(CNN) - Just a day after John McCain's campaign launched a TV ad attacking Barack Obama's readiness to lead in an international crisis, the Illinois senator unveiled a new ad Saturday that puts a new spin on the age old question: Are you better off today than you were four years ago?
The two-minute ad, "Defining Moment," will begin airing in key states on Sunday, according to the Obama campaign.
"At this defining moment in our history, the question is not, 'Are you better off than you were four years ago?' We all know the answer to that," Obama narrates. "The real question is will our country be better off four years from now? How will we lift our economy and restore America's place in the world?"
In order to "build the economy of the future," Obama says there has to be a focus on "urgent national priorities: reducing the cost of health care ... breaking our dependence on foreign oil ... and making sure that every child gets the education they (sic) need to compete."
The McCain campaign has fired back at Obama's new ad. “If Barack Obama is elected President, this may be considered the first in a series of 'defining moments' more commonly called job-killing tax increases," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.
At a rally in Norfolk, Virginia, Saturday, Obama's No.2 discussed the ad and blasted the McCain campaign's tactics.
"You know how we’re finishing out the campaign? Barack is going up, instead of anything negative, we’re going up and laying out our plan to fix the economy. That’s what we’re running on," Sen. Joe Biden said. "What is the McCain campaign continue to do? They want to do anything but talk about the economy."
Updated 1:05 p.m. with McCain campaign's response
From CNN Politics
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oh yeah, sorry, almost forgot
OBAMA-BIDEN 08!!!!!!
The comments about people not voting for Barack because he is black , may not be what you think . I am concerned because so many vote for him because he is black . Also I find the Black Liberation theology that he believes in , not right for a president . Acorn , while helping to the degree they do , shows how righteous they feel about any means to get what they want. Also I am concerned about the amount of fawning over a man who claims to love Jesus . He does not point to God as his help , but accepts and encourages adoration . There are many reasons to believe John McCain has a great love for the founding priciples of our Democracy . Not a new age blend of radical populism , with a reluctant nod to the military needed to support freedoms . I believe he thinks his way with words , are our saving grace . No , I do not trust Barack
To Gary and Jason,
If any of your parent is an American, whether you were born in Kenya or Kuwait or China, you are automatically an American and thus eligible to run for the highest position in the land. The only exception is if your became a citizen by naturalization then you cannot run for President.
Obama Y'all
It is confusing me to see how gullible people are. THE LARGEST SINGLE TAX ON THE POOR IS THE CORPORATE TAX. Think about it.... Put a big tax on Exxon or the other oil companies and they just raise the prices.... a tax on the poor much more than the rich because you can only use so much gas. Tax Pacific Gas and Electric and you get higher energy prices. Tax Albertson's and you get higher food prices and on and on and on. Try the formula on any company and see what you get.
October 25th, 2008 12:19 pm ET
good ad. I like when Obama speaks directly to the people. In this time and day, we should ask are we better off then 4 days ago. the economy is getting worse daily and we need solutions which Obama provides.
)) relax...if sign could vote ....I ll have as many of them placed with my name on it and be elected.....Remember the silent majority..they dont tell for whom they will vote..just relax...november 4th is not far away and most americans are not stupid...
Its sad when Obama must use Ronald Reagan's great line to fool people...
It is obvious that Obama is very close to winning, therefore, his closing argument focuses on what the future would be like if he got elected versus if McCain got elected. Obviously Obama would be a far better president, and he wants to call our attention to that.
Essentially, this ad draws us back to a moment of reflection on the past eight years and the election season.
Q: Who has handled the obstacles better? Who would better lead the country? Will McCain be any different from Bush? Will you be better off in the next 4 years?
A: Obama, Obama, No, Only if Obama is elected.
Fear mongering-Hate mongering-War mongering-Lie mongering--
Is this what has become of the Grand Old Party?
Hope Americans will be better off with Obama as their president cause to me he sure as heck makes more sense that Pallin and McCain. As for today, yes you are better off with Obama–probably much of the world is rooting for Obama's sense of fairness and willingness to begin discussing overlapping problems in which many countries are entangled. What's to be gained by being rascist? The racial issues of the long ago past should be ostracized in today's world in order to build a better one for all.
Paul
If Obama is a socialist, then McCain was a socialist in 2003 when, just like Obama today, he opposed Bush's tax cuts for the rich.
The fundamental failure of McCain's campaign strategy is that all his absurd attacks, while they sound good to his base, do NOTHING to persuade undecided voters.
Obama looks like a man trying to become President, McCain looks like a guy trying to stop Obama from becoming President.
TAINOPOWER=ABOMINATION
To Jefferson values (and I hate that you use MY actual last name)...since we know that McCain and Palin don't read or read without interest to learn....I will say that Sen. Obama is the one who UNDERSTANDS Marxism and Communism. And since Republicans are calling tax cuts for working families Socialism, but tax cuts for wealthy corporations and families progress, I'm going to go out on a limb and say they DON'T understand – anything.
I will be a WHOLE LOT better off on Nov 5th when I wake up smiling and Barack Obama is our next president.
To: "Jefferson Values"
How did 'anti-communists' come to understand Marx and Lenin without reading them? Seems strange to me. Maybe you have an explanation.
Maybe we're all just better off understanding the world without reading books at all. Burn them maybe? Well, just the Marx and Lenin stuff eh?
My question to you is how do you tell an informed opinion from and uniformed opinion? PLEASE ANSWER It'd make my evening.
For Mike in Columbus, I grew up there and it has always been a very rascist city. Thats why I now live in San Diego, where for the first time in 30 years I am seeing Democrat signs for Obama in more yards than ever before. So I guess it all evens out...Where is Michael Coleman's support?
Is he getting into prediction business?
Brilliant add – this add speaks to anyone who cares about issues.
It saddens me to have to know how ignorant my fellow citizens are; that people actually think that Sen. Obama could have gotten this far into the process and not be a U.S citizen. People, be honest -say you won't vote for him because he's a black man – admit it. But bring truthful foundation with your arguments. He has made his birth certificate well known. Hawaii is part of the U.S., in case you did not know.
Excellent!!!
Obama/Biden 08
The extreme right like tainopower have no valid argument against obama because they can't just come out and say they don't like black people very much.
hitler drew big crowds and had excelent rhetorical skills also
i know i will be hacked up for this post but makes you think doesn't it?
I can see the nutty Republicans are in here. They're too dumb to realize that Obama is fighting for them and that McCain only cares about their boss, that is if they even have jobs.
And stop with the socialist talk, you all sound, well, ignorant.
Excellent ad. A very distinct contrast to the tone coming from the mccain campaign.
anybody can become president in this country if obama win, i want to be president too.john mccain put his life on the line for the american people but obama says to let mccain take a back seat and cnn agree thank you cnn for electing a president
McCain can easily beat Obama with a new ad, like: " I am John McCain and i approve this message...I am like George Bush, and I understand that, i screw up but i'll fix it. I won't mention words like " Joe the plumber", "wealth-spreader", "terrorist" and " who is Barack Obama, my friends"....