July 30th, 2008
08:35 PM ET
15 years ago

Obama camp launches response ad to 'Celeb'

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/30/art.ad.cnn.jpg caption="A new Obama ad hits back at McCain."](CNN) - Barack Obama's campaign launched a new television ad Wednesday night declaring John McCain has taken the "low road" over the course of the presidential campaign - a direct response to the Arizona senator's television spot released earlier in the day likening Obama to celebrities Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

"He’s practicing the politics of the past," the ad's narrator says as headlines from various medial outlets stating McCain has gone negative flash across the screen.

"John McCain. Same old politics, same failed policies," the ad's narrator also says.

Earlier: McCain camp links Obama to big celebs

McCain's ad, released earlier Wednesday declares Obama "the biggest celebrity in the world," while flashing images of both Hilton and Spears.

"But is he ready to lead? With gas prices soaring, Barack Obama says no to offshore drilling and says he'll raise taxes on electricity. Higher taxes, more foreign oil - that's the real Obama," the ad's narrator says while crowds screaming, "Obama!" are shown.

The McCain ad is the latest in a string of hard-hitting television commercials from the McCain campaign. Earlier spots suggest Obama is playing politics with the Iraq war, is against funding American troops and bears some of the responsibility for high gas prices.

UPDATE: Tucker Bounds, spokesman for the McCain campaign, released the following statement in response to the Obama campaign's new "Low Road" ad: "Pointing out your opponent’s worldwide celebrity is not the ‘low road,' and neither is pointing out that he opposes oil drilling and supports higher taxes.”


Filed under: Candidate Barack Obama • John McCain
soundoff (671 Responses)
  1. kelly

    As an Obama supporter, I think that Obama's response made him look like a whiny Democrat.

    July 30, 2008 10:02 pm at 10:02 pm |
  2. Dw

    Just to weigh in, McCain is looking desperate. I used to say that if there was ONE republican I would ever vote for that it might be him. Seeing how he has handled the pressures of facing Obama, with it not even close to the election, I have to face the fact that I guess I'll never vote republican...

    Let McCain claim Obama's campaign is one of flowery hope... sometimes, hope is the best road we have to take...

    July 30, 2008 10:02 pm at 10:02 pm |
  3. Orlando

    The Maverick retired in 2000 I don't know this OLD fool.

    July 30, 2008 10:03 pm at 10:03 pm |
  4. Lee from FL

    McCain likes to through punches but cannot take them.

    You people need to get over yourselves. If Obama was attacking McOLD as often as he does then people would say he is just another angry black guy.

    July 30, 2008 10:04 pm at 10:04 pm |
  5. realitycheck

    Wow–the venom you Obama fans have. . .doesn't matter who i end
    up voting for--the acid in these comments from die hard Obama
    admirers is a real turn off. It makes you all look so out of touch–
    you can't have watched Obama skip across the world and not
    see the arrogance in that.

    July 30, 2008 10:05 pm at 10:05 pm |
  6. marcus

    Kansas rep, your guy is going down hard, even you guys comments are getting weaker n weaken, Romney would have had a better chance, but he is an idiot as well and un informed and out of touch......
    oh pls tell me why McSame doesn't have his own platform, he keeps changing up, even in the same interview, and every time he speaks, he is either re iterating bush policies, or stealing Obama's...
    16 month time table hummnnnn, don't talk to Iran or North Korea, hummnnn, oh and don't forget my favorite from the so called foreign policy expert.."Iraq and Pakistan share a border..(only if you blow Iran off the map) is that his 100 yrs war.....all I can do is laugh at the guy chosen by the RNC to lead the party cause if you recall everyone else backed out early so he could be crowned....tell me Kansas rep.....did you vote for McCain in the rep primary or was he shoved down your throat like the rest of the garbage he spewsssssssssssss

    July 30, 2008 10:05 pm at 10:05 pm |
  7. Concerned Citizen of America 2008

    Offshore drilling will not lower gasoline prices in the short term, even the Prez said that. Prices are dropping a bit due to the fact that we are using less. Refineries are producing at 85% capacity but yet we are not rationing gasoline like we did in the 70's, why is that? What I saved in a tankful of gasoline today didn't buy me a latte nor an extra gallon of gasoline. Tax cuts given to those top 1% during a time of war didn't create all these jobs they were suppose to. We have almost half a million job losses since the beginning of the year and almost as many home forclosures. Our troops are getting killed in Iraq while taking showers and KBR/Halliburton is refusing to take responsibility putting the responsibility square on the shoulders of the ARMY,but continues to take the paychecks from DOD. And you guys want to talk about celebrities?

    July 30, 2008 10:05 pm at 10:05 pm |
  8. Martha Hussein Baker for Barack

    The republicans have sunk to a new low trying to compare the next POTUS with two airheads like Paris and Britney. Grandpa McSame is looking more than desperate with this one!

    OBAMA '08

    July 30, 2008 10:05 pm at 10:05 pm |
  9. nancy

    PLEEEEZE!
    Can we talk about the REAL issues? McCain is starting to look worse than Bush, if that is possible.

    July 30, 2008 10:06 pm at 10:06 pm |
  10. Marv...

    I really would like to hear from the Christian Right. I truly think McCain has represented conservatives across the board very well these past two weeks. All those pastors who stood by while G.W. Bush and Carl Rove called Good evil and evil Good without speaking a word. As the Republican attack machine spewed filth and slander all over honorable men who served their country, like John McCain and John Kerry, the Christian right didn’t find any error.

    Conservative Christians supported this type of sinful behavior twice. Now they sit quietly in a corner pretending to be confused and unsure of themselves. They (Conservatives Christians) took part in slanderous deeds for the past 7 years. Now.... silent they sit.... allowing themselves and everyone who followed them to be mislead by the Conservative party.

    Shame on you... those of you who call yourselves by HIS name. If you continue to set by and don't voice your morals about the downward path your party has taken, then God will take your voice period.

    July 30, 2008 10:06 pm at 10:06 pm |
  11. A Nightingale Sings in Berkley Square

    Is abamba threatening the life of American Hero John McCain? I just read a blog that said obamba was challenging John to a duel. obamba just can't help himself with his mega ego personality can he?

    Barry also said he is related to Wild Bill, George Bush, a King of England and a host of others to probably include Osama himself. He just can't help himself. He is risky and I don't trust him.

    bam may not be a Muslim but he is no stranger in the Muslim Church.

    He will raise your taxes and "dis" your values.

    Tried and true is John McCain

    July 30, 2008 10:06 pm at 10:06 pm |
  12. Goodie

    Absolutely! Bama you are very and so right . SAME OLD politics will NOT work this time. Bye to Karl Rove /real Macain style of politics. Let the atttack and counter attack begins. I am making a donation soon as I send this comment. Got line of friends that will follow as well. God bless America and God bless Barack and family. Bama you sure look and act presidential and beleivable even by the republicans. They are scared! Please make a donation for the next president > Bama 08

    July 30, 2008 10:07 pm at 10:07 pm |
  13. marcus

    lastly..it is not necessary to make up stuff on McCain..just replay any three of his interviews, he contradicts himself every other day and this idiot doesn't even remember his just said the opposite stuff on tape.....

    July 30, 2008 10:07 pm at 10:07 pm |
  14. Steve/Houston,TX

    Let me get this straight, it is not a good thing to be liked by the world as a leader? Does this make since? In order to be president I suppose a qualification is to not be liked or known. Another flip-flop by the McCain camp. First they state that Barack Obama is unknown, now he is a popular celebrity! John McCain is a HATER!

    July 30, 2008 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm |
  15. Jody Monroe

    McCain's "attack" ad on Obama is backfiring, it highlights that Obama is very popular.

    Boo on McCain's campaign - if they can't think of anything positive to say about their campaign, but can only stoop to criticizing another candidate!

    July 30, 2008 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm |
  16. Whats left in your wallet?

    A sad man is John McCain,he knuckled under in 2000 and took a promise from the Republicans to get him elected now.He gave up his manhood in doing so.

    July 30, 2008 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm |
  17. Sheri

    McSame trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat. OLD DRIED UP WACKO!

    July 30, 2008 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm |
  18. Voter

    Where did all these delicate flowers come from? I love the McCain ad- and the Obama response is self righteous and whiney,

    I love it!

    Keep running those self righteous, whiney ads, Barry. McCain's ad is terrific – Obama's problem is that McCain's ad right on target.

    If you don't think so, listen to the Liberal pundits spin this one on CNN – they're pretty desperate to cover for their arrogant, fluffy headed candidate.

    July 30, 2008 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm |
  19. lg

    I love McCain's ad. It makes Obama look good because it shows how silly McCain is. Did he actually spend campaign $s to put that out... to put out something that does not answer any questions? He acts like everyone has 'questions' about Obama. Well, I have 'questions' about McCain and this is the best he can do to tell me who HE is.

    July 30, 2008 10:08 pm at 10:08 pm |
  20. Posn

    McCain would you like some cheese with that whine........

    July 30, 2008 10:09 pm at 10:09 pm |
  21. Give credit where it is due

    McCain admits that Obama is the biggest celebrity. and that he is the biggest looser.Self confession by an Insane man .

    July 30, 2008 10:09 pm at 10:09 pm |
  22. IndependentTogether

    I just can't understand why CNN continues to overlook McCain's lies. I mean, there's one built in to McCain's attacks. Before the attacks, he said that America was tired of the old attack-style politics. He and Cindy has stated emphatically that we wouldn't see any attacks fro the McCain campaign. Well, it's obvious that it was a blatant lie. Why doesn't CNN cover this huge story? There is video of those false statements, after all...

    July 30, 2008 10:09 pm at 10:09 pm |
  23. Tony Antin

    Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain: Please, Please. PLEASE! Stop nitpicking each other (he said this, he said that, he flipflopped, blah, blah blah).
    Just plain and simple tell us what YOU would do as President.
    I'm amazed that all those so-called political strategists continue to
    believe that such back and forth negative finger pointing will win elections. Karl Rove is dead.

    AND, it's the economy, stupid! It's obvious that the war will wind down now. And the current crisis and danger is here.

    July 30, 2008 10:09 pm at 10:09 pm |
  24. JohnnyG

    Hey Kansas Republican... i don't think McCain is "just terrible", but I do believe that general consensus seems to be that he's running a pathetic campaign.

    July 30, 2008 10:10 pm at 10:10 pm |
  25. ruffdeezy

    I love how Tuck gives the typical whiners response after everything the Obama camp does.

    July 30, 2008 10:10 pm at 10:10 pm |
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