This independently produced video will be typical of the character assassination videos we can expect to see in the month ahead. Since Obama actually has the most to lose at this point we can assume that they will hurt him more than McCain. I personally think that these do need to be carefully produced. This one is a good example of that. This one was produced by Comic Dan St.Paul. And, of course, the campaigns can say they have nothing to do with it while snickering.
Found by David Feldman.
Anyone seen my hens? I heard them cackling away somewhere around here.
Other than the excess poultry, it seems to pretty much match factually with what I’ve been able to find out about the guy.
It sure does suck when this kind of grubbiness enters into what should be a civilized competition, but you gotta admit, the guy deserves it.
Months? They’ll be making McCain videos after he loses the election?
Of course understand this:
That video is a work of pure fiction. Probably won’t see it except on youtube.
So I don’t believe anything will come out of this particular video.
But…
What I expect to happen quickly now is a ramping up of well funded videos with distorted truths from both camps.
I expect the Obama camp to continue the McBush line, while..
The McCain camp should link Obama to his Marxist-Leninist philosophy. I doubt McCain will do this, for whatever reason.
Although the style of the video is pretty ridiculous, the content is factually accurate, you can look it up.
The content is fairly accurate if you can pull out a crystal ball and read McCain’s mind. Otherwise, it’s speculation wrapped in “fact”.
A little more about trashing Obama and using a crystal ball…
Just imagine what creative license could be taken with what these links espouse. (Now remember, I’m not saying they are accurate, but they certainly are fodder).
http://tinyurl.com/4xlkcw
http://tinyurl.com/4zod9l
Only in America.
(at least in other places they’d blow the guy up with a suicide bomber…that’s political debate for ya…)
I certainly expect the 2008 version of Swift Boat to go full on in the next few couple of weeks.
The GOP will need to go nuclear now that the Palin Hail Mary pass is short of the goal line. I am not discounting a form of fear tactic such as a staged incident or riot.
The McCain camp has made it pretty clear that Swift Boating is what they will do – while John-Boy will make pure statements in his “official” releases. That’s the technique used all the way back to Nixon’s Southern Strategy adopting racism as an official plank of the Republican Party.
The nutball commenters here have already been doing this for a spell. Usually producing nothing more than a snicker at their ideology, revisionist history, self-deception and bigotry.
I could further add to the guilt by association trip involving Cindy McCain by offering up the details of her family’s history tied to gangland murders and corruption in the horse-racing crowd in the Southwest – but, I’ll leave that up to those capable of Googling – and who even give a shit.
Checking the polls, this morning – Obama would have to be as narrow-minded as a neocon to figure out how to lose at this point.
what part about the video is fiction other than the voiceovers by the clucking hens?
He cheated on his wife, once he got back and found her to be heavier and less pretty than when he had left, to eventually marry a younger, wealthier, prettier woman, whose money catapulted him into politics. Nothing else. Very straightforward and factual.
That should tell you all you need to know about the guy’s loyalty and character.
And for the GOP or their supporters to cry foul over this type of thing is ridiculous after the Swift Boats and Willie Hortons of the past. It’s like no one remembers Rove’s South Carolina gambit, because those people are all now working for McCain.
#11 Think they’ll do one on Obama’s muslim jihad indoc school he attended? That would be hilarious.
The timeline portrayed and statements are factually accurate.
The only statements that are debatable are the speculation about his underlying motives for cheating (in this case speculation that it was because his wife was ugly). People can grow apart after life changing events (car crash and POW), but even that is no excuse for adultery.
Character assassination?
Really?
I bet if it was an Obama video, it would be “troubling accusations.”
What part of this is factually incorrect? McCain DID this. He ran around on his wife with Cindy McCain, and pointing this out is somehow unfair?
John, I know you’re smarter than this.
Shit happens.
My wife had an affair and dropped me (and our two young children) for a young rich guy. She wanted me to be happy for her, that she had found her “soul-mate”. I wasn’t particularly happy about the situation, but would have accepted it as fate had the guy not started running around on her a few months later. Had he stuck around and been a good father for their baby, married her and treated her well, I would have chalked it up as “that’s life”.
Cindy’s been married to the old goat a pretty good while now, and she’s foxy enough to have split for greener pastures. They stuck together, and that says something about their relationship. Maybe Cindy was John’s soul-mate and his first wife wasn’t. Shit happens, that’s life.
There’s only three people in the world that know what really happened. I hope I don’t see any more of this tripe from Obama supporters. It’s a cheap shot, and inherently dishonest. In relationships, facts rarely if ever tell the whole story.
I’m not voting for McCain, but it’s not because I question his character.
JCD,
You make a good point and I agree. Where you err is that McCain tried a Hail Mary and it failed. Now, they are even more disparate and will try virtually anything.
The Republicans didn’t invent dirty tricks, but they made it an art. It is just deserts to see them get some of their own, especially when so many of the past purveyors of this tactic now work for McCain. Unfortunately, it isn’t so great to those related to McCain that had nothing to do with his decisions.
I hope the Obama campaign pumps these out by the truckload. The more shrill the better.
Paddy-O
You seem to be mistaking the Obama campaign with a Rethuglican organization. They won’t stoop to the level of Rove and McCain.
What you will see is a lot of new “approved bby John McCain” ads in the next month bringing up all the character assassination issues you claim to deplore. He’s down 10 points in the polls, and has already thrown his dignity out the window (q.v. “Obama supports comprehensive sex ed for 5-year-olds”). There’s nothing left in the tank but to get ugly.
Republicans: “It’s shocking and deplorable that the other side would turn to such slanderous attacks during an election! It’s a sign of their desperation.”
Democrats: “It’s shocking and deplorable that the other side would turn to such slanderous attacks during an election! It’s a sign of their desperation.”
What’s deplorable is that people form opinions and vote from this crap. It’s sad that it works.
I wonder what his ex-wife has to say about this. The video is meaningless without know what really happened. Besides, is it his personal life that is important or what he can do as a politician?
I wouldn’t vote for him if I was a USA citizen but I still don’t like this video. It’s disrespectful to his ex-wife at the very least.
#16, Cow-Paddy,
Is this just your persona speaking or are you serious.
Did you ever figure out which part of the Constitution forbids Congress from regulating CEO’s wages? C’mon, you wrote it as a fact. I’m curious, which part?
let’s be honest, no one makes it to congress by being a nice person. You have to be willing to screw over every one you come in contact to be successful in politics (and most corporate board rooms). So why does “character” matter in a political debate? To think that any politician is at all trustworthy is naive. Too bad people prefer gossip like crap ads over any substantive topics.
#21 “Too bad people prefer gossip like crap ads over any substantive topics.”
This is furthered by the candidates not putting detailed plans. Most of what the two guys have put out is just goals that are too thin on detailed programs.
That is because neither know what the hell they are really going to do once in office.
#22, Cow-Paddy,
Obama has detailed his platform quite well on his web site. Beware before you go there, there are no pictures to color.
McCain hasn’t detailed his platform very well because he keeps changing his mind on what it is. There should be enough pictures you can d/l to color though. Supply your own crayons.
#14 mthrnite, Fantastic comment.
McCain himself said in the first debate that his only big regret is not trying harder on his first marriage.
I bet everyone who has gone through a failed marriage says the same thing.
He also said on another occasion “I had changed, she had changed …. People who have been apart that much change.”
Also given that his first wife, Carol, is still alive yet we haven’t heard word one from her, gives me the impression that this is old news and long resolved.
BTW, I am also surprised that no one challenged me on my statement that Obama is a Marxist-Leninist!
RE: #23
Eff word some mornings I am such a palintard.
I didn’t close my block quote. This is what the post should have been. My apologies.
#22, Cow-Paddy,
Obama has detailed his platform quite well on his web site. Beware before you go there, there are no pictures to color.
McCain hasn’t detailed his platform very well because he keeps changing his mind on what it is. There should be enough pictures you can d/l to color though. Supply your own crayons.
[Fixed. – ed.]
EFF !!! i SCREWED IT AGAIN !!!
Obama’s web site is here. With his platform well laid out.
But I don’t expect Cow-Paddy to read it. It doesn’t have any pictures he can download and color.
[Fixed again. – ed.]
Ah_Yea (#24):
Thank you, and I’ll take your challenge.
A one note song is note worth a listen (unless of course it’s by Cage or Eno or something.) Our democracy is not pure, it’s never been a one note song, there’s always a mixture of ideologies that make it a unique form. It was easy for lefties to point at the Bush administration and yell FASCISM, OLIGARCHY, MONARCHISM! etc.. etc.. and there were, in my opinion, shades of those ideologies in play. It would however, be stupid of me to say that Bush is a fascist. I could point to actions to support the claim, but they would be ignoring the complexity (um, lol?) of Bush’s ideology.
Democracy must evolve to meet the needs of the people, the time, the world situation. Sometimes you make more guns, sometimes you make more butter. Marx, Lennon, Mussolini, Hitler, Roosevelt, Reagan, Clinton.. they all drew on previous ideologies to form their own, and routed “democracy” to comply with their views. Shades of this and that, wrapped up into a new ideology.
Right now, I’m looking for less guns and more butter, if that means we integrate shades of Marxism into democracy, I’m good with that. There is no way in hell that Karl Marx will rise from the grave and take over our country, and in my view, it’s silly to consider it a possibility.
Please take into account that my explanation is not based on a political science degree. I’m a simple guy with little formal education, and perhaps that shows. I do hope my point has some merit, though I’m always open to learn something new.
This whole issue was on 20/20 last night (10/32008) with McCain saying that he screwed up and takes all the responsibility for it.
I couldn’t be elected dog catcher with my past indiscretions. Neither could most of you I’d bet. The question here is did he learn from his failures? My guess is yes. Does this part of his life have anything to do with leadership abilities? I doubt it. It is either a non-issue or way down on the list.
But, I still don’t think he or Palin are qualified to run the country.
Am I the only one to notice that Cindy McCain is showing more cleavage now that Palin is on the ticket? What’s that about?
#24, Ah Yea,
BTW, I am also surprised that no one challenged me on my statement that Obama is a Marxist-Leninist!
I’m not. Simply because the old bugga boo about “he’s a commie” doesn’t work anymore. Just because most atheists also believes that religion is the “opiate of the masses”, many believe universal health care should be a right, or employees should have workplace safety and benefits doesn’t make all these people commies.
Statements like that only diminish the rest of the comment. The sky just ain’t falling.