Will Negative ads Work Against McCain?
In my post on the LA Times Festival of books, I suggested I might comment further on David Frum’s observation there that “Hillary and McCain were among the most well-known figures in American politics.” Given our familiarity with these two, I wondered how much the campaign would serve to alter their public image. Â
It does seem that the prolonged battle for the Democratic nomination has solidified and possibly increased Hillary’s negatives. Â And this morning, as IÂ read the New York Times article on Democratic National Committee (DNC) ads attacking the presumptive Republican nominee, I wondered if a prolonged barrage of negative ads would effect John McCain’s long-standing, largely favorable public image.
According to the Times, the DNC “has begun its first sustained advertising campaign against Senator John McCain, introducing a new commercial this week criticizing his recent comments that he could envision a United States presence in Iraq for 100 years.” Howard Dean’s party once again takes John McCain’s comments out of context, suggesting, he favors a hundred-years war. The full text of the remarks show he means something quite different.
Par for the course with the left spinning Republican remarks so as to portray their political adversaries not as they are, but as they want them to be so they can better attack them.
Dean is not alone in rushing to attack McCain.  Moveon.org and another left-wing group, Progressive Media USA, also have plans to run ads attacking the GOP nominee.  But, fundraising for these groups has been “slower than expected.”  While Democratic officials attribute this to donors “splitting their giving between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama,” I wonder if it’s because John McCain doesn’t arouse the ire of rank-and-file Democrats and non-activist liberals as does George W. Bush.
John McCain has been in the national public eye for over a quarter century. Â His favorable ratings remain high. I doubt a DNC ad campaign will do much to change that, even one supported by other left-wing groups and the financial fortune of George Soros.Â
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What’s interesting about the DNC’s ad is that it shows U.S. soldiers caught by an explosion. It would appear that the DNC has no qualms with exploiting attacks on our soldiers for their own selfish gains. This would be the same type of people as the Clinton News Network shows snipers shooting our soldiers.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — April 29, 2008 @ 4:23 pm - April 29, 2008
BTW, I saw a website the other day. Don’t know who it was, but they were blaming Sen. McCain for the USS Forrestal fire. What’s more, they were blaming “rich Jews” for covering it up and pushing McCain.
Sure it’s redonkulous, but will we see liberals spinning a variation of that in their usual lame ass attempts to take out a Republican?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — April 29, 2008 @ 4:26 pm - April 29, 2008
Anything to take out a Republican. That seems to be the motto of the left today.
Comment by GayPatriotWest — April 29, 2008 @ 4:29 pm - April 29, 2008
Just FYI, Michelle Malkin has the goods on the DNC commercial here. Looks as though the Dhimmicrats got the film from – get this – Michael Moore’s fake-cumentary “Fahrenheit 911.”
My question – where did Fat Bastard get the footage? Al-Qaeda?
Methinks someone at the CIA should pay a visit to his house. After all, it’s not as if he has anything to hide – does he? (SARC)
Comment by Peter Hughes — April 29, 2008 @ 4:39 pm - April 29, 2008
McCain’s favorability will come down, they already have come down but still in the positive range. He will be getting more media exposure on his record and his issue stances and will lose some of his cross over appeal. All the liberals and left will be motivated to beat McCain because he is the only thing stopping what they believe is a realigning election in favor of a more liberal politics.
He will get everything that they can throw at him and Hillary is not afraid to pull him down with her, which is probably her path to win. Thats how it goes
Comment by Darkeyedresolve — April 29, 2008 @ 6:04 pm - April 29, 2008
If he wins this election, they will hate him as much as they hate GWBush now.
Which is why they have to go negative, unfortunately, negative campaigning does work. I’m hoping that the bloody Obama- Hillary wars continue for as long as possible – what they are doing to each other, no 30 second ad on TV can do.
Comment by Leah — April 29, 2008 @ 11:02 pm - April 29, 2008