The McCain camp's new Palin TV ad

Posted: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:27 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Ads, Sarah Palin

From NBC's Mark Murray
The McCain camp is going up with a new TV ad touting Palin's credentials and attacking Obama's.

The campaign says the ad will air in "key states" (read: there probably isn't much money behind the ad).

Script:
ANNCR: The Journal says: "Governor Palin's credentials as an agent of reform exceed Barack Obama's."
They're right.
She "has a record of bi-partisan reform."
He's the Senate's "most liberal."
She "took on the oil producers."
He gave big oil billions in subsidies and giveaways.
She's "earned a reputation as a reformer."
His reputation? Empty words.
JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.

It's important to note that there are a few misleading assertions in the ad. For one, the "Journal" that's cited is the conservative and partisan Wall Street Journal editorial page. Two, to call Obama the Senate's most liberal senator is dubious. (The charge comes from the National Journal ranking Obama as having the most liberal Senate voting record of 2007, but he was nowhere near the top in 2005 and 2006; it's also worth noting that Obama missed many Senate votes in 2007, so that ranking is a bit skewed.) And three, the charge that Obama "gave big oil billions in subsidies and giveaways" is misleading. (According to nonpartisan fact-checkers, the 2005 energy bill the McCain camp is referring to actual resulted in a net tax INCREASE on oil companies.)

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Comments

IS this some kind of a JOKE????????

When does this AIR????
Preacher gate???

She is NOT QUALIFIED. How dare the GOP try to MOCK Obama and his following.
What Camapign has this woman won???
What foreign relations???
WHEN DOES THIS WOMAN GET PULLED
THIS HAS BECOME AN INSULT TO AMERICAN JOHN MCSHAME

Nj (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:47 PM)

I suppose they need to draw attention away from Palin's skimpy resume by skewering Obama's.

The question that people need to ask isn't so much whether she is more experienced than Obama (a matter of semantics at best), but what makes her more qualified than Pawlenty, Lieberman, Ridge, or Romney, or any of the more experienced women in the Republican party.

Obama/Biden '08

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:48 PM)

Based on the McCain argument that Gov Palin has better governing credential than Obama they should realize that she has better governing credential than John McCain when given the same criteria.

Doug Rockford Il (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:48 PM)

If the ad contained all the lies you have rightly pointed out, so, why are you airing it? why are you pasting it on you site? Why not call the McCain out and call them liers they are.

I have consistently said on this blog that you guys in the media have an ample opportunity in your hands to contribute to the future of this country by putting the campaigns on their toes, inform the public well and do not be intimidated by any Schmidt.

Nelson - Knoxville, Tenn (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:48 PM)

HOW TRUE THIS AD IS. aLL OBAMA HAS GOING FOR HIM IS HIS KARAOKE VERSION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING. HE IS FOR NOTHING THAT I CAN FIGURE OUT. HIS FRIENDS AYERS, WRIGHT, REZCO, LUDRICRUS, SCARCE THE HELL OUT OF ME.

bELINDA ANDERS EX HILLARY SUPPORTER (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:48 PM)

I have a feeling the media will give her a pass and the republicans will spin the hell out of it, but I will bet my bottom dollar that if you listen carefully to Palin's speech tonight she is going to fail miserably.

By the way. Who is running against Obama anyway? Palin or Mccain or both? Watch out, with all the attention and attacks against Obama, Joe Biden is going to sneak up on the two of them (especially Palin) and bite their heads off.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:48 PM)

It is obvious that the elitist attitudes of the Barack Obama campaign (Carolyn Kennedy, etc) know little about small-town people and can't relate to anything Palin says or has done.

Full Moon (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:49 PM)

Again, nothing but lies and misinformation from the McCain camp. Even though I disagreed with McCain's policies, I always believed that he was a decent human being. Each and everyday he is proving that he certainly is not.
As far as Palin goes, we should only be scared if she gets anywhere near Washington and making decisions that effect our country and the world. Would she try to ban books in all the libraries in the country? Maybe with her new found power she thinks that she could do anything! Frightening! Absolutely fightening!
Get out there and report the truth about her. Don't sit back MSNBC. It is not partisanship to report the truth about her and her dealings and record. You owe it to the people of this country.

Olga, Oswego, NY (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:49 PM)

This is a irrational reaction from the McCain Campaign to try to overcome the extremely negative reception to his selection of Palin as a running mate. McCain and his team really need to get a message that will help sell the American People on his qualifications. IF he continues to run these kinds of ads, he will loose all his support from the indepentents and undecided and will therefore loose this election.

Ron P.-california (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:49 PM)

Its not called misleading, its called lies. McCain camp lies. Call it what it is.

Ruthie, Stone Mountain GA (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:49 PM)

Thanks you First Read.
This is journalism presenting both sides in its accurate context.

We also know Obama's view on foreign policy dating back to 2003 when he opposed going into Iraq in preference for finishing the job in Afganistan and we have seen him hold his own beside foreign leaders as diverse as Olmert, Abbas to Sarkozy, Angela Merkel, and Brown. Who really wants to see good Palin next to Olmert, Sarkozy, Merkel, or Putin (this can happen given McCain's age and two cancers - and I would even prefer Obama going toe to toe against them that perenially bellicose and aggression only foreign policy McCain! But putting Palin against them is near treason - even McCain only met her once bfore putting us all in her hands - would anyone do that to their children? Country First!)

M Townsend (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:49 PM)

Oh, you and your fact-checking!

This is the GOP...not that big on details!

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:50 PM)

Typical far right republican response to bad judgement and poor decision making that McCain used when picking Palin. This ad will bomb everywhere but in the dark halls of the far right. One more window into McCain; that he is not Maverick and she is no reformer.

leslie, indiana (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:50 PM)

ANY mother OR father of a baby with Downs and with a 17 year old daughter who is pregnant (by a man who does not want kids) who runs for national office is not exactly a role model. If it were me, I would put all my political dreams on hold to take care of my family

Michael R, Sacramento, CA (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:50 PM)

Last night's discussing about McCain's POW experience was heart wrenching. Fred Thompson claimed that it was relevant because it speaks to his character. What do these continous lies on the stump and in commercials say about his character? What does his changing his choice for VP to Palin at the least minute (bowing to pressure from his campaign advisors) say about his character? What does the Keating 5 scandal say about his character? What does leaving your devoted and injured wife for a younger and richer one, say about his character?
Does flip flopping on the positions that were unpopular with your party show you are a maverick who puts country first? No, its more of the same of everything that is going wrong with this country. And now for political expediency, he is asking Americans to put someone even more dangerous and less mainstream a heartbeat away from the presidency. In Wasilla she tried to censure the local library and almost got recalled for it? Where will her extreme religious views take our country? More wars and less individual rights? The real record shows that Palin is only a reformer on the surface and when it was convenient for her. The same can be said of John McCain. They do not represent change, they are more of the same (and possible even worse).

Kelly (from Pittsburgh) (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:51 PM)

The McCain/Palin ticket doesn't represent any "change". This is the same old divisive political game the Republicans have been playing for over a decade.

United We Stand
Divided We Fall

Pamela, Georgia (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:52 PM)

"What has Sarah Palin reformed again?"

Nashville_fan (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:34 PM)

-----------------------------------------------

Well, she reformed her opinion on The Bridge to Nowhere...she was for it when she ran for office but now she's against it!

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:53 PM)

LeAnn (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:34 PM)

LeAnn:

Palin probably does not even know the name of the Iraq President and most likely thinks Putin is some kind of moose pudding. Can any Mccain/Palin supporter tell us when it was the last time Palin led the Alaskan national guard into any kind of war or confrontation. Perhaps to hunt down a few hunters in Alaska who failed to get a hunting permit.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:53 PM)

ANNCR: The Journal says: "Governor Palin's ability to tought her credentials as an agent of reform exceed Barack Obama's."
They're right.
She "has a record of bi-partisan reform, because she has stabbed everyone in the back when politically expedient."
She "took on the oil producers by trying to expand their influence and open Federal lands to them."
She's "earned a reputation as a reformer by securing millions in pork projects, abusing her power as governor, flip-flopping on issues as the political climate changed."
His reputation? Empty words.
JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.

Billy, Texas (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:53 PM)

Obama is the most liberal Senator from one of the most liberal states in the country. And things are going well for us here in Illinois. Government is run at all levels by Democrats, schools are a total wreck, roads have pot-holes bigger then some small horses, corruption is so bad that a government official of some type is sent to jail every few weeks, and taxes are higher then anywhere else in the nation. Welcome to Baracks'World!!

Illinoian Voting For McCain and Palin (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:54 PM)

MSM's continued insistence on pointing out misleading assertions is nothing more than blatant sexism aimed at the most highly qualified woman in the GOP. Have you no shame?

Obama/Biden '08

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:55 PM)

John McCain’s campaign on Wednesday angrily called for an end to questions about its review of Sarah Palin’s background, deriding a “faux media scandal designed to destroy the first female Republican nominee” for vice president.

The media is asking because little is known about this person. It sounds like the republicans are trying to hide behind her gender here in attempts to stop the questioning of their choice.....pretty pathetic.

Geoff, Jacksonville, FL (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:56 PM)

Sarah Palenty (as she was referred to at yesterday's RNC) is a poor choice for mcsame ( could call it mcpain now) , she BROUGHT her baby daughter into this slimefest of an election. I would never subject my daughter to public ridicule and attention like this.
Plus, she has NO foreign exp. cred, none at all. She ahs a shiny new passport, and I probably have used mine more than she has. Soccer mom for VP? Hey, she cut funding for teen mother shelters in AK.
This must be bizzarro world. No, no, no GOP win , GOP FAIL this year.

JannaWr (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:57 PM)

McCain is a fraud and so is Palin. Where is McCain's Executive Experience? IF Palin is more qualified Obama, then she's also more qualified than McCain. McCain is a Senator, not a governor. Plus he's a washington insider, how will he be the one to bring outsider change. Palin would have to be the one to bring outsider change, plus she's the one with the "executive experience". With that said, it should be the Palin-McCain ticket, not the McCain-Palin ticket. Obama/Palin -Outsiders to bring change to Washington (Rockstar vs. Rockstar). Biden/McCain -Insiders to reinforce their ideas with knowledgeable credentials (Politician vs. Politician). The Democrats got it right AGAIN! The Repubs have it backwards as always. It doesn't make sense that the Repubs are comparing Palin to Obama and not McCain to Obama. Probably cause the Repubs actually feel Palin represents them better McCain. Which is why she didn't have to be vetted. The Repubs are just backwards!!!!

Obama/Biden

CJH, LB, CA (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:58 PM)

It is clear that most of you spend all of your time spewing hate and calling the republicans liars. Take some time out of your busy day and look up the 2005 Enegy Bill. This is public record. He voted for it. While you are doing this you might become more informed on other issues that are very pertinent to young voters and old. You lose all credibilty when you sound like a child throwing a tantrum. If you want to debate do so with the facts.

Kelli Brassington (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:59 PM)

Being Mayor of a town of 9,000 people does not equate to experience. Abusing your authority as Governor is not something to be proud off.
Obama's campaign has far more people than that and it is so well managed.

Palin is a slap in the face from the Repubs who continue to insult our intellect. The thing is she could be far far more dangerous than Bush.

Hey Repubs, she is no Hilary OK?

Dan, NY (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:59 PM)

Man, the Obama folks won't have any woman at all. First, Hillary was too experienced and a Washington "insider" and couldn't bring the "change" that Washington needs.

OK, we have a Washington outsider with more years in elected office than Obama has and suddenly she's unfit because she's inexperienced and unfamiliar to Washington.

Jose T., New York, NY (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 1:59 PM)

Perhaps much of the attention on Palin's unwed pregnant daughter is a result of the Republican vilification of Murphy Brown and her unwed pregnancy. How quickly they forget!

Linda Espo (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 7:10 PM)

Obviously, I missed something. The VP is suppossed to be able to step into the Commander in Chief position if God forbid, anything would happen to the elected president. Why then isn't the discussion and experience about Biden and Palin. Is McCain planning on stepping down after he is elected to ensure 8 more years???? This push of Palin being more qualified than Obama makes no sense. It is the VP against VP she is not running against the Democratic Presidential Pick

Cm Idabel Ok (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 8:14 PM)

Keep up the straight talk! So tired of the gossip. I'm so proud we have someone who has fought for this country and refuses to tax us. If we can remember our patriotic fathers dumped the tea in refusal to pay taxes to england! Thank you Mccain/Palin...08!

Jane Wedel Bakersfield Calif (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 1:14 AM)

Funny to read the nobamas comments...Sarah hit the nail on the head last night on NObama! Really funny BUT she said what 3/4 of AMERICA is thinking.

blackcatsoda, Austin, Texas (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 8:45 AM)

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