Republican Swift Boating

Many people I talk with here in Santa Fe, NM say that they can't believe that the Republicans can win yet another presidential election, given the complete failure of the Bush administration over the past eight years. I have news for you if you believe that.

I've just watched over 30 minutes of the ads the McCain campaign are going to put out in coming days and they are very effective in distorting and trivializing Obama's positions. Never mind the flood of ads that will come from the shadowy groups that have helped to distort previous elections. Those will be even dirtier, I'm sure. But here is a quick rundown of the official ads that the McCain campaign has approved:

Several ads intercut the high points of Obama's speeches with cuts of Charlton Heston as Moses parting the Red Sea. The effect is to ridicule Obamas ability as a public speaker.

Several ads take little 5 second sound bites from various Obama speeches to create the impression that he is constantly changing positions. These are intercut with red screens accusing him of twisting his positions to fit the occasion.

One shows a woman holding a Hillary sign and saying that since she is not available that she will vote for a proven leader. With this she shows that she is holding a McCain sign beneath the Hillary sign. She then says its OK to switch parties.

The McCain ads seldom point to Republican positions on how to move our country beyond its current dire situation, and those that do distort McCain's positions, such as the ad that intercuts McCain with footage of wind generators. Never mind that McCain has consistently opposed alternative energy research and development. Some ads even claim that McCain will bring policies that protect the environment.

I recommend that you go to the McCain website and watch several of these TV spots. The first few are not as hostile and slanted as the later ones. The "Roving" begins with the Moses parting the Red Sea video and it just gets worse from there. CLICK HERE to view the spots.

All this is taken right from the Carl Rove playbook, which advocates taking an opponent's strong points and turning them against him. These tactics are effective unless the deception is constantly pointed out so that people see them for what they are. I'm doing what I can. What can you do?? We don't need another four years of Bush/McCain policies in this country.

Friday, August 29 Update. I just checked into the John McCain website again and there, shortly after his new congratulatory spot that is getting all the play today are the same Rovian attack ads that intercut Obama with Moses parting the Red Sea. This is a clear indication that they intend to pursue those Swiftboating tactics as the campaign rolls forward. Watch out for attempts to derail the campaign from central issues such as the economy and the war.