McCain invokes '60s in latest TV ad

Posted: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 11:20 AM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro, Mark Murray and Chuck Todd
Here's the talker of the day... McCain is invoking the 1960s in his latest bio TV advertisement, which will run on national cable and locally in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

McCain also takes three not-so subtle shots at Obama. One: “John McCain doesn't always tell us what we ‘hope’ to hear.” Two: “Beautiful words cannot make our lives better.” And the kicker: "Don't 'hope' for a better life. Vote for one."

But what caught our attention -- and what will likely be the biggest point of discussion -- is McCain bringing up the '60s. It’s not the first time McCain has invoked the culture wars of that decade. In the primaries, he ran an ad that hit Hillary Clinton on the proposed funding for a Woodstock Museum and highlighted his time as a POW with his debate line, “I was tied up at the time.”

Does the ad play right into Obama's wheelhouse -- to put the '60s behind us? Or does it challenge Obama on that turf? Candidates play to their own strengths and try to make their opponents strengths look like weaknesses. McCain can't change who he is. But this ad will likely only underscore the generational differences between these two.

Obama's problems are with older, white voters -- the ones who’d remember the '60s. McCain's are with younger voters. The question is whether McCain over-performs enough to offset the Obama advantage. And doesn’t Obama need to respond on the older voter front?

The ad likely appeals to those older, white voters -- the “straight arrows” in the 60s and 70s -- who didn't like the racial fights or the hippies that defined the time. (Many of those people are only in their late 50s and 60s today and are a reliable voting bloc.)

Does this ad put the idea in those voters’ heads, “Who would Obama have been in the '60s -- the straight arrow fighting in the war? Or the protestor?”

How about those on-the-fence Democrats who liked Bill Clinton and don’t like Bush or the Iraq war. They might be annoyed with McCain because of his stance on Iraq/Iran, but are distrustful of Obama because of Rev. Wright and his inexperience? Is this the kind of ad that could tip them or put them on the fence?

There is one potential ironic pitfall for McCain on the older, white voter front, and it might be the same one that hurt Bob Dole, who gunned for the same demographic: These people themselves are older, and had reservations about an older person being president.

But so far that hasn't shown up in polling. In fact, Obama is underperforming with the demographic compared to Kerry and Gore. But the same can be said for McCain and younger voters. Gore lost the 65+ group 50%-47%; Kerry lost them 52%-47%. And according to the latest NBC/WSJ poll, McCain has a wider lead of 48%-41%. Among those 18-29, Kerry won them 54%-45%; Gore won them 48%-46%. And among those 18-34, per the NBC/WSJ poll, Obama is up 53%-40%. Among those 30-44, Kerry lost the group, 53%-46%; Gore lost them 49%-48%. But Obama leads in the NBC/WSJ poll, among the 35-49 age category, 44%-40%.)

Obama has more resources to fix his older voter problem; McCain has to hope younger voters just aren't as intense as predicted.

NBC/NJ’s Matthew Berger contributed to this report.

Script For "Love"
ANNCR: It was a time of uncertainty, hope and change. The "Summer Of Love." Half a world away, another kind of love -- of country. John McCain: Shot down. Bayoneted. Tortured. Offered early release, he said, "No." He'd sworn an oath. Home, he turned to public service. His philosophy: before party, polls and self ... America.

A maverick, John McCain tackled campaign reform, military reform, spending reform. He took on presidents, partisans and popular opinion. He believes our world is dangerous, our economy in shambles.

John McCain doesn't always tell us what we "hope" to hear. Beautiful words cannot make our lives better. But a man who has always put his country and her people before self, before politics can.

Don't "hope" for a better life. Vote for one. McCain.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain, and I approved this message.

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