(CNN) - Barack Obama is targeting a John McCain advisor's former compensation as a Fortune 500 CEO in a new television ad running nationally.
The 30-second spot goes after executive pay and is specifically critical of Carly Fiorina, the current McCain advisor who was ousted as the head of Hewlett-Packard in 2005. The company doled out $21 million in severance to her, and reportedly another $21 million worth of stock and pension.
"John McCain's advisor, Carly Fiorina. The fired CEO who left with $42 million," the ad's narrator says. "Barack Obama says it's got to change."
The ad, called "Parachute," also attacks Washington Mutual CEO Alan Fishman, who reportedly could get $19 million worth of compensation, even though the bank failed last week.
"You've got corporate executives who are giving themselves million dollar golden parachutes and leaving workers high and dry," Obama says in the ad. "That's wrong. It's an outrage."
Fiorina had been a prominent surrogate for McCain, but she was promptly removed from the cable news circuit earlier this month after she said neither John McCain no Sarah Palin was qualified to run a major corporation.
From CNN Politics
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I like this commercial more than the others because it has less attacking and it focuses more on Barack. Judging from the way the audience reacted to the debate, they don't like attacks. I think the Obama camp saw this too and made a good decision.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2008 The Original Leaders of Change
Time for a change..The GOP needs to take a long rest . They have ruined our country . And why is Sarah now hiding in Arizona ? She's stupid no matter what state you try to hide her in . I bet they cancel this debate , because she's just one hot mess thats sinking McBush even more than his old outdated views .
Old man / young idiot ticket== no way
Senator Obama needs to do a video on the Keating 5 featuring Senator John McCain. the world seems to have forgotten.
This current bailout is all about the fat cats getting fatter just ask President Bush ..... and Dick Chaney will be on of those who gets a golden existing bonus..... from big oil.....
This is for McCain and Palin,thanks but no thanks.
Oh no it's sexism, how dare you ?
It's time someone targeted Fiorina. She's been incredibly vocal against the Obama camp, decrying everything they (and SNL!!!) say with reference to Palin as "sexism."
McCain is erratic and has incredibly poor judgement: in choosing an unvetted VP, in choosing terrible advisors and in trying to politicize every aspect of this election.
America can't afford 4 more of the same!
Carly Fiorina makes a good target. As a fired CEO with a $42M parachute, she exemplifies the pay-for-incompetence mind-set on Wall Street - and in McCain's campaign.
I don't understand why CEOs make so much money? Doesn't that money belong to stockholders? How can they approve such compensation? If one man discovers a cure for diabetes or cancer then they sure deserve 40 million dollars in comp and reward because they would save so many lives. But what does a CEO do that they deserve such compensation? I am baffled, I don't get it.
I am disappointed in McCain. He keeps talking about being a POW and his service in the military but what has he done for people in the military. He says military people know that he will take care of them. McCain's voting record speaks for itself. He didn't even vote for the GI bill. All talk and no walk.
And spending freeze? The largest portion of federal expenditures is defence (mostly the Iraq war) and I doubt McCain has any intention of bringing the troops home from Iraq. By the way, on Saturday three carside bombs blew up in Baghdad killing US soldiers – this war has been such a success?????
John McCain actually feigned ignorance about Carly's golden parachute in a recent interview with Meredith Viera of NBC's Today show. How many of you honestly think he didn't know this ????
He then went on to rail about CEOs that get payouts for failing. McCain is a big LIAR
I would be ashamed to have John McCain and Sarah Palin as my President & Vice President. We deserve better
Time for a change..The GOP needs to take a long rest . They have ruined our country . And why is Sarah now hiding in Arizona ? She's stupid no matter what state you try to hide her in . I bet they cancel this debate , because she's just one hot mess thats sinking McBush even more than his old outdated views .
great ad......I think more emphasis should be put on the fact that Mccain has 13 cars and 9 homes.or something like that; and he would continue tax cuts to the wealthy.. people like he and his wife......the fact that he has not released his wife's tax returns, the fact that is son formerly worked fo Wamu.......
Talk all you want about how we have a republican President....
Just remember democrats control congress, Bush didn't create this mess all his own.
Obama tells you what you want to hear he has great ideas but is he a doer? Who can tell he hasn't been in the senate that long and the time that he was there he voted present. Good to know he showed up now if we could only get him to vote yay or nay....
To Tgram – the "Wamu Guy" was actually only there for 3 weeks! which is worse in my opinion that he has done ANYTHING, good or bad and walks away with 18 million? Wow, talk about hitting the lottery
What took so long for someone to recognize this? They should have been pounced on this. Fiorina was allowed to freely advertised with little or no scrutiny. She was the biggest fish on the campaign that was fair game with being a fired CEO. Political red meat to a pitbull is who she is.
That is shamefull, lets have afull fledged investigation of the group of people who ran Freddy Mac and Fanny Mae into the ground but cooked the books and took millions and millions away. Exactly who in the Govt. refussed to regulate these entities back in 2003, 2005.
When are Barney Frank and Chris Dodd going to hold hearings on the failure that put up to 5 TRILLION in sub-prime mortgages on the backs of the taxpayers...Oh yeah, they were the ones who said all along that they were absolutely safe.
The names Raines, Johnson and Gorlick took the money from Fannie and Freddie and are advising the Obama campaign on economic and housing issues! What a crock, the Dems and Obama will say and do anything to get power. I hope the american people wake up and stop them.
I was hoping Obama would make on ad of this type. Where is Rickc Davis now to cry foul? Hiding with his ill gotten Freddic Mack and Fannie Mae money!
Gidget does Fairbanks will replace him as the biggest laughing joke in the history of American policitical elections!
Say thank you to Sarah, Dan and wipe than smile off your face, republicans will say your "sexist"!
We need to see the tax returns of Sarah Palin before the debates, because I am certain that uncle Ted Stevens has given her money from her friends.
We need all tax returns.
I am concerned that McCain's advisors are tied to Gas, Oil, Gambling, and Banking organizations, and I am sure Cindy and her $300,000 dress has some of it.
Tony
WAY TO GO #1 COMMENT!!!! A freeze in government spending will be devastating to the national economy. Any sensible economist will tell you that government spending is healthy for the economy...generates a tax base for employees and contractors, who in turn, spend their wages and recycles money through the economy. McCain just doesn't get it. ECON 101, ECON 360 (money and banking). McCain, go back to school.
Let us not forget that she was FORCED out for spying on her employees. Hmmmmm, fits right in with McCain / Bush
Some call them elitiest . . . . John McCain calls them advisors, friends and peers.
McCain and the 1st Debate!!!
Interesting…he wouldn’t sit down with leaders and couldn’t look Barack Obama in the face. Constantly travels with & stands behind Palin on stage all the time.
What is he hiding from? What’s up with this man? Can't make it on his own?
Mccain has ran one of the dirtiest, sleeziest, lobbying ran campiagn I ever seen. Mccains top Campiagn manager Rick Davis was lobbying for Mortgage company Freddie Mac until last month when it crashed. His top economic advisor Phil Graham is the King of deregulation which put Americans life savings at risk and said this nation is a bunch of whiners. Mccain says he agrees with Bush 90% of the time. How can you trust this fool??!!?!?
When McCain says country first he is just setting the order in which he would like things to collapse. He would rather ruin the country than lose the campaign. His choice of running mate makes this crystal clear.