Spots and web ads are fast becoming an obligatory aspect of post -debate spin. The McCain and Obama camps produced spots following the Mississippi debate. The practice was refined in the primary debate with both positive,negative, and neutral effects.
It is not clear that given the blizzard of post debate spin and coverage for presidential debates these entries accomplish much.
VP Spot Spin
McCain's entry, again out before sunrise--"Lies and Sighs" frames VP debate- Joe Biden, "Ready to exaggerate, not ready to lead."
Obama's effort is readied for the morning blogs--"Can't Explain"-emphasizes not their opponent, but an issue. Quoting Biden tiered quip - "Taxing your health care benefit, I call that the ultimate bridge to nowhere"
Below the fold: Pre-debate spots and more post-debate video rebuttals
It didn't take long. Both the Obama and McCain campaigns are out this morning with television spots drawing upon last night's debate.
Obama's emphasis is economic, middle class appeals and breaking with the past.
McCain's, out last night, highlights Obama's capitulating style, too eager to agree.
Do these ads have influence? Can they turn the media-spin? In 2004 Bush made gains in refining the first debate by using Kerry's listening to alliances against him, but these new ads seem more continuation of fundamental campaign themes, bolstering but not redefining the debate.
It is Politics 101: make a shady campaign move and then accuse your opponent of the very offense. In Clinton's latest debate-about-debates ad, running in Wisconsin Friday, the campaign made that move. Running negative ads are part and parcel of campaigns but this ad treads on questionable ground.
The Ad opens with "Barack Obama still won't agree to debate in Wisconsin. And now he's hiding behind false attack ads."
Obama does characterize the Clinton debate spot as ". . . the same old politics, of phony charges and false attacks" Maybe that is an attack, but hardly false; and calling his singular effort a "false attack ads" further stretches credulity. The proof is in the tone and harshness of Clinton's second debate-about-debate spot. It really is politics 101 of changing the dynamic not by discussing issues or character, but mastery of tactics and strategy.
The new Clinton ad, however, is not really about debates , but rather uses "ducking debates" as cover for framing Obama as the enemy of health care, friend of big oil companies, and destroyer of Social Security; pretty much a complete attack featuring the trifecta of Democratic "pay dirt" messages.
