLUMNISTS
  • TOPICS
  • THE CAPITOLIST
  • WOMAN UP
  • DAILY FLOTUS
  • JUST IN
  • THE CRAM
  • CONTACT

    Stay in Touch

  • Inside Politics Daily

    Obama's Debate Ad: 'Zero'

    Posted:
    09/27/08
    Barack Obama has a new ad out today, called "Zero." The ad focuses on the contrast between McCain's tax policy, which greatly benefits the wealthiest Americans, and Obama's, which results in savings for 95% of Americans.

    It's a good ad, but it raises the question of why Obama didn't hammer that message home during the debate like McCain did with his "earmarks" bit.

    McCain had an advantage in selecting his weapons, since he only has two: earmarks and "The Surge." Obama would do well to isolate his top two brickbats, and use them like McCain does, to rebut anything and everything.

    Here's an example. If McCain brings up earmarks, Obama should launch into it like this: "Earmarks aren't hurting the middle class like the mortgage crisis is. Earmarks aren't hurting the middle class like rising energy prices are. (On and on for several minutes.) Earmark reform is a good idea, sure, but when your house is on fire, you don't go around checking the batteries in your smoke alarms."

    Something like that. The middle class is a powerful weapon. On foreign policy, his focus on Bin Laden is his strongest point. He should include one or both of them in every answer.

    McCain has basically ceded the ground on the middle class tax cuts, responding by changing the subject or lying about Obama's plan, but never making the case for his own. While this ad helps to show that, Obama needs people to notice the first time around.

    Get the new
    PD toolbar!



    Follow PoliticsDaily On Facebook and Twitter,
    and download the new Politics Daily toolbar!

    Tommy Christopher

    Tommy Christopher is a freelance writer, blogger, and online journalist based out of New Jersey and Washington, DC...more

    Contact Tommy Christopher

    subscribe to: RSS email: Tommy Christopher

    Related Articles

    Related Articles

    • Obama: US must reverse course with Indians

      9 days ago

      WASHINGTON -Making good on a campaign promise to hold a yearly summit with American Indians, President Barack Obama told tribal leaders Thursday gathered in Washington that he is determined to reverse...

    • McCain talks health care, spending at town hall

      15 days ago

      MESA, Ariz. -Sen. John McCain says Americans are in the toughest times he can remember and that President Barack Obama hasn't brought the change in Washington that he promised. McCain spoke at a town...

    • ATR: Will Obama Again Deny Healthcare Excise Tax is a Tax?

      24 days ago

      Paging George Stephanopoulos and his dictionary... WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Americans for Tax Reform noted today that the Senate health care bill ( S. 1796 ) indeed uses the term...

    • Happening Right Now

       
    Politics Daily on Facebook

    Other News

     
    News Logo