Obama ad brings up Reed, Abramoff

Posted: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:24 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Ads

From NBC's Mark Murray
Here's another TV ad... The Obama campaign has announced it will begin airing a new ad in Georgia that links McCain to Ralph Reed, the former business partner of Jack Abramoff who helped raise money for McCain (but was a no-show at a recent Atlanta fundraiser).

Reed lost a GOP primary for lieutenant governor of Georgia in large part because of his ties to Abramoff.

The script:
"It was one of Washington’s biggest scandals. And the Republican power broker Ralph Reed was in the middle of it. In deep with convicted felon and lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

“But when the Senate investigated, the senator in charge never even called Reed to testify... And that senator? John McCain. And who’s now raising money for McCain’s campaign? Ralph Reed. For 26 years in Washington, John McCain’s played the same old games. We just can’t afford more of the same.”

EMAIL THIS

Comments

"in the middle of it"
"in deep"

Legally? Or through guilt-by-association? If he was "in the middle of it," shouldn't he be in jail? Isn't this the same nonsense that Obama railed against re: Rezko, Wright, Ayers, etc.?

Joe (NJ) (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:32 PM)

now the republican will say this is a negative ad, it may be negative but its TRUE!!!
good call barack, next place a ad about the keating five!!!!
american need to know stuff like this!!!

jeff D Evanston Il. (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:33 PM)

Olympics take up all the time, thats why first read is find silly stuff to put on.

Anne (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:35 PM)

Obama needs to push this to the limit. That scadal was not only real, it involved most of the GOP higher echelon in Congress and at the Whitehouse. I particularly like the part where Reed misled hundreds of southern baptists into believing he was on their side in opposition to proposed gaming ventures while he collected fees through the very Washington lobbyists who were being paid by said casinos Reed's group was opposing. All with Reed's full knowledge - his role was to use these groups to pressure the casinos into paying his friends. How pious.

Ian (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:35 PM)

Great ad, hit him where it hurts.

VETS FOR OBAMA

Dave in OC, Vets for Obama (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:37 PM)

best attack ad ever from the obama campaign...finally

PUMA Dorks Listen 2 Rush Limbaugh, No Wonder They’re Idiots
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/puma-dorks-listen-2-rush-limbaugh-no-wonder-theyre-idiots/
or
http://sensico2.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-blogs.html

camie (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:38 PM)

Hammer down Barack !! Don't letup on Mccain & his ignorant supporter's.

Let the Games begin. How ya like it now, John Mccain?

You can put lipstick on a Pig, but it's still a Pig !!

Relaxed & Rested, & Ready to Rumble !!

America has'nt forgotten all the Trouble's brought on by the gay Ole Party with Gwb & his Loyal sidekick, John Mccain.

Go Barack !!!

Rick,Ky (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:38 PM)

This is partly true (Reed didn't show-up at the event, he did help co-ordinate he event) but might be a little to negative ...

WOW (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:39 PM)

Oh yeah, oh yeah, YES!!!

donna (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:39 PM)

Republicans crying "FOUL" in 5, 4, 3,...

Looks like we are getting what the pundits kept saying was going to be necessary!

OBAMA playing ROUGH!!

GA GUY (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:40 PM)

NICE!!! This isn't negative . . . it is FACT!!!! That is how you hit those Gumbahs!!

Matthew (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:41 PM)

Wow! I knew McCain had those hearings but I didn't know he saved Reed from testimony. That's corrupt Washington for ya.

Keith, PA (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:42 PM)

Now that's what I'm talking about! Keep them coming O! You have soooo much material! Keating 5 anyone??

Alison, FL (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:42 PM)

I like the ad Barack.. but you know that now that you are going negative.. all of your doubters will now say that you are going against your message.. especially those undecideds who claim that you are not tough enough.. so here we go I can't wait to see what their excuse is once you start hitting the old man hard when it counts.. The wheels will come off the old man's wagon soon as you continue to compare his LARGE MOUND of dirt compared to yours.. this is one instance that he will wish he didn't start the negative campaigning.. because one thing that not having alot of time in washington does for you is keeps you out of all the scandals and shady dealings mccain has been involved in over his 26 years that he brags about..

Todd, NC (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:43 PM)

FINALLY!!!! Hit them with the truth, not lies like they do, (oh, sorry, the media calls it "misleading"!

New Independent (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:43 PM)

Amen! The Obama team has to educate the American people with the truth about McCain. Keep up the good work. Time to fight back and don't let the Repub's get away with another round of election year smears.

DRM, Portland (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:44 PM)

A vision of 'The Alien', thrusting it's tongue into McCain's candidacy just flashed. He's a bloody mess in Georgia now.

LOL (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:44 PM)

Sometime one must fight fire with fire. Obama has proven that he is far more intelligent than McCain, the one thing Obama does not have is a bunch of thugs and cut-throats in his campaign like McCain does. The truth will out, I just pray for this country's sake, that it will not be too late. Let's all pray those satanic Republicans will be ousted come November!!!

Flo Maxwell (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:46 PM)

Ralph Reed ran the campaign in South Carolina in 2000 that sank McCain's first presidential campaign by accusing McCain of having an affair with an African-American woman and claiming that John and Cindy McCain's adopted daughter from Bangladesh is the illegitimate children of that affair.

John McCain 2000 would be sickened to see John McCain 2008 taking Reed's money!

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:52 PM)

At least Obama's ads are now making sense. It's good to start fighting back regarding poor judgement instead of St. McCain always sending off his negative ads. And think about this too, at least when Obama puts out the ads, he puts out truthful ones, vs. McCain, let's just make stuff up as we go along....man...

J, Texas (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:53 PM)

Let's not forget it was McCain who put Abramoff in jail and cost Tom Delay his seat in congress. Yes a Republican cleaning up his own party.

Wichita, KS (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:58 PM)

Good for you Obama, no matter what the GOP says about Rezko (which by the way there were no convictions on your part) this is huge. There many other skeletons McCain’s closet that will rattle McCain’s absent mind.
Keep educating people about that gory man.
Nobody but Obama

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:59 PM)

GO SEN OBAMA VOTERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TRUTH ABOUT SAINT MCCAIN. WHY IT TOOK SO LONG. MAKE SURE NEXT IS KEATING 5. WHAY IS NOT ANYONE WRITING ABOUT SAIN MCCAIN ROLE. LET HIS BEARINGS FALL APART.

SH, CA (Sent Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:59 PM)

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