Ad wars: old vs new
Updated on 31 October 2008
A blitz of last-minute advertising sees Barack Obama projecting a message of unity and common purpose while John McCain continues with the politics of fear, reports James von Leyden.
The penultimate week of campaigning has been dominated by Barack Obama's message to the nation, broadcast Wednesday night.
In the lead-up to the big event both candidates engaged in tactical skirmishes.
The McCain camp showed no let-up in their character attacks. Three new ads portray the Democrat as, alternately, a know-nothing, a tax-and-spend liberal and a sympathiser with Muslim extremists.
'Special'
Special mixes footage of Obama speeches and photocalls with shots of soldiers, foreclosure signs and rows of unsold cars. "Behind the fancy speeches, grand promises and TV specials," says the voice-over, Obama "lacks the experience America needs."
The allusion to Obama's celebrity status harks back to McCain's summer commercials comparing Obama to Paris Hilton and Jesus Christ. But the cheekiness which infused those (often funny) commercials has gone.
'Compare'
Compare is a last-ditch attempt to squeeze more mileage out of the Joe Wurzelbacher episode.
Obama and McCain represent a choice, the ad says, between someone who stands for "higher taxes" (grim image of Obama) or "workin' Joes" (folksy image of McCain); between "spread your income" (grim shot of Obama) and "keep what's yours" (folksy image of McCain).
'Preconditions'
The third ad, Preconditions, is as menacing as anything that has come out of the McCain camp.
It creates a sinister atmosphere of flickering TV sets, distorted Islamic-sounding music and wobbly images of Iran's President Ahmadinedjad with Obama's eyes in the background.
As if that wasn't enough the spot is interspersed with crackles of interference, as though a malefactor was trying to jam the message.
"Obama doesn't have preconditions - but Iran does", the ad asserts.
"Will he admit he was wrong?"
It is a question that might be asked of Steve Schmidt in a few days' time. Schmidt is the Karl Rove protégé who has masterminded McCain's campaign since July and been credited with his successes.
But while Schmidt proved skilled at day-to-day tactics he didn't give McCain the Big Idea he needed to counter Barack Obama.
But while Schmidt proved skilled at day-to-day tactics he didn't give McCain the Big Idea he needed to counter Barack Obama.
Instead he bombarded voters with negative messaging which alienated voters and may end up costing McCain the White House.
As for Obama, he has won the accolade of no less a pundit than Karl Rove himself.
Rove believes that the Democrat's success is down to following the Rovian formula of consistent messaging, financial superiority and a highly-disciplined ground operation.
Certainly, Obama's coalition of first-time voters, African-Americans, the intelligentsia and disenchanted middle Americans is proving every bit as effective as Rove's alliance between Washington neoliberals and the Christian Right.
But perhaps more importantly, Barack Obama has been the proponent of a new ethos - one of change and hope - that implicity relegates John McCain (and Karl Rove) to 'old-style politics'.
The theme has proved increasingly attractive to voters as the weeks have passed.
So successful, in fact, that "complacency is a big concern" according to Obama's chief strategist David Axelrod.
"We don't want anybody to think that this thing is done - it's not done."
'Don't Let Up'
Don't Let Up is aimed at jolting Obama supporters who sense victory is in the air. "Feeling pretty good about the polls?", the ad asks. "Feeling like you can take it easy?"
The ad cuts to amateur footage of a cycle race, with one competitor holding up his arms in in triumph. He promptly falls off his bike and is overtaken by an opponent - with the head of John McCain superimposed - at the finishing line.
Obama is currently running 7,700 commercials a day, twice as many as John McCain. His spots dominate the breaks during American football matches, soap operas and prime-time shows.
Some are local ads targetting specific issues. But the overall message is that fresh, bipartisan politics under a fresh, bipartisan president are needed to tackle the challenges the country faces.
In this context, Obama's single attack ad of the week struck a jarring note.
'His Choice'
His Choice, which aired on Tuesday, attempts to discredit John McCain through the Republican's self-confessed weakness in economics.
"The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should", read the titles. "I might have to rely on a Vice President that I select for expertise on economic issues".
Cut to footage of Sarah Palin winking to camera.
The snipe on McCain is surprising given that in Wednesday night's half-hour address Obama did not mention either John McCain or Sarah Palin.
The thinking seems to be that Obama's vision is so bold, so transcendent, that rivals - like old-style politics - are simply brushed aside. Of course, this lays Obama open to the charge of hubris.
What is undeniable is that Barack Obama represents a fresh way of doing things.
He may have taken a leaf out of the Karl Rove handbook on military-style strategy. But Obama's use of the internet, his calm thoughtfulness, his ability to project positivity, his post-racial politics and his talent for inspiring supporters and voters make him the harbinger of a new world.
John McCain, meanwhile, seems to be mired very much in the old one.
James von Leyden is a copywriter and brand strategist.
