Obama is running a sleath negative ad campaign, says Chuck Todd

*** Obama’s stealth ad campaign: Over the past week, we've gotten our hands on a number of negative TV ads Obama's been running against McCain in key states like Ohio and Michigan. This is in addition to the tough spot, uncovered by Politico, that Obama's airing in Indiana. Clearly, the Obama campaign isn't interested in telling the media about every single McCain attack ad they’re running. Perhaps this is because Obama's brand can't afford to be tarnished too much if he's seen as constantly running negative TV ads. So the campaign simply puts them on the air in key markets, doesn't tell the press about them, and layers those ads with positive ones being run nationally during the Olympics. Also, by not releasing to the media, it forces the McCain camp to wait a day or two before they see the ad. McCain's camp is much more comfortable unveiling their negative ads, perhaps because they want the free press that comes with them. But make no mistake, Obama’s running plenty of negative TV ads, particularly in the industrial Midwestern states. In fact, one of Obama's biggest candidate strengths -- which doesn't get the attention it deserves -- is that he plays political hardball as well as his opponents; he just sometimes does it under the radar.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/08/15/1268145.aspx

I KNOW!!! It's a stealth compliment!

.

Chuck Todd's just reporting, and it's not meant to be a compliment or a knock. :shrug:

Yeah, I guess it could be. It's been so long since I've seen that that I don't quite remember what it looks like. :evilgrin:

:hi:

Obama saying "I approve this message". Stealth is trying to hide something NOT be out front with who is paying for the TELEVISED ad.

It sounds like poor Mr. Todd has his nose out of joint because Obama isn't kowtowing to the corporate media by releasing it to them first.

Suck it up Mr. Todd and stop being a whining weenie.

Oh, please, Chuck Todd. Just bc these weren't released to the press first , does not mean they are "top secret" and you had to do some encyclopedia brown detective work to track it down. Agree with the above poster who said that he seems bitter that these weren't released to the press first. Obama's negative ads are based on the truth, unlike McCain's negative ads, and he doesn't feel the need to suck up to the media for free publicity.

policy differences should be fair game.

How old is hat goddamned propaganda site anyway? It's obvious what direction they HEAVILY lean in anyway. But you already knew this. In fact, I'd love it if mention of "politico" would be banned here. They have more than enough publicity as it is!

This is good. Portrayed as bad. But really good.

The "news" channels now need to play Obama's attack ads for hours on end for free while they talk about how horrible they are.

He has issued targeted ads about issues like the economy that show what a disaster the Republican dominated administration has been. He has told the truth in some detail. So it can be called a negative ad because the truth resulting from Republican policies is ugly.

I don't think showing the truth of reckless policies can be equated with the grotesque negative ads of the John Sidney McCain III campaign. JSM III is doing smear ads with little basis in fact.

I am glad to know Obama has been highlighting some of the very serious problems the Bush-Cheney-McCain administration has created. Targeting the many failures of this administration in some detail.

I'm sure the voters in those targeted states are glad to see some issue ads, rather than the weird smears the JSM III team ladles out with stolen music, wafting celebrities and apocalyptic shadows.

"Also, by not releasing to the media, it forces the McCain camp to wait a day or two before they see the ad. McCain's camp is much more comfortable unveiling their negative ads, perhaps because they want the free press that comes with them."

And there you have it my friends.

Maddow was substituting and did a whole piece on this plus running the ads. They are good. She was talking about Shummer complaining he wasn't hitting hard enough and then revealed how he is running these in critical states and areas but not nationally. It's a two tier approach. In other words "hope and answers" plus "gutting the old bastard".

-- which doesn't get the attention it deserves -- is that he plays political hardball as well as his opponents;..."

I have felt this all along, and am very glad we have a strong, poker playing, Chicago style candidate. It is exactly what is needed to combat the repugs.