McCain Campaign Yanks "True Conservative" Ad from YouTube, Web Site
By Jon Perr Wednesday Aug 06, 2008 6:30pm
Just one day after the McCain campaign proclaimed its man the "Original Maverick," Barack Obama blasted that assertion both on the stump and in a new ad of his own. "You can't be a maverick when politically it's working for you," Obama said, "and not a maverick when it doesn't work for you." Which may explain why the McCain campaign has apparently tried to purge any traces of its "True Conservative" ad, a February 2008 spot designed to win over hard right GOP primary voters.
As it turns out, McCain's latest ads ("Broken" and "Praising McCain") tout the Arizona Senator as the populist "Original Maverick." But that resurrection of McCain's tattered maverick image is contradicted by the "True Conservative" TV spot he used during the Republican primaries. In February, McCain to be sure wasn't the maverick battling special interests in his own party:
Announcer: As a prisoner of war, John McCain was inspired by Ronald Reagan.
Mr. McCain: I enlisted as a foot soldier in the Reagan revolution.
Announcer: Guided by strong conservative principles, he'll cut wasteful spending and keep taxes low. A proud social conservative who will never waver. The leadership and experience to call for the surge strategy in Iraq that is working.
John McCain: The true conservative. Ready to be commander-in-chief on Day One.
As it turns out, McCain's claim to be a "true conservative" didn't just disappear once he sewed up the Republican nomination. For the most part, so did the ad itself.
The mystery began when I looked back at some of my earlier pieces from May and June about the ad - and McCain's mad dash back to the center. As I noted previously, back on February 1, the release of McCain's "True Conservative" ad was widely covered by the American media. The New York Times, the Politico, the Boston Herald, Slate and the Cleveland Plain Dealer (among others) reported on the spot as part of McCain's strategy to "shift right" and stress his credibility among the GOP's conservative base. But the YouTube link used by all of the sites above no longer works; clicking on the embedded video they display simply produces an error message:
"We're sorry, this video is no longer available."
That same day (February 1), the McCain campaign also issued a press release titled, "John McCain 2008 Launches New Television Ad: 'True Conservative.'" But that release, too, is no longer available on the McCain web site in either its standard web format or print layout versions. (The former links to an error page, the latter to a blank page.) However, not only did other web sites run the text, but Google cached versions of the McCain site from July 1 and July 11 show the original content as well.
And it makes for interesting reading. The press release tells readers to visit one of two locations on YouTube and the McCain web site to view the "True Conservative" 30-second spot:
The ad is no longer available at either location.
Even more fun, though, is the background information on McCain's conservative street cred contained in the now-purged February 1 press release. For example, former Senator and McCain adviser Phil Gramm, later disgraced by his "whiners" remarks, praises McCain as a deficit hawk. And Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Tom Coburn (R-OK), both ardent foes of women's reproductive rights, laud McCain's pro-life bona fides in a section of the press release subtitled:
John McCain "Is Far And Away The Most Consistently Anti-Abortion Of All The Top Contenders"
Which isn't to say the "True Conservative" ad has been completely purged from the McCain web site. While it is apparently no longer accessible from the campaign's TV Ads page, Multimedia page or its Multimedia archive, a search of the site shows the February ad is still available in a post oddly dated April 17, 2008. An earlier January 22nd spot titled "Proud Conservative" can also be accessed through a site search. The "True Conservative" ad can also be viewed elsewhere on YouTube (as displayed above).
While tracking down McCain's "True Conservative" ad was a bit of puzzle, there's no mystery as to why his campaign wanted to sweep it under the rug. Almost as soon as McCain locked up the GOP nomination, his campaign rapidly reversed the hard right turn it has executed during the primaries. In early May, McCain senior adviser Charlie Black declared that John McCain was now magically "slightly right of center." And McCain's own dismal "green screen" speech of June 3rd was delivered in the hopes of running away from the moribund Republican Party and its wildly unpopular president.
As John McCain's endless flip-flops show, he's no maverick. And as Barack Obama suggested yesterday, John McCain is a true conservative, or at least was until he won the Republican presidential nomination. Apparently, that's a secret the McCain campaign just doesn't want Americans to know.
UPDATE: John McCain's latest ad released Thursday, "Praising McCain," features old clips of Democrats lauding McCain. The spot is introduced by a screen stating, "John McCain is a Maverick."
(This piece was cross-posted from Perrspectives.)
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See the internet is Tubes. YouTubes.
No populist would ever vote against raising the minimum wage or veteran's benifits.
"As a prisoner of war, John McCain was inspired by Ronald Reagan."
How can that be when Ronald Reagan wasn't President when John McCain was incarcerated? Is he talking about Reagan's WW II movies or when Reagan was Governor or California?
Puzzled,
For Dan,
Heather
Who gives a damn what your ideology is? If you can fucking run the US, you can fucking run the US. I wouldn't care if we elected a Trotskyist that believed in the Invisible Polka-Dotted Monsters under his bed, if he was the best man for the job. That the GOP makes ideological purity a deciding factor is an example of all that is wrong with today's US.
I am starting to worry about Obama and how far the Republicans will go to win.
PLEASE READ THIS...
I just got an email from a distant relative with pictures of Obama's African relative (or so it says) and innuendos suggesting that he's not "one of us".
If you you do a google search for "MORE FAMILY PICTURES OF THE NEW FIRST FAMILY?"
you will be SHOCKED at how pervasive this message is. Here is a link to the sleazy info...
http://conservative-and-proud.blogspot.com/2008/06/more-family-pictures-...
Furthermore, I tried to do some Google searching for some REAL news about ties between Obama and his (supposed) cousin Luo Raila Oding, so I could de-bunk it, but couldn't find any real news stories that address the issue - only conservative opinion pieces suggesting that Obama supports an awful African dictator!
Also, I found ANOTHER website called "Real Democrats USA" that purports to be a "Real Democrats is a grassroots initiative whose primary purpose is to inform and educate", but appears to be filled with nothing but Anti-Obama material!
THIS STUFF SCARES ME.
There are page after page of results that have these phony stories about Obama posted, and they are high on the Google results...
Something needs to be done about this...
JOHN MCCAIN WILL LISTEN TO ANY IDEA INTENDED TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS…HE WILL WORK WITH STATE GOVERNORS TO SECURE OUR BORDERS!
{Please do not post in all Caps or in all Bold lettering, it's yelling. Thank You. SiteMonitor}
Maverick, what he names himself after a shitty car from the seventies?
John "Songbird" McCain is no Conservative. He couldn't conserve his wrinkled, tired arse if he had it in both hands.
theguy111 @ 5:
Canada?
My first reaction: Pas the flight sickness bag!
It’s been a while since I’ve clarified things for you, as my time has been dominated by productive pursuits, motion-tracking augmented data (similar to that goofy yellow “first down line” you see on televised football games), fiducial marker recognition using machine vision, and the construction of controlled environments containing any number of sensors and actuators.
I hate to repeat myself but recent actions thwart all attempts at understanding of motives, and it all is hanging barely by a thread, a ambiguous metaphor, or a flinging of baloney at clueless people trying to figure out which fork to use, as Repug candidates embrace the promise of alienation and it’s various gifts it has bestowed on them in the interim. What is needed is dissolving of old time-worn modalities, mandatory enumerating of the latest tome by the Shulgins, compulsory ethno-botany injections, prepared nostrums, the erotic throb of the zeitgeist, existence in the indeterminate zone betwixt opportunity and dilemma. Wasn’t it Gurdjieff (or was it Soupy Sales?) that claimed that people do not perceive reality, as they are not conscious of themselves, but live in a state of hypnotic "waking sleep." I guess I’m disappointed with the piss-poor results I see today in our democracy because of lack of commonality of perception, and it bites me on the ass every trash night. It’s the monkey mind, post-McLuhanist. No one is in control, absolutely no one. Are you there, however?
McCain campaign to return 50K in contributions.
.
.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26080129
mcgramps yanking off?
Whassa matter, can't turn in your aging trophy wife for a newer model?
Again, pay attention to how Republicans and Democrats differ in campaigning and understand why Republicans win disproportionately when polling shows that people tend to favor Democratic positions.
Republicans do not lean heavily on policy. Every campaign needs some policy positions, but Republicans rely on branding their candidate, not their candidate's positions.
George Bush was a "compassionate conservative" who "you want to have a beer with."
John McCain is a "straight talking maverick" who "knows how to win wars."
By contrast, Democrats tout WHAT they support. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama SUPPORT universal health care, they SUPPORT responsible withdrawl from Iraq, they SUPPORT efforts to mitigate climate change. Oh, sure, a lot of great sounding ideas, but are they PERSONALLY ready to LEAD like mavericky straight-talker John McCain?
Republicans know that this tactic works. They know it so well that whenever Democrats try to use it, Republicans ridicule and shame them away. That's why they're going after Obama for being "the One" or "the world's biggest celebrity." They SEE that Obama has an advantage on their court and they want to divert the Democrats from pressing that advantage.
So, Barack Obama doesn't just support a measured withdrawl of troops. Barack Obama IS an experienced leader with fresh ideas who will work with our allies to build a better future for America.
Barack Obama doesn't just support universal healthcare. Barack Obama IS a family man who understands the struggles of the middle class.
Barack Obama most certainly does not support tax increases. Barack Obama IS a fair-minded reformer who knows that the middle class has been carrying more than its fair share for far too long.
And John McCain doesn't just have bad ideas. John McCain CALLS HIMSELF a "maverick," but he acts like a water-carrier for George Bush.
John McCain SAYS he believes in straight talk, but he's really a chronic flip-flopper.
John McCain SAYS he knows how to win wars, but he doesn't even know who we're at war with.
Like that. People don't vote for ideas. They vote for candidates.
I posted comment #5, and would like to know if anyone knows if there is a good site that de-bunks Anti-Obama slurs?
I would really like to have a site to point to that has FACTS which can contradict the outrageous claims being made ...
Carl Gordon @ 10:
I thought that was Carl Jung.
1 Tubes Stevens
What can't I find on the tubes the Youtube of the Tubes, "Please, Don't Touch Me There."
Obama counters with these same dems bashing McCain.
President Clinton will speak at the convention before the VP nominee.
Soooo... "Bedtime for Bonzo" made Grandpa feel better when he was a POW?
14 ChrisM70 Says: I posted comment #5, and would like to know if anyone knows if there is a good site that de-bunks Anti-Obama slurs?
I would really like to have a site to point to that has FACTS which can contradict the outrageous claims being made …
I think that if it's on Google we can all go to the sites and object to it's posting and Google may take them off if their are enough complaints. I can't look into it now, but will try later. If someone else has more info, feel free to share.
mccain is an overacheiving elitist and celebrity. he is hiding from his
republican conservative group title......and he's a NEOCON wannabe.
he is playing the linguistic game they're telling him to play. the maverick moments he has had mean nothing of what he may/will do in future if elected.
ChrisM70@14
Go to www.snopes.com . They debunk all sorts of myths there. And if you can't find the answer to your question there, send them the item you think is garbage and they'll research it.
It's a great site.
jeff @ 7:
I used to own a 74 Maverick, When ever I stepped on the brakes it pulled sharply to the right...Hmm
"As a prisoner of war, John McCain was inspired by Ronald Reagan" . . . huh? I though he was released from captivity in '73. I mean, Reagan had been governor for a few years, but . . . really? wtf?
President Johnny Cyclops
is this a glimpse into the future (from twenty five years ago) !!!!
getalife "whiners" @ 17:
You beat me to it. Yes in the Obama ad the same Democrats that McUltraConservative shows saying McAsshole is really a true maverick and a cool guy blah blah blah more than two years ago now show these same Demos saying that McFlipflop is not the same person he was before, that they do not recognize him anymore etc etc. Look for the new McConservative to disapear quickly as well.
Goddammit, Hillary...
(just saw the latest ad)
Strong conservative principles.
Nixon, Reagan and Bush had driven the country down for 24 years (68-92) leaving us with chronic unemployment and half trillion dollar deficits as well as a tax system totally dismantled from its previous graduated character. Clinton transformed this disaster to half trillion dollar surpluses, 22.7 million new jobs still with us today, and the strongest 8 years of economic growth in American history. If you consider negative transformation, you need to include Nixon, who launched the Republican era that was only briefly interrupted by Jimmy Carter, but final knocked on its heels by Clinton.
L.A. Confidential @ 27:
one F***up after another, endless messes... resurrected by Chimpy
check this graph out last four presidents defecit
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-07-27-deficit_N.htm?csp=34
So how many falfs must be in the background during the speech of a true conservative that ensures his truthiness ?
L.A. Confidential @ 27:
With his wage and price controls, Nixon's hardly the model of a good conservative, whether in that era or now. Doesn't change his domestic policy criminality, but at least WWIII wasn't going to start under Nixon's Detente.
Now there is a true conservative..................................
NEOCON....perpetual deception...that's the new identity
Well Captain:
"Exxon Mobil Donated More Money To Obama Than McCain."
If you recall, I told you they would cave to big oil when they got their checks.
I think we can all agree that this is not change but business as usual.
Big oil is the godfather and the Senate and House is the mafia.
Ready to get the nation shot down on day 1.
http://www.campaignmoney.org/mccainoil
John McCain's new campaign ad sets the record straight with real straight talk:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=400...
None of that limp-wristed Liberal fancy talk that goes over the heads of
bitterbetter Americans.ChrisM70 @ 14:
Send your info and links to watchdog@barackobama.com
I'm sure they'll be helpful
ChrisM70 @ 5:
See the following - http://www. snopes. com/politics/obama/kenya. asp
How do the Repigs get away with this shit? How do they get anyone other than rich, white men to vote for them? By lying and spreading fear and hatred about their opposition I guess...and the outright stealing of elections doesn't hurt them either. Crazy, crazy assholes.
Proud conservative yesterday who proudly voted with Bush 90% of the time to running from Bush and the word conservative today.
Clearly a man who will say and do anything to get elected.
All aboard the Flip flop Express! Next stop! Backpeddle Junction!
McCain has a great campaign strategy of having it both ways on all issues and able to frame himself multiple ways to appeal to a particular voting block.
It works too!
Democrats and Progressives do not have any infrastructure in place to counter it.
Democrats and Progressives are always scared to counter it (ala Pelosi "it's off the table").
Democrats and Progressives have been so weak and spineless that the American media doesn't bother challenging anything John McCain says or does.
Democrats and Progressives are simply viewed as whiners now.
Conservatism discards Prescription, shrinks from Principle, disavows Progress; having rejected all respect for antiquity, it offers no redress for the present, and makes no preparation for the future.
- Benjamin Disraeli
.
John McCain endorsed message says:
John McCain was a POW from 1967-1973...
During that time Ronald Reagan was serving as Governor of California...
When did McCain't serve as an inspired Governor of a State?
.
Obama came back so fast on this one, you would have thought he was Chuck Connors, the riffel man.
ferrofluid @ 24:
Thanks for the link! How terribly prescient......
I JOHN "the bush republican" McCAIN....
A MAVERICK who chooses not to MAV
A CONSERVATIVE who can only CON
IM FOR CHANGE.... but in a "stay the course" way
IM A TRUE RIGHT-WINGER.... with a middle-of-the-road policy
IM A CENTRIST... who leans toward a 90% bush suck-up policy
You can call me John
or you can call me Ron
just as long as you make me president... IM THE GUY FOR YOU!!!
My name is JOHN "THE BUSH REPUBLICAN" MCCAIN, and i forgot my message
I guess I don't know youTube well, but are you allowed to remove things you posted? Or, does it become property of you Tube?
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