Did you notice?
Mccain's new ad uses footage of Barack Obama playing basketball with the troops, to argue that he has been ignoring them. I cannot imagine anything more disingenuous...or more stupid.
I have been posting sample scripts for a counterattack and I hope the Obama camp will seize on the basketball footage for their pushback.
This ad works with either Reed or Webb or any military person:
Hi, I'm Senator ____
You may have seen John Mccain's new ad that launches false attacks against Barack Obama for "ignoring our troops". It's an ad so misleading that it actually includes footage of Barack Obama playing basketball with our troops on his recent trip to Kuwait, in order to make its point.
If John Mccain wants to use the troops as a political football that's his choice. But he was one of only __ Senators, who stood with George Bush in opposing our new GI Bill, a bill that was supported overwhelmingly by Democrats and Republicans alike, and meant to give our returning men and women all the benefits they deserve. John Mccain said it was "too generous".
Barack Obama stood with our troops. John Mccain stood with George Bush.
My other scripts:
For Webb:
Hi I'm Jim Webb, Senator from Virginia, and former US Navy Secretary under Ronald Reagan. I've spent most of my adult life in the military, and I've spent most of my Senate career trying to help our veterans live better, more decent lives.
That's why I'm so bothered by the misleading, false attacks that John Mccain has launched against Barack Obama. I can't think of anything that offends me more than seeing policians use the troops as a political football to try to win an election.
The facts are simple. This year, I introduced a new GI Bill. It passed in Congress with overwhelming support from Democrats and Republicans alike. John Mccain and George Bush opposed this bill, calling it "too generous". Barack Obama stood with me. He stood with our troops. John Mccain stood with George Bush.
For Barack Obama, supporting the troops isn't a slogan. It's action.
For Hagel:
Hi. I'm Chuck Hagel, Senator from Nebraska. I served in Vietnam and as leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
I'm a Republican, but I'm an American first, and that's why I must deplore the misleading attacks of John Mccain on Barack Obama. When it comes to helping our veterans and our troops, Barack Obama's record is clear. He has voted to increase their health insurance and ____ ____.
And I went to Iraq with him and saw first hand how much he respects their service.
I can't think of anything that offends me more than seeing policians use the troops as a political football to try to win an election. That's why I'm standing with Barack Obama, and I know that he stands with our troops.
I sent these to the Obama camp. I hope they will respond with their own ad soon.
I do think this basketball thing is kind of a big deal. They could have chosen some OTHER footage of him playing basketball. But this particular one could make for a devastating counterattack ad because it shows just how disingenuous their ad is.
Update
Ba Barackus just had the most BRILLIANT idea.
Had another thought re: a response. Just thought I would throw it out there. Have Barack watching McCain's ad on the TV; after enough lies have passed, Barack shuts it off and explains why Washington needs a shakeup from the usual lies and half-truths.
Absolutely great idea.
Barack's Version:
Watches the ad, then smiles and turns to face camera.
Have you seen John Mccain's new ad attacking me for "ignoring the troops"? That ad is so misleading, that it actually uses footage of me playing basketball with the troops in order to make it's point.
That's how it is every 4 years. Politicians use our troops as a political football to try to win elections.
But my record is clear. John Mccain was one of only __ Senators, who stood with George Bush in opposing our new GI Bill, a bill that was supported overwhelmingly by Democrats and Republicans alike, and meant to give our returning men and women all the benefits they deserve. John Mccain thought it was "too generous".
My campaign isn't about false attack ads. This election is too important for that.
Thanks for getting this to the Rec List!! I hope it will help the campaign see it!
Update
So far, this STUPID blunder is not going unnoticed by the MSM!
Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin of the Politico mentioned it just as a curiosity.
Karen Tumulty of Time goes further:
The charter landed about a half-hour ago in Chicago, to news that the McCain campaign has launched what Halperin is calling its "toughest attack ad yet." But there's a little problem with this line:
And now, he made time to go to the gym, but cancelled a visit with wounded troops.
Sure enough, the accompanying footage shows Obama playing basketball ... with the troops in Kuwait.
And Jake Tapper of ABC does the same with the headline "New McCain Ad Bashes Obama for Not Visiting Troops Using Footage of Obama Visiting Troops" :
McCain's ad asserts that Obama "made time to go to the gym, but cancelled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras."
The McCain campaign provides no evidence for the assertion that being told he couldn't bring media had anything to do with the trip's cancellation.
Oddly, when discussing Obama's trip to the gym, the ad uses footage of Obama playing basketball with US troops in Kuwait over the weekend.
And Ambinder also notices.
Again, I really hope that Obama will highlight this absurd contradiction in their response ad. How much clearer can it be that this is a negative attack once you realize how they manipulated that footage?