All McCain Needs Is "Love"

Last week, the McCain campaign aired the first direct contrast spot of the cycle in a radio ad; today, the campaign takes on the engine of Barack Obama's argument.



"Don't hope for a better life. Vote for one," is the tag line. Then -- no "John," just "McCain," kind of like they use to do in campaign commercials of yore. It's interesting that the campaign went back to the black star design in their ad; they'd gotten of it on their website and went for a blue logo instead.

The visuals of Woodstock are meant to, I think, link Obama's "hope" with the hippy-dippy ethereal, counter-culture revolution that so many Americans rebelled against.... while McCain's love was simply for his country. I see this ad as a way to frame and box in Obama's declaration of his patriotism.

ANNCR: It was a time of uncertainty, hope and change. The "Summer Of Love."

Half a world away, another kind of love -- of country.

John McCain: Shot down. Bayoneted. Tortured.

Offered early release, he said, "No." He'd sworn an oath.

Home, he turned to public service.

His philosophy: before party, polls and self ... America.

A maverick, John McCain tackled campaign reform, military reform, spending reform.

He took on presidents, partisans and popular opinion.

He believes our world is dangerous, our economy in shambles.

John McCain doesn't always tell us what we "hope" to hear.

Beautiful words cannot make our lives better.

But a man who has always put his country and her people before self, before politics can.

Don't "hope" for a better life. Vote for one.

McCain.