Op Ad: Calming Wall Street--Sticks and Tones

This week there has been a flurry of McCain and Obama ads about the economic meltdown, all geared to show who gets it, who feels the pain, who's to blame, and who'll lob more grenades at the lobbyists (the ones who work for the other guy, of course).

The advice from much of the media has been, oddly enough, that in times such as these we need more heat, not light. Norah O'Donnell on MSNBC tried to get former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to complain that Obama's two-minute ad on the economic crisis wasn't "sticky"--that it lacked memorable soundbites, wasn't gut-felt enough. The Morning Joe-sters on MSNBC mocked the spot for being waaaay too long, saying even that it had too many specifics, which they think will make America's head hurt. (Exception: CBS's Jeff Greenfield cited the ad as "the good" among the bad and the ugly.)

But as much as I, too, am dying for Obama to be fierce and urgent now and to create a killer slogan at least as good as Bill Clinton's ("They want you to reward their last eight years with four more"), through all of this week's political advertising, Obama's lengthy, sober commercial was the only one that stuck.

It's not so much how he neatly sizes up the situation and offers solutions (more regulation, tax breaks for the middle class, etc.--though we'll see how anyone's solutions stand up amid the financial carnage), it was the tone. In times of crisis, do you want Mad Money's Jim Cramer fanning your face with his chin whiskers as his eyeballs go X-ray through the screen, or an FDR in a fireside chat, reassuring you with calm and patience? The Obama ad's long form itself said patience, and while his straight-to-the-camera speech is the standard presidential pose, it did indeed present him as the first leader to address the nation during this crisis.

Only the next day, as the market tottered, did the actual president speak, also for two minutes. But for a POTUS who can command free airtime in a national emergency, two minutes is shorter than a Palin blink. And Bush's delay set off commander-in-chief AWOL alerts, like those that sounded the first few days after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.

McCain, of course, came out with a would-be presidential ad on the same day as Obama's, but it couldn't have been more different.

The Arizona senator also speaks directly to the camera, but curiously he's set up starkly against a pitch black background. The idea might have been to match his military dress-black logo as well as to cast him as a beam of hope in a scary dark world (as Giuliani, with some of the same admen, did in his primary spots). , but instead McCain seems to drown in Black Monday. The Original Maverick then spends a non-gravitasing 30 seconds to, first, fudge his "economy is fundamentally strong" mantra by redefining fundamentals as "the American workers." Next, he crams in his rolling-lie talking point that Obama's "only solutions are talk and taxes."

The real point is in the pronouns. While Obama tries to reassure, saying, "We've met tough challenges before and we can again," McCain plays the lone captain on the burning deck, promising to save the ship of state all by himself. "I've taken on tougher guys than this before," he cracks, as if threatening to foreclose on the Hanoi Hilton, and tries to pry his mouth open into a smile.

And like a noble captain, McCain believes in the great man theory of history--and tends to blame individuals when history goes bad. He barks that if he were prez, he'd axe the SEC chairman (which presidents can't do). Because he sees politics as a series of moral hazards for the hero, he projects onto Obama like crazy: "Maybe just this once he could spare us the lectures, and admit to his own poor judgment in contributing to these problems," McCain said Friday about the collapse of oversight in Washington--which occurred as McCain, not Obama, was chair of the Senate Commerce Committee.

The new McCain/Palin chant is "Country first or Obama first." To which Obama might say, were he as immature as they, "I'm rubber, you're glue, what you say bounces off me and sticks to you."

Comments (31)

1. for as much as i am certain that obama needs to win this election (just to stave off the worst damage, and at least give average americans HOPE), he simply cannot mention lobbyists in that ad with a straight face, unless of course, he is willing to admit three things:

   a) that lobbyists have contributed generously to his own 2008 campaign for president;

   b) that lobbyists control, and have controlled, all local, state, and federal elections to the point of '97% of american elections are won by the person who spent the most money on his/her campaign';

   c) that, after elected in november, he will seek to eliminate the participation of lobbyists in political campaigns for good.

   he'll never be able to accomplish b) and c), so he never should have mentioned anything about lobbyists in this ad.

   having said that, go obama!!

   Posted by darladoon at 09/20/2008 @ 7:29pm

2. McCain is STILL claiming he'd "fire the Chairman of the SEC"?!??!?!?!?

   Does he not expect to meet up with a reporter or do another interview EVER again...and somebody explain to him...Presidents can't DO that?!??!?!?

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/20/2008 @ 7:36pm

3. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

   Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

   http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

4. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

   Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

   http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

5. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

   Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

   http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

6. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

   Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

   http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

7. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

   Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

   http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

8. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

   Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

   http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

9. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

   Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

   http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

10. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

    Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

    http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

11. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

    Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

    http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

12. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

    Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

    http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

13. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

    Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

    http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

14. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

    Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

    http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

15. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

    Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

    http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:35pm

16. oops.

    heheh.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:36pm

17. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

    Dr. J. S. McCain, Brainiacologist.

    http://www.contingencies.org/septoct08/mccain.pdf

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2008 @ 9:48pm

18. Frosty no more Timmy's for you!

    Posted by yutsano at 09/20/2008 @ 10:23pm

19. Maybe it's because he is correct and you and the rest of the left are wrong.-------Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/20/2008 @ 8:51pm

    Uh, Larry, YOU said yesterday when I asked if the President could fire the SEC Chairman

    "legally-- no".

    When did you join "the Left"?!??!?!?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/20/2008 @ 10:46pm

20. Wait a minute...want to quote you exactly, LL...you LEFTIST you

    "Under current law-no.

    However if I was McCain in that situation I would do it and then fight it out in the courts as an obstruction of Presidential authority.

    Presidents should be able to fire people in that or similar positions."-----Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/18/2008 @ 8:19pm

    So under current law "no" and the President "SHOULD be able"...but not is.

    again-

    "Maybe it's because he is correct and you and the rest of the left are wrong.-------Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/20/2008 @ 8:51pm

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/20/2008 @ 10:53pm

21. "We may say with truth and meaning that governments are more or less republican, as they have more or less of the element of popular election and control in their composition; and believing, as I do, that the mass of the citizens is the safest depository of their own rights, and especially, that the evils flowing from the duperies of the people are less injurious than those from the egoism of their agents, I am a friend to that composition of government which has in it the most of this ingredient. And I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale."

    go get em', tommy.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/21/2008 @ 12:55am

22. On so many of these blogs that I visit, I see McCain supporters claiming that electing Obama is like electing the socialist wing of the party. True, these views are rather neo-con in their nature; however what I would like to point out is the difference in our party--the Democratic Party--and theirs.

    Is it a crime for the American people to want to see some of their hard earned tax dollars to come back to THEM? Is it a crime for the American people to want to see our infrastructure renovated with 21st century technology in order to keep our loved ones safe? Is it a crime to want our young men and women to only be called into battle with the utmost dignity and judicious valor, in order that not one life is lost for lies.

    The Republicans howl and bray about earmarks and the corruptive nature of your representatives representing you and bringing some of the hard earned tax dollars that you paid into the federal budget, back to you and your states interests. Of course! That is utterly against the corporate party of bailouts, outsourcing; and no-bid government contracts that fleece the American people while they claim to be fiscal conservatives.

    Is it a crime to want our young men and women to only be called into battle with the utmost dignity and judicious valor, in order that not one life is lost for lies?

    My fellow citizens, please take a look at the last 7+ years and what has been the fruit of a republican leadership. How have they spent your hard earned tax dollars? Halliburton/KBR and Blackwater, have profited from Bush's war that was based on lies.

    Posted by PrairieDeb at 09/21/2008 @ 02:11am

23. Is it a crime for Americans to expect our banking representatives to be honest, our food to be safe, and our toys to be lead free?

    Deregulation that has been the pride and joy of McCain's economic emphasis has not only cost Americans their homes, but they have compromised our safety, our retirement, our environment, and our hard earned tax dollars as well. They have trade policies that permit corporations to fleece American tax dollars in corporate welfare while they not only take our jobs overseas, but they exploit disadvantaged communities while getting away with environmental crimes that would never fly here. These corrupt selfish leaders do not care about their neighbors. In fact the evidence shows clearly that they do not even care whether or not their own fellow Americans are losing their homes. However, when Wall Street starts losing, then all of a sudden it is a national emergency.

    Posted by PrairieDeb at 09/21/2008 @ 02:13am

24. While they and their supporters like to claim that we are socialists due to the fact that we want our tax dollars to benefit Americans, they are actually CORPORATE SOCIALISTS. They will bend any rule, spin any issue, and distort any truth in order to benefit their corporate sponsors. They are CORRUPT CORPORATE SOCIALISTS. Their deregulation has even compromised the quality of information American citizens receive from the press, with corporate leaders dominating and filtering our information.

    From my perspective they have abandoned the Constitution and have fleeced the American people for generations.

    Please America; do not buy into their rhetoric, for you have seen the results of their leadership. Please America; do not be manipulated, for you have cried over our unnecessary loss of life. Please America; do not grow callous and apathetic in the shadow of their examples. Care America, care for the Americans who pay those tax dollars and vote to return to the honor of a citizen leadership that actually takes the oath to uphold the Constitution, rather than circumvent it, seriously.

    We're not quite as stupid as you think.

    Posted by PrairieDeb at 09/21/2008 @ 02:14am

25. Hi Frosty and folks. I'm busy now that September is here, but I'll try to do my part in my own way.

    My mantra--

    chill, trust, and vote Obama.

    Posted by PrairieDeb at 09/21/2008 @ 02:25am

26. http://www.salon.com/comics/tomo/2008/07/29/tomo/

    the invisible hand.....

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/21/2008 @ 03:01am

27. Fed's Olson Urges Care With `Novel' Home Mortgages (Update2)

    Sept. 16, 2005 (Bloomberg) -- Federal Reserve Governor Mark Olson urged U.S. lenders to use care with ``non-traditional'' types of home mortgages such as interest-only and adjustable-rate loans, because some borrowers will be ``severely challenged'' to repay them if interest rates rise.

    Olson didn't discuss monetary policy or the economic outlook today at a Middle Tennessee State University conference in Murfreesboro.

    His comments on mortgages echo remarks by Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan in July that he is ``concerned'' about some types of ``exotic'' mortgages, such as loans that let a borrower pay no principal for a period. Olson said in text prepared for the speech that banks ``must take into account the unique characteristics and credit risk profile'' of the loans, especially because regulators' experience with them is limited.

    ``In many markets, the increase in housing value is unsustainable,'' Olson told the audience. Some areas will see a ``leveling'' or decline in home prices, he said.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/21/2008 @ 03:21am

28. If you look at this crisis there is plenty of blame to go around for both parties.

    The Democrat's are as bad as the Republican's when it comes to taking money from Wall Street.

    I'm voting for Obama as I think McCain has proven to be unstable and impulsive. Right now we need a president who is smart and able to think with a rational mind and make clear well thought out decisions.

    This is a sweet deal for Wall Street that all the tax payers are going to be burdened with for years to come.

    Also kiss any reform on health care good bye.

    Posted by jeffe at 09/21/2008 @ 3:06pm

29. jeffe:

    "If you look at this crisis there is plenty of blame to go around for both parties.

    The Democrat's are as bad as the Republican's when it comes to taking money from Wall Street."

    I totally agree. I'm for Obama too, but I feel there is something even more insideous going on.

    I think the corporations are coming so dangerously close to melding with the government and how is that different from communism? They are fleecing us into a situation that puts us into the pockets of communist China. First they took our hard earned tax dollars and funneled it to Halliburton/KBR and Blackwater, and this is after they enable a trade deficit for several decades, now they're going to siphon what's left to the banking industry, while having the audacity to want to HIRE THE SAME CORRUPT INDIVIDUALS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO FIX THINGS!!

    America, you need to wake up and TRULY FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOMS. LIKE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS!!!

    Corporations would love to see us subjugated to the same extent that the Chinese citizenry is--don't you all get it? They are subjugating us--taking away our power. We need to stop them. NOW!!

    I feel like we're being played. Didn't Bush say things would be a lot easier if this was a dictatorship? I'm worried.

    Posted by PrairieDeb at 09/21/2008 @ 8:28pm

30. Does anyone know that China is buying 40 percent of Morgan Stanley? Eh, China is not a free market economy. China's economy is growing at 17 percent. In the good old days we use to borrow from each other, now we borrow from other countries. A giant sucking sounds.

    Posted by lachatte at 09/21/2008 @ 8:50pm

31. Welcome back, FZ! Seen Grits recently? Posted by SooHAPPY at 09/21/2008 @ 1:19pm

    thanks.

    i got real upset at the inanity of this whole election deal when so many important decisions must be made.

    i said i'd come back in november and now it's november.

    Monday, November 1st, 2008 3:30:04 AM

    FACTS - TRUTH '08

    Ain't Nuthin' Better.

    (don't forget fall starts at 11:44 EDT!)

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2008 @ 03:31am