I won't be too critical of Obama's campaign, because he has generally been effective and I think the main head-winds we are facing come from either racist or frivolous voters entranced with Sarah Palin.
But since Obama has indicated a desire to get tougher, I recommend the following two ads to him. In my view, it is essential to let the American working people known specifically what negative consequences will result in their lives from McCain being elected.
I think these two ads accomplish this- please rec if you agree.
Ad 1: "Disparity"
(male voiceover)
"Have you ever wondered why, every four years, the Republicans try to distract you from the real issues? Here's why. They don't want you to notice that, every year, the Bush economic and tax policies - which John McCain supports - take money out of your pocket and give it to the wealthiest one percent of Americans.
It's at this point that a graph like the following one will appear on the screen]
[img]
Under the Bush-McCain economic policies, the income earned by the top 1 percent has increased to levels not seen since shortly before the Great Depression. John McCain wants this to continue. He can't defend the Bush-McCain record, which is why he is trying to distract you with Swift Boat politics. Barack Obama wants to lower the taxes of 95% of Americans and make the wealthy pay a fairer share of taxes. That's change we can believe in."
Ad 2: "Choice"
(female voiceover)
[The ad begins with a close up of photos of the following members of the U.S. Supreme Court with a female speaker reading their names and ages.]
"John Paul Stevens. 88 years old.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg. 75 years old.
Anthony Kennedy. 72 years old.
Steven Breyer. 70 years old.
David Souter. 68 years old.
These five justices are the only thing preventing American women from losing their right to choose. You see, George Bush and John McCain have both said that they opposes Roe v. Wade and will appoint Supreme Court justices just like Scalia and Thomas. Sarah Palin has said SHE wants to take away your right to choose even in cases of rape or incest. Take a good look at these five justices. If John McCain is elected and just ONE of these justices retires, then your right to choose would not survive a McCain administration. This year, the stakes are too high to be distracted by Swift Boat politics - vote Barack Obama."
These are both pretty simple and straight forward ads, but it seems to me that they would serve to wake up middle-class voters and make them realize just what is at stake here. Certainly more so than talking about whether John McCain knows how to send an e-mail.