Official Thread: Barack Obama Vs John McCain - Presidential Election 2008

[David Tan]

This thread will be the official thread for all things Obama And McCain.

Gallup Pole recently showed that Obama and McCain are dead even with Obama having a 1% (insignificant lead) over McCain with 45% over 44%.

With the new ads pumping out, the battle is heating up between both candidates as they spar with words and video ads.

John McCain's Series of Negative Ads
Pump
Troops
Celebrity
The One
Family
Painful
Fan Club

Obama's counter ad fights back
Low Road
Original
Hands
Nevada Backyard
Embrace
Book
Fix the economy
Three Bedroom Ranch
Michigan Volunteer Team Leaders

Many in hollywood are not pleased about McCain's ads, with many saying that he's not a celebrity but a Rock Star. Analysts say that the ad could backfire especially since McCain's campaign theme is about 'honor' and these ads seemed much like 'the low road', not really the honorable thing to do.

Updated August 04 2008:-
It seems that McCain's strategy is working. Going on the offensive has brought Obama's national polls results down by 9%

Also, check out the new internet ad making a mockery of Obama's claims. Funny stuff. With a title like 'The One', you can probably guess that it's a followup on the celebrity angle and going one up in mocking him as some kind of 'prophet' or 'saviour':-
The 'One' Ad

But nothing will prepare you for the followup commentary from Fox News. The media gets creative.
Fox News Video Drawing Parallels from the Bible

Updated August 05 2008:-
Renewable Energy for America Video - 10 years to combat nation's addiction to oil and reliance on foreign oil
-Strong attacks on McCain being 26+ years in Washington, part of the 30 years of failure of government to combat dependance on foreign oil. And now focusing on renewable energy, coming out with a plan with explanations, and promising another 'great future'. Needed - $150 billion.
Haven't had a video rebuttal from McCain regarding this.

Updated August 06 2008:-
It had to happen. Paris couldn't resist the opportunity to run an 'Ad' of her own. Saying since McCain featured her in his ad, that means she's running for the president. It starts with a few insults.
Paris Hilton Presidential Campaign Ad - With commentary from NBC and reply from Obama to McCain.

Updated August 07 2008:-
There you go, another ad from McCain that targets Obama's Celebrity status while at the same time starting to highlight McCain's 'finer' points. Strangely, it's all general statements of how 'good' McCain is, saying his the 'Original Maverick'. Highlighting things in the past but without addressing solutions in regards to the present. No
Broken

Also, found a reply to Obama's critical comments regarding inflating tyres to save mileage by McCain. Not a rebuttal but admitting that Obama was correct although he's been mocking the fact for awhile. Is McCain going to come up with a better strategy than to use childish comments? Also has another critical comment from Obama regarding McCain's comment.
McCain rotating and inflating tyres

Updated August 08 2008:-
Man charged for threatening to assassinate Obama
Obama has been under Secret Service protection since May 2007. Finally something like this crops up. If Obama looks to be the president, will there be more?

Also both candidates have detailed their plans regarding their energy plans. Want to know the difference, you can check it out in CNN's article on the difference in Obama & McCain's Energy Plans. Looking at the plans, the key differences:-

• McCain against windfall profits tax on oil companies, focusing on 'improving' battery technologies.
• Obama on taxing the oil companies and using the funds for American auto plants and manufacturers to retool factories and immediately producing fuel efficient cars.

Both sticking to their Republican & Democratic style of solving a problem. Finally some solutions from McCain
McCain's energy plan

Once again McCain has a 'Everyone loves McCain' ad. With a focus on praises from democrats, Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Updated August 11 2008:-
Just updated a new ad by McCain. 'Painful' aims to describe Obama as taxing middle income families, seniors and small businesses. Mentioning taxing families with income of just $42,000 a year.

However debunking these claims by McCain, is a video detailing step by step analysis of every claim. Interestingly, it highlights that Barack Obama :-

• Voted to extend tax breaks to lower and middle income families
• Proposed tax cuts for families making below $250,000 (big difference from the 'Painful' ad)
• Cut capital gains tax to 0% for small businesses (most small businesses making less than $250,000 a year).
• Eliminate income tax for all seniors making below $50,000
• $1000 tax cuts for 95% of families.

Once again, detail analysis from Obama's campaign team vs McCain's general statements, and seemingly spinning the truth.

Added also a few new videos from Obama, swinging back at McCain, with ads to debunk his 'maverick' claim and putting him in the same light as Bush. But he does have a positive ad in 'Hands' which focusing on renewable energy and fuel efficient cars.

Updated August 12 2008:-
Can you imagine the amount of money that's been spent attacking each other. Updated above, McCain's highly sarcastic video of Obama's celebrity status (able to move appetites, fanclub). Seems to promote the message that people who vote for Obama are dum dums who just want to vote a celebrity in. Obama also has a second video (seems we're gonna get a series) associating how close McCain is with Bush, with shots of them 'embracing each other'.

Updated August 13 2008:-
Updated above, perhaps the best video ever since the negative slug fest began, the video ads seems to pale in comparison to seeing people of all races coming together, eagerly volunteering themselves to push for voter registration in Michigan. Seeing great numbers of lay people working together. That's sending a powerful message. Now we'll wait to see if McCain's people can come up with the same.

Updated August 14 2008:-
Obama's latest 'Book' ad links John McCain's support of Bush to the war on terror with 10 billion $ a month expenditure, to oil companies in Iraq earning $79 billion oil surplus, and ending on how it's now hurting the economy. In this dance between Obama and McCain, you can see who's doing the leading and who's following.

Updated August 15 2008:-
New ad titled 'Fix the economy'. Lots of ammo for Obama to criticize McCain's comments on the economy. Trying to assure investors but becoming a target instead. Obama also has another ad called 'Three Bedroom Ranch'. Artistic and symbolic of working hard and building something good.

Continued in latest posts:-

[Tephus]

Question is, do we really want McCain to continue funding the war?

Also, are you currently running any political ads on your site? Why or why not?

[SpaceBOT]

Barack Obama ALL the WAY!

If the whole world changes all their politicians over, we'll be living in a better place almost instantly... the old folks who are clinging on to power need to retire already and let the world move on a new and better direction!

This applies to ALL countries, especially dictatorial ones where the same ol same ol corrupted ppl are holding all the power and not letting go.. !

[Vintage]

Easier said than done. Don't forget there are a lot of old voters from the Baby Boomer generation who are conservative and who probably vote someone their age in.

[ZachW]

I think most people are for Obama because they're against the war and they're sick and tired of Bush's incompetencies.

[SpaceBOT]

David, I changed your poll to be private, ie, people can't see who voted. All polls should generally be set to private so that people don't have to worry about others seeing their vote.

[David Tan]

I think that these negative attacks on Obama is in a series. So probably there is more planned in asking the question 'Is he ready to lead'. You have to see the video I've added and updated in the first post. I've never seen anything like it before in an Internet ad, and hopefully there'll be more to come. In fact, this is sure to go viral.

If the nation focus on Bush, McCain is dead but if they focus on Obama, he might have a shot. I wonder how long before Obama drives the focus back on Bush.

[SpaceBOT]

The good guys always lose in a war... cause, they don't play dirty... Obama can't go on the negative because it'll be going against what he's preaching about the same ol same ol washington...

But dirty tactics and negative ads do work... Because, let's face it, people in general are dumb... they believe everything they see on TV.. and 10% still thinks Obama is a muslim although he's been attending church for all his life..... go figure!

The only way Mc Cain can win is by attacking Obama...

[David Tan]

Obama now proposes tto have the government sell 70 million barrels of their 707 million barrel stockpile. With the aim to achieve:-
1) Lowering in the short term oil prices.
2) Securing enough finances to push renewable energy initiatives. 150 billion to be exact. With a $7000 tax credit to buyers of fuel-efficient hybrid cars. Fossil fuels, renewable energy sources, etc.

The vision is within 10 years, to effectively combat the nation's oil addiction and to eliminate the country's reliance on foreign oil.

[GreedIsGood]

I think Obama will come out tops in the end because his policies are more progressive and peaceful.

[SpaceBOT]

Originally Posted by GreedIsGood

I think Obama will come out tops in the end because his policies are more progressive and peaceful.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly, more peaceful, but then that's what the rest of the world wants.. not necessarily what the Americans want...

[David Tan]

The latest video ad of Paris Hilton running for the presidency because.... she's just hot. It's hillarious. It starts with insulting McCain as... really old. Interesting that McCain's recurring tagline is 'Obama wants to inflate your tyres'. Watch the clip till the end, with Obama mentioning that it's funny that they take pride in ignorance.

[David Tan]

It's strange that McCain hasn't really come up with solid responses to Obama's many speeches on 'New Energy for America'. Although he only suggest drilling for more oil, which Obama has incorporated in his strategy as an initial way to fund new technologies. With explanations, and strategies on how this is highly possible, perhaps McCain should provide a better strategy before Obama starts to further propel his campaign with this. It's also very inline with his theme of 'hope'.

[SpaceBOT]

I am sick of Mc Cain copying everything Obama does. Obama started with his renewable energy plans way before Mc Cain even woke up about the needs. Now, it's like he came up with the idea.... Sucks!

[David Tan]

Added a new video to McCain's negative attacks on his celebrity status called 'Family'. Also, McCain's energy plans are similar to Bush's style. Suggest solutions that are to have a significant impace decades later. Much like Bush' push for hydrogen cars, and now McCain wants to 'improve' battery technologies without providing a solution for this decade. When Obama focuses on getting the fuel efficient cars on the road.

It's rather dangerous of McCain to continue painting the picture of being pro oil companies and delaying as long as possible the usage of already viable technologies that threaten the profits of oil companies.

Maybe it's the power of modern media but its making clearer what McCain stands for.

[David Tan]

There's something about seeing the new Michigan Volunteer Team Leaders video that strikes a cord. Perhaps because the video ads had been murked with truth stretching, vague facts, hollow and general claims. But the words coming out of these people are genuine. Their hopes, their excitement, their sincerity. So it's kinda refreshing. You see real scenarios, real people, real expressions and real comments, rather than special effects, cinematography, photoshopped images and multimedia presentation ads.

[David Tan]

If Obama gets elected and removes tax breaks for companies that ships jobs overseas, overseas companies competing with American companies will rejoice, as their pricing can be more competitive. When Obama switches to provide tax breaks for local companies, it may help a bit, but foreign labor is still way cheaper.

[David Tan]

Taxman video from John McCain
Refuted by Fact Check from Obama's people.

Is it not clear that Obama is reducing taxes for middle and lower income earners?

[David Tan]

Barack Obama is reaching out to the grassroots, making himself more of a 'leader for the people' person. There's a series of videos, which started from the 'Michigan Volunteer Team Leaders Video' to:-

• Grassroots Finance Committee
• Barack Thanks the 2 Millionth Donor
• A Message to Michigan Voters from Speaker Nancy Pelosi
• Office Opening in Valdosta, Georgia

Like I mentioned previously, it's a very strong message when you know that these people are sharing much more sincerely than the scripted, strategized answers you get from campaign officials. I'll say it again, that John McCain has yet to come up with a video of his 'grassroots' supporters sharing what they think of him.

Also, we know that recently, there was a 'Saddleback Civil Forum regarding the Presidency' Obama is broadcasting this video while McCain doesn't have it on his channel. It's 40+ minutes long, but highlights key differences in their convictions on sensitive issues like abortion. Since Rick Warren, is a famous figure himself in the Christian world for his 'Purpose Driven Life' book, there's alot of comments and discussions going on, as all 3 people have lots of fans and ... critics.