John McCain seems to be having trouble coming up with any positive themes for his campaign ads. Watching him fire away like a grumpy Elmer Fudd at that wascally Bugs Obama, with blasts like this and this, I'm beginning to feel kinda sorry for him.
Since McCain's own campaign people aren't going to help him get onto the high road he originally promised, maybe Obama, or MoveOn.org, or other elements of the Netroots Nation could step in here? I'm thinking that if we went ahead and put up an honest, non-snarky McCain campaign spot, he'd like it so much that he'd order his own folks to "start doing more stuff like that!"
We'd want to play fair with this. The hard part is to think of strictly-positive stuff to say about McCain that he himself wouldn't object to, the things he'd say about himself, if he could only stop blasting away at his opponent long enough to portray himself in a good light.
How about:
By any measure, John McCain is an American patriot. Ever since he entered the US Naval Academy at age 18, he has served this country his entire life: first as a naval aviator, where he volunteered for combat duty, then in the U.S. House of Representatives, and for the last 32 years as a U.S. Senator. Now he wants to serve as your President.
John McCain believes that America's security and our world standing depend most on projecting a strong military presence around the globe. He believes that our national credibility requires a continuing, unwavering presence in Iraq, whatever the cost. At home, John McCain believes that the Republican values expressed by President Ronald Reagan can once again guide this country to continued prosperity.
John McCain, Patriot, Republican, Proud American.
"I'm Barack Obama, honored to be Senator McCain's opponent in this election, and I approve this message."
It's honest, fact-filled, and offers clear reasons why someone with a particular outlook (not my outlook, or yours, but someone's) might prefer to vote for McCain. This is an ad that Obama could reply to with intelligence and grace. Okay, it would be kind of like Forrest Gump playing ping-pong with himself, but if McCain isn't going to provide the thoughtful, issues-based campaign we deserve, who will?