- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
Negative Ad Wars Over Obama 'Celeb' Status
Email
ShareJuly 30, 2008 12:50 PM
ABC News' David Wright reports: The McCain campaign says its new ad comparing Barack Obama with Britney Spears and Paris Hilton is fair and balanced. The Obama campaign and its supporters clearly don't agree.
“It’s beyond dispute that he has become the biggest celebrity in the world,” McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt explained to reporters today. "But do the American people really want to elect the biggest celebrity in the world?"
Asked why the campaign chose these particular celebrities to compare with Obama, campaign manager Rick Davis answered matter of factly, as though the comparison were obvious and indisputable: "What we decided to do was find the top three international celebrities in the world. Britney and Paris came in second and third," he said.
But perhaps the Hilton family won't appreciate the irony of the ad? Those political junkies over at TMZ.com discovered that Rick and Kathy Hilton, parents to Paris, are McCain donors.
The Obama campaign initially responded to the ad with a twist on a Britney Spears classic. Said spokesman Tommy Vietor: “On a day when major news organizations across the country are taking Senator McCain to task for a steady stream of false, negative attacks, his campaign has launched yet another. Or, as some might say, ‘Oops! He did it again.’"
And later this afternoon, the Obama campaign fired back with a new ad of its own. See it HERE.
The Obama campaign ad ignored the pop princess comparisons and instead hammered at McCain for his "attacks on Obama" and taking "the low road." Under a photograph of McCain with President George Bush the narrator says: "John McCain. Same old politics. Same failed policies."
McCain campaign officials say they are not worried that voters may perceive the ad as another negative attack from their candidate. Or as sour grapes that their candidate, who has traveled widely, does not seem to draw such large crowds.
“I’d love to think that john McCain was a big international celebrity, but he’s not," Davis said. "We see him more as a global leader than a global celebrity.”
UPDATE: Tit for tat, Obama supporters are firing back at the McCain campaign for comparing their candidate to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton in a new campaign ad -- pointing to McCain's penchant for wearing $520 Ferragamo designer shoes.
"I'm just saying if you want to launch attacks about celebrity and out of touch, maybe you shouldn't do it while wearing $520 shoes," Eddie Vale of the DC-based Progressive Accountability.org emailed reporters.
Vale included an item from the Huffington Post website highlighting the swish new loafers McCain has been sporting on the campaign trail.
For instance, he wore them to his meeting with the Dalai Lama and during his ill-fated visit to a Bethlehem, PA, grocery store when jars of Mott's Applesauce knocked over by a stock clerk went toppling to the floor right next to McCain.
Luckily for the candidate, the applesauce appeared to miss the Italian calfskin loafers.
As Huffington Post points out, McCain's black monk strap "Pregiato Moccasins" feature "tonal topstitching, silvertone hardware, and a Gancini bit and strap over vamp" (whatever that means). They're made by the Italian designer Salvatore Ferragamo and retail at Niemann-Marcus for $520.
"What better way to show his American pride than to tour the country in Italian leather?" chided Huffington Post blogger Isabel Wilkinson.
(Full disclosure: I also happen to be wearing Ferragamo loafers today. But I got them on sale in Milan some years ago. And I certainly didn't spend $520.)
July 30, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (811)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
McCain would sound more convincing if he wasn't wearing $500 shoes.
Now I understand how Cindy McCain routinely spends $750,000 a month on just one credit card. She has to buy the most expensive clothes for fancy pants Johnny boy.
Posted by: Dan | Jul 30, 2008 1:03:20 PM
A sneek peek at tomorrow's ad from the McCain campaign, "Hey, Obama, your mother wears army boots. . . . ."
How childish is the McCain Campaign? If McCain loses, I'm hiring them and a pony to do birthday parties.
Posted by: DAVID NH | Jul 30, 2008 1:05:17 PM
This is a new low
Posted by: David | Jul 30, 2008 1:05:27 PM
If I donated money to the McCain campaign I would be asking I gave you $2300 and this is what I get? How does this help McCain? It only makes him seem petty and jealous.
Posted by: Malcom | Jul 30, 2008 1:06:19 PM
wow. this is just rediculous! the mcCain camp is now saying obama is the biggest celebrity in the world?! are you kidding me?? they are so desperate!!!! obama is known around the world just as much as mcCain!! HELLO YOUR BOTH RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT!! and running for president and making a difference in the world is a hell of a lot different then being the biggest slut in the world!! i think they are really shooting in the dark with this one. wow. GO OBAMA!!! I still think you rock!
Posted by: Lindsay | Jul 30, 2008 1:06:20 PM
Unfortunately McSame the Panamian child is not a global leader nor a global celebrity, he is just a little and small minded leader from Arizona. McSame the Panamian has to learn that negative campaining will not work. He is runing away from failed economic and foreign policies of the Republican House and a Republican Government. America does not need left overs of WBush-Cheney-McSame. He can run but cannot hide. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08.
Posted by: BKMC | Jul 30, 2008 1:06:48 PM
McSame has more of nothing to say he has no idea how to fix the countries problems the only thing this guy can do is try and smear Obama McSame is a looser the guy couldnt be more pathetic im so voting Obama its time to send a clear message to the GOP trying to scare us into voting republican is not going to work anymore.
Posted by: getsmart | Jul 30, 2008 1:07:24 PM
Republicans have nothing to offer
and everything to hide, such as
endless war and collapsing economy.
So they present us with an
unending procession of garbage
attacks on Obama.
Posted by: Chemist | Jul 30, 2008 1:07:36 PM
Obama should pay to run this ad as well, although he should move the "I'm John McCain and I approve this message" to the beginning of the ad.
Posted by: Bill, CA | Jul 30, 2008 1:08:52 PM
Is it a good thing for a country's leader to be respected and loved globally, like Nelson Mandela?
Posted by: Thomas | Jul 30, 2008 1:08:57 PM
Jealous are ye Dan? Tell me true, if you had the money that Cindy McCain has, would you be shopping at the low budget places? Do you know what the purchases were on her credit card?
Posted by: Sue | Jul 30, 2008 1:09:53 PM
Let's face it, Obama is a perfect fit for the age of reality TV. The last guy left standing on "American Political Idol". From out of nowhere, with no experience, he was elevated to national name recognition and international rock star glam.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | Jul 30, 2008 1:10:25 PM
To all the above...
Spoken like true dazed Obama followers!
Posted by: aquaglass | Jul 30, 2008 1:10:31 PM
Damn it Mccain......stupid. Sure wish someone else was running against Obama
Posted by: Blerg | Jul 30, 2008 1:11:04 PM
How embarrassing... for McCain
Posted by: missykitty | Jul 30, 2008 1:11:07 PM
John McCain reminds me of those geeky Keebler elves.
He is a small, pathetic man, little John is.
Posted by: FilmMD | Jul 30, 2008 1:11:11 PM
McCain needs to stop whining about Obama and put forth some substance of his own. The more he stays in reactive mode against Obama, the more he looks like the beta male in this race. Not a good sign.
Posted by: Big Dan | Jul 30, 2008 1:12:18 PM
Lindsay, do you mean 'Panamanian?' What are you talking about? You are incoherent. Your insults leave people scratching their heads wondering what they just read.
Posted by: bags | Jul 30, 2008 1:12:42 PM
There is so much more garbage out there for the Obuma guy. Keep it coming McCain and sharpen your aim, hit him with your best shot!
For the first time ever I will not vote for one not one democrap this year or next...........
Posted by: HP Boston | Jul 30, 2008 1:13:00 PM
McCain's campaign seems to think this is an election for junior high student council president. Panama Jack doesn't have any tact.
Posted by: bhciapol | Jul 30, 2008 1:13:17 PM
Post a comment
