McCain's 'Painful' ad against Obama uses 'widely debunked' material Associated Press

Published: Friday August 8, 2008





Print This Email This TITLE: "Painful." LENGTH: 30 seconds. AIRING: In 11 key states where McCain ads already are on the air. SCRIPT: Announcer: "Life in the spotlight must be grand, but for the rest of us times are tough. Obama voted to raise taxes on people making just $42,000. He promises more taxes on small business, seniors, your life savings, your family. Painful taxes, hard choices for your budget. Not ready to lead. That's the real Obama." John McCain: "I'm John McCain and I approved this message." KEY IMAGES: The spot opens with a montage of cheering crowds, flashing cameras, Obama waving to supporters, Obama's picture on covers of magazines like GQ, US Weekly and Vanity Fair. It is followed by images of a woman and two children with the words, "Obama: Raise taxes on middle class"; of two women in a floral shop, "On small business"; of an elderly woman, "On seniors"; and of a woman and child, "Your family." A smiling Obama appears with the words "Painful taxes, hard choices for your budget, not ready to lead." The final image is one of McCain. ANALYSIS: The McCain campaign's oft-repeated assessment of Obama's tax proposals is based, in several instances, on outdated material that has been widely debunked. Obama has said his plan would raise taxes on single people making more than $200,000 and couples making more than $250,000, which by all measures doesn't add up to middle class. The ad's most specific assertion - Obama voted to raise taxes on people making $42,000 - is based on a nonbinding Senate budget resolution early this year that the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 be allowed to expire in 2011 as scheduled. Obama has criticized the Bush tax cuts and called for ending them for the wealthiest taxpayers. McCain didn't support Bush's tax cuts when they were passed but has said he supports them now. He contends that to allow the cuts to expire would be tantamount to a tax increase. The broader charge that Obama promised more taxes on small businesses, the elderly, "life savings" and families - what the McCain campaign called "painful taxes" resulting in "hard choices for your budget" - is based on an overly broad reading of the Obama budget plan. "Even though a host of independent, nonpartisan organizations have said this attack isn't true, Sen. McCain continues to lie about Sen. Obama's plan." Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan. The ad continues the McCain campaign argument that Obama is a celebrity. By showing no men, the ad makes its appeal directly to women, a group polls show leans toward Obama. By saying Obama is not like "the rest of us," the spot also adds to what Obama contends is part of the GOP effort to make voters fearful of him personally. In support of its ad, the McCain campaign cites the nonpartisan Web site Factcheck.org, which has been critical at times of McCain's spots, contending they contain false or misleading information. For example, the site says McCain's charge that Obama would raise taxes on small businesses is false, contending that the vast majority of small-business owners would see no change and that many others would see their taxes fall. When a reporter on Aug. 1 asked McCain about Factcheck's criticism, McCain said he didn't respond to Web sites but added that "I have no idea what they're talking about." Factcheck also points out misstatements and overstatements in ads supporting Obama's candidacy. Analysis by Douglass K. Daniel. On the Net: McCain ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?vFWXqpHEsrxc McCain campaign: http://www.johnmccain.com/ Obama campaign: http://www.barackobama.com/index.php