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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



AFL-CIO to launch anti-McCain ad

Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 1:20 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:

From NBC's Mark Murray
First Read has confirmed that the AFL-CIO will begin airing a new TV ad tomorrow in the battleground states of Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin that hits McCain on Iraq and veterans' issues. The 30-second ad, which will run for three weeks, features Vietnam vet Jim Wasser.

Per AFL-CIO spokesman Steve Smith, this is a "significant buy," and the ads will be airing in markets that have been especially hit hard by the economy. So, in Ohio, it will run in markets like Youngstown and Lima -- not Columbus.

The TV ad coincides with a Veterans Council the AFL-CIO is unveiling tomorrow. Per the AFL, there are 2.1 million union members who are veterans

Here's the script:
Wasser: Every vet respects John McCain's war record.
It's his record in the Senate that I have a problem with.
He wants us to keep spending ten billion dollars a month in Iraq, just like Bush.
That's money we could use to build schools and roads and create jobs we need here at home.
He even took Bush's side against increasing health care benefits for veterans.
People should let John McCain know his agenda's not what we need. Not now.

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Comments

Ouch. This isn't going to help McFossil now, is it?
Whoa. Good ad.

And its nice and clean, all about policy.
First the Health Scare psudo-527 tosses in $40 million, now the unions pile on. Obama has all the benefits of not being reigned in by any campaign finance laws plus he gets all the money from the left-wing lobbyist groups, who he now owes big time.
I think this is a hard-hitting ad that states the facts.  Every Obama supporter should be listening to the Ed Schultz show right now.

OBAMA/BIDEN, 2008!
Good AD. Clean and to the point.
Donna: I must suck it up, and speak my mind folks.

Who are we, and other bigoted countries who have nukes, to threaten nations who want the capability of nuclear defense technology, like Iran, or any other nation. We have it. We can defend ourselves. They should be able to do the same, or at least have the peace of mind in knowing, like us, they can defend themselves should they be forced to do so. We are the lying aggressors in the Middle East.

Yell, and scream all you like. We are the nation that used the most terrible of weapons first.,,,’

And we used nukes on CIVILIANS
Against a country that was already beaten
Possible, as a warning to the Soviet Union

So, WHO ARE THE TERRORISTS?
The nation without nukes or the one that used them against civilians ?



‘…When is the last time Iran attacked anybody?

Nuclear technology is a progress for 3rd world nations in terms of the utilities in their homes, and hospitals, etc.,. I have never agreed with the hypocritical position of America, and other nations like her on this issue.

Now, attack me all you like oppressors!  …’

Thank YOU, Donna !!
You’re EXACTLY RIGHT !!

For the record:

Our intelligence has said that Irana stopped its' nuclear weapons program years ago

The Bush admin is trying to convince people that Iran is supplying weapons to Iraqi forces
None of their 'proof' has panned out (all lies)

The Israelis just completed a 'war exercise', simulating an attack on Iran
Any wonder the Iranians are testing missles ?

What give the Israelis the right to nuclear weapons and denies those weapons to Iran ?

How does that work ?

If you want Iran to give up nuclear technology, threatening them is probably the worst idea
Especially if you can't carry out those threats


John McCain, Dumb and dumber

John McCain, Idiot's delight

Wow!
Not is McCain out of touch with the wishes of the American people, he seems to be out of touch with the wishes of the Iraqi governmnet.

It appears that the Iraqi government is in complete agreement with the Obama strategy on Iraq.   So much for “cut and run”, “no timetables” and talk of “surrender” if Obama is elected.

Today, the administration and the McCain campaign have been thoroughly undercut by our allies, the Iraqi government.  The Iraqi’s have asked us to leave their country, the sooner the better.  They have also said that any permanent US bases would be under Iraqi control.  The freely elected Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, is demanding a “timetable” for withdrawal of U.S. troops.

President Bush has long maintained that if the Iraqi government wants the U.S. to leave Iraq, then the U.S. would do just that, as he said in May 2007:

“We are there at the invitation of the Iraqi government. This is a sovereign nation. Twelve million people went to the polls to approve a constitution. It’s their government’s choice. If they were to say, leave, we would leave”.

John McCain said in 2004, that if the Iraqi's asked us to leave, we would have no choice but to go.

The administration has rebuffed Maliki’s request for a timeline. Now it’s not their decision, according to Bush and McCain. Bush/McCain are now insisting that our departure is dependent on conditions on the ground. Both are insisting on permanent bases under a Status of Forces Agreement, an agreement that the Iraqi government does not seem to want.

Last I checked, Iraq is a Republic with a democratic Constitution and a freely elected government.  By not acquiescing to their wishes we are now an occupying army.  Unfortunately, this is the Bush/McCain world view and their understanding of a Democracy. There will be democracy in Iraq as long as the government does what we say and does our bidding.  This is coercive democracy or democracy at the point of a gun.  It should not come as a surprise to anyone.  The Bush administration, embraced by John McCain, has desecrated our Constitution and infringed on our rights for 8 long years.
For all those who believe First Read is pro-McCain:

About 2-3 weeks ago Mark Murray was a guest on Washington Journal. Now I don't know what Mark's position is politically. It's not something that is any of my business.

However, I will say on that particular morning he got flak from right wing callers accusing him and MSNBC of being all pro-Obama. And I have to say, he handled it all very professionally and was very kind to each and every caller.

He's a terrific guest on that program.

I notice a lot of callers on Washington Journal on some weekends talk a lot about their love of guns and religion and abortion.

That's why they like the Pope and Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

They need to be told how to think and what to believe in. It works.
The early Alzheimer’s disease, duel personality, candidate said… “it’s obvious that we would have to leave Iraq if a sovereign Iraqi government asked the United States to so, even if Washington was wary of the security situation on the ground there.”
Once again duel, personality, McCain has either memory loss or is lying. If those two aren’t true it means he clearly doesn’t have the proper temperament, judgment, and intelligence to be Commander-in- Chief. And that is a problem!

Raising taxes is the only sensible way to rebuild our own nation and global economy.
McCain can’t find Sunni or Shia. Johnny boy has no more talking points.
Stop the smears and the fear mongering.
yeah i like this ad and McCain should be worried that he doesnt have union support

Watch McCain talk about crocs and he actually giggles
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/the-result-of-mccains-campaign-re-toolingcrocs-and-giggles/
or
http://sensico2.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-blogs.html
EXCELLENT!  This is a great ad.  Credible and hard hitting.  The imagery is relevant and the spokesperson articulate without viciously attacking.

Focus on job creation, veteran benefits - continue to show the Bush hugging for what it is - Bush's 3rd Term
Hmm...didn't Obama pretend to renounce 527's?   Since McCain's record in the Senate is certainly fair game, maybe one will come out addressing Obama's record in the Senate.  Wouldn't cost much, as it would be an awfully short ad.
I have no objection to outside groups who positively speak to their members concerns. I do hate the negative 527s that go after candidates with lies, for the purpose of destroying their opponents.
It's spot on concerning McCain's SENATE RECORD!!

Exactly what has his 20+ years in the Senate netted America?

Nice to be on offense for a change.
Oh yea...watch the GOP groupies - sound off as to Barack Obama not playing fair and being nice to their hero, John McCain.

NO - the only person that's to blame for the truth that will drop John McCain to his knees - is JOHN MCCAIN...It's only the truth and it will set U.S. free.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA
The AFL-CIO has always supported the liberal democrats, so this ad is nothing new.  The unions are only concerned about their own coffers and could care less about the working man/woman.  The unions are the cause of their own demise and has no one to blame except them selves. They have backed the last two losers and is backing another loser.
MSierra, SF & Donna:

Typically I agree with you both; but as far as nuclear proliferation with Iran, please step back and see the bigger picture - Iran is often a 'rogue nation', overthrown and unstable in very recent history.  I believe their hostility toward Israel is hate-based (think Hitler) and serves no purpose in the global scheme of thins.  I believe I read in Newsweek that they are a known harbor for terrorists and terrorist activity.  We can't allow weapons of this kind of mass destruction in such hostile, unstable hands.  Israel has only ever defended themselves against heinous and constant attacks.  We do have a big picture strategy to preserve our Alliance with Israel who has been bullied and victimized by this aggressor.  Just my opinion.  I probably need to read more about it.
Pat, thanks for the kind note.
Obama, it doesn't do much good to build roads and schools if you let terrorists come here to bomb and destory our cities. Crybabys like you are better suited to teach something at a junior college.
I can't wait for the debates to begin.  Though, I hope the secret service provides a ref and search the candidates beforehand because I expect McCain to go bezerk.  It's a good ad by the AFL-CIO and should get played a lot.  $10 Billion monthly. 4100 lives for what!?  And where's Bin Laden?  Vote Barack Obama
His record of working with democrats is whats wrong with this country ,we should have two parties without working togehter
Holten Spence - do Republicans ever get embarrassed over being so afraid of the communists, er, sorry terrorists hiding under the bed?
Holten, you're right. Let's keep borrowing $10 billion/month from China. That doesn't make us any less safe, does it?

We can't even place sanctions on Iran because China vetoes them. And we have no influence on China because we owe them money.

That Bush type of thinking is what got up into Iraq.

It's a brand new world, we're not the only ones with power. If we get suckered into war with Iran, Bin Laden will win by bankrupting America. That was his plan from the start. Bin Laden predicted $140 oil when oil was only $11 a barrel. (Don't believe me, google it).

In the past the strongest men ruled tribes. Now the smartest men are the wealthiest. America needs to rely on its brains again over brawn.
John McCain is his worst enemy, but the MSM treat him with kid gloves because as Chris Matthews once stated "the media is McCains base." I wont list all of McCains flip flops or gaffs because it's too numerous. A few example of flip flopping would be on Bush's tax cut, immigration. Doesn't know a Shia from a Sunni, skirting campaign finance law with Cindy's private jet...we could go on and on but you get the picture. Vote for Change, not another 3rd Bush term.
'Bout damn time!!

This is an ad we need to see nationwide...
Obama, it doesn't do much good to build roads and schools if you let terrorists come here to bomb and destory our cities. Crybabys like you are better suited to teach something at a junior college.
Holten Spence, Iowa (Sent Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:09 PM)

Try Columbia University and Harvard Law School. I love how people who have not even accomplished half of what Obama has contending how much smarter they are than he (thats why they're all senators).

These are the same Republicans who think that the two Bushes, with their below 100 IQs, are the smartest and wisest leaders ever. These are the same people who never complain about Bushes cocaine use or  alcoholism, who give McCain the bennifit of the doubt when he flip flops on yet anothet issue, and think Regan was the greatest president ever, forgetting that he cut the Army in half (from 18 divisions to 9), and amassed a deficit larger than all the presidents before him combined. I know this country can have an extremely short memory, but it was Regan who desrtoyed the unions when he replaced all of the airtraffic controllers and broke the strike. History is what it is. After Regans union busting, their power was greatly diminished, and the american workers suffered. It was Regan who made it possible for CEOs salaries grow to more than 400 times what the average worker makes. It was Republican policies that let companies destroy pention funds while walking away with billions in bonuses and compensation.

If you haven't figured out yet which party cares about the average American citizen, you haven't been paying attention. There is only one reason I can see for going with the Repubicans, race. Because you are scared your priviledge might end and the playing field might actually be level for everyone, crybabies.
McCain "even took Bush's side against increasing health care benefits for veterans."  Hard for a fellow vet to believe and harder yet to accept without pushing back.


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