New Obama ad throws the 'book' at McCain on economic issues
A TV ad just released by Democrat Barack Obama's presidential campaign takes aim at Republican John McCain on economic issues:
The text, some analysis and more about the ad follow:
Narrator: "Economics ... by John McCain.
"Support George Bush 95% of the time.
"Keep spending $10 billion a month for the war in Iraq while the Iraqis sell oil for record prices.
"Giving Iraq a $79 billion oil surplus and hurting our economy.
"Barack Obama's plan:
"End the war responsibly. Better schools. No more tax breaks for oil companies.
"Barack Obama ... the Middle Class first."
One message Obama's campaign has been pushing for several months is that McCain would continue President Bush's policies on Iraq and the economy. Book begins with that theme. First, with a quick glimpse of a fictional book by McCain about economics -- the cover of which says the foreword was written by "George W. Bush" -- and then by noting that McCain has voted "with" the president 95% of the time.
The ad makes a charge that assumes quite a bit -- that McCain would "keep spending $10 billion an month for the war in Iraq." While McCain does oppose setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, and while he has said he could envision some U.S. forces remaining there for many years to come, he has also said he wants to remove as many as possible as "conditions on the ground" improve. Under that scenario, the cost of operations in Iraq would likely decline.
McCain's campaign would also take issue with the ad's assertion that Obama has a better plan for the economy. "The truth is Barack Obama's plan is a job killing machine that ignores the struggling economy and raises taxes on family savings, social security and small businesses," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds says in a statement he just e-mailed to reporters.
The Obama campaign says Book will be on the air in these 16 "battleground" states: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virgina, and Wisconsin.
Jill wrote in this morning's USA TODAY about the two campaign's ad strategies regarding spots they're running during the Olympics.