Revisiting a tactic that didn’t come off too well the first time when George Soros tried it, Obama is taking a shot at McCain as being too old to use email:
Of course, unlike Obama, if you want to judge McCain’s views on technology, you can look at his record. McCain spent seven years as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, during which he was continuously involved in debates, legislation and hearings on internet issues. In 1996, he blasted the Telecommunications Act as “nothing less than an elaborate influence-peddling scheme.” In the 2000 campaign, he touted his work on the Y2K Product Liability Reform Act and the Internet Tax Moratorium Act; he has continued to fight against taxation of internet commerce. McCain also introduced legislation dealing with internet encryption technologies. Obama may think he invented internet fundraising, but in 2000 McCain’s primary campaign raised millions of dollars over the web, a fundraising surge that was essential to keeping his campaign afloat; at the time, he was on the cutting edge of such tactics. In 2002, McCain introduced the broad-ranging “Consumer Broadband Deregulation Act of 2002″, a comprehensive bill that “would prevent localities from doing anything to interfere with the provision of any consumer broadband service by limiting local governments- rights-of-way compensation to ‘direct and actual costs reasonably allocable to the administration of access to, or use of, public rights-of-way.’” McCain has continued to press for broadband access at high-tech forums during his presidential run, and chosen as chief economic advisers a pair of high-tech executives, Meg Whitman of eBay and Carly Fiorina of Hewlett Packard.
You can certainly raise issue with the substance of McCain’s positions on a number of high-tech issues – many conservatives do – but to suggest that the man is unfamiliar with the tech lanscape is…well, like so many of Obama’s efforts to attack McCain, it depends on a certain suspension of disbelief.
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Daniel Horowitz
It's monumentally stupid and arrogant
Darin_H (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 1:01PM EST (link)As I said in Moe’s open thread…
My 88 year old Grandmother doesn’t know how to even turn a computer on, let alone use email. (She just got an answering machine THIS YEAR. Seriously, my dad made her use it because she kept missing calls from the doctor). She votes.
Good one Team Obama.
A visionary coward says that anger can be power, as long as there’s a victim on TV – Flat Top, Goo Goo Dolls
Well, Dan, I want to make this point about McCain and Obama on technology...
Cheetah772 (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 1:20PM EST (link)This is the copy of my post on another forum, which I think is also valid on your blog post here.
That’s the point where I think Obama’s current line of attack on McCain will ultimately fail.
That’s all.
Daniel 2:20 And he [God] changeth the times and seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.
losing the youth vote?
jwalmach (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 1:34PM EST (link)Interesting commercial. I wonder if the BO team is seeing a loss in the youth vote column? Look at the details of this Michigan poll.
18-29 year olds: McCain 50% BO 37%
To be fair it’s just a small poll but I didn’t expect a lead in this age group at all.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/RCPPDF/IAMichigan%20General%20Election%20Poll%209%2011%2008.pdf
If Obama's insulting senior citizens to
ehosterman (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 1:38PM EST (link)get the youth group back, he’s dumber than I thought. Insulting a demographic that always votes for one that doesn’t is a loser.
Making a violent reponse on this ad is not helpful.
Rod_Patrick (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 1:53PM EST (link)Better to make a counter-ad summarizing McCain’s contribution to internet and telecommunication industry.
Agreed
Dan McLaughlin (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 2:05PM EST (link)Frankly, McCain’s best response is to run through some of what’s above – do a press release (probably better than the ad) checking off his long record with high tech.
“No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong.” – Winston Churchill
Exactly
Darin_H (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 2:20PM EST (link)No need to get another ad up countering it, Obama is trying to get McCain off his game with this ad. Trying to change the narrative, just put out a press release and be done with it. Hit Barry back with something else.
A visionary coward says that anger can be power, as long as there’s a victim on TV – Flat Top, Goo Goo Dolls
My father-in-law, who turned 75 on
c17wife (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 2:24PM EST (link)John McCain’s birthday, does not do computers. Nor do most of the men he drinks coffee with everyday.
But I tell you what, THEY ARE VOTING. And it won’t be for Barack.
Funny, my dad is 59 and while he does e-mail a little, his computer knowledge is pathetic. Thankfully, he has a secretary. Oh, and he votes too. But not for Barack.
Duty is ours, outcomes belong to God.~Mike Pence
How Many More Groups?
GaryL Friday, September 12th at 2:30PM EST (link)Well… let’s see… the lord messiah Obama has alienated women, pig farmers, and lipstick manufacturers.
Now he is going after older people and people who do not use computers (which includes some of the poor) as being “out of touch.” I would say that Florida has definitely moved out of the toss-up category.
This gets more comical with each passing day… and this guy thinks he is more qualified to be President than Palin?
Insulting seniors didn't hurt in PA
Uma Richie (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 2:39PM EST (link)Sen Obama is not the first Democrat to insult seniors. There was a bit of a flap but no real damage done when Gov Rendell made a gaffe regarding the role casinos play in the lives of the elderly.
Here’s the quote:
“These are people who lead very gray lives. They don’t see their sons and daughters very much. They don’t have much social interaction. There’s not a whole lot of good things that happen in their month,” the governor said of some seniors.
“But if you put them on the bus they’re excited. They’re happy. They have fun. They see bright lights. They hear music. They pull that slot machine and with each pull they think they have a chance to win,” he said…It’s unbelievable what brightness and cheer it brings to older Pennsylvanians,” he said. “Unbelievable.”
(h/t: http://www.swannforgovernor.com/)
Aside from being a waste of scarce campaign funds, I don’t think this ad will have much of an impact either way.
Of Course Swan didn't run a very good
ehosterman (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 2:49PM EST (link)campaign, and “Fast Eddie” had the Philadelphia machine to back him up. Not sure either apply to Obama this time.
Useless Old People...
DamnCat Friday, September 12th at 3:57PM EST (link)…can’t do e-mail – who needs ‘em?
Darin_H is exactly right: monumentally stupid and arrogant.
I know lots of older folks who have no use for a computer and now, maybe, no use for Obama either.
Heck, Obama is only 2 years younger than me and I do not consider that a selling point.
Or a web ad
Dan McLaughlin (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 4:15PM EST (link)This might call for a web ad. Definitely not a TV ad.
“No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong.” – Winston Churchill
Where were you in '82?
Adjoran (Diary) Friday, September 12th at 5:07PM EST (link)Joe Biden ~ in the US Senate, fighting hard against Reagan. And losing the fight (as well as his hair).
Barry Obama ~ smoking pot and doing “blow” when he could afford it.
Sarah Palin ~ hitting winning free throw in state basketball championship on a fractured foot.
We should welcome this debate. Obama can email, but could he fly a jet and land it on an aircraft carrier?
The more people compare the lives and skills of the two tickets, the more they will conclude the Republicans are far superior in every way.
Worried about the McCain camp
ladyofcarlisle Saturday, September 13th at 8:44AM EST (link)Why doesn’t the McCain camp do commercials on the deeply leftist roots of Obama’s “community organizer” years (Saul Alinsky, ACORN, Rev Wright, Bill Ayers, etc…)?? It’s like McCain only wants to honor this ‘profession’. Is he aware of the book “Rules for Radicals”??This line of attack would actually ring true with people. Regardless, I believe the McCain camp is treading on thin ice with these questionable ads about sex ed for 5 year olds, lipstick on a pig, etc. He is getting painting as someone who is going negative because he is either ‘out of touch’ or is trying to avoid real issues. Ronald Reagan won especially in 1980 on real substantive issues, he never went silly embarrasingly negative. Negative can work if it’s done with humor and based on solid truth–like Mitch McConnell’s first run for office taking down an sitting Democratic US senator. It must ring true beyond the base. My fear is that McCain/Palin have wasted a chance to further their appeal among people who amazingly still do not know who they will vote for. The Obama camp is very slick; it looks to me that McCain’s resentment is affecting his political judgment (wouldn’t be the first time). Stick to the issues, please!!
Carrie
I'm not worried (nt)
Neil Stevens (Diary) Saturday, September 13th at 9:13AM EST (link)RS contributing editor, technical administrator, and “a hardy variety of crabgrass.”
Read the RedState Posting Rules
Unlikely Voter: Poll Analysis, Election Projection.
“I rejoice that America has resisted.” – William Pitt, the Elder
Worried about the McCain camp
ladyofcarlisle Saturday, September 13th at 1:40PM EST (link)Why doesn’t the McCain camp do commercials on the deeply leftist roots of Obama’s “community organizer” years (Saul Alinsky, ACORN, Rev Wright, Bill Ayers, etc…)?? It’s like McCain only wants to honor this ‘profession’. Is he aware of the book “Rules for Radicals”??This line of attack would actually ring true with people. Regardless, I believe the McCain camp is treading on thin ice with these questionable ads about sex ed for 5 year olds, lipstick on a pig, etc. He is getting painting as someone who is going negative because he is either ‘out of touch’ or is trying to avoid real issues. Ronald Reagan won especially in 1980 on real substantive issues, he never went silly embarrasingly negative. Negative can work if it’s done with humor and based on solid truth–like Mitch McConnell’s first run for office taking down an sitting Democratic US senator. It must ring true beyond the base. My fear is that McCain/Palin have wasted a chance to further their appeal among people who amazingly still do not know who they will vote for. The Obama camp is very slick; it looks to me that McCain’s resentment is affecting his political judgment (wouldn’t be the first time). Stick to the issues, please!!
Carrie