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Monday, October 6, 2008
Eye on Ohio: “Spending Spree” ad for Obama
The ad: “Spending Spree,” 30 seconds
Producer: Obama campaign
Where to see it: It’s airing nationally.
Script: Barack Obama: “I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message.”
John McCain voice-over: “I can’t wait to introduce her … to the big spenders in Washington, D.C.”
Announcer: “Big spenders … like John McCain. McCain’s tax plan means another three trillion in debt. His plan to privatize Social Security — another trillion. Tax credits sent to insurance companies, yet another trillion. So as we borrow from China to fund his spending spree, ask yourself. Can we afford John McCain?”
Video: The ad begins with Obama at a picnic, then shows shots of McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin, then cuts to a shot of McCain and his wife, Cindy, then back to McCain. Then there are shots of McCain smiling with the words “John McCain’s Plan: Over $3 Trillion in Debt,” then the words “John McCain’s Plan: Social Security Privatization $1.4 trillion.” Next, the words “Tax Credits Sent to Insurance Companies $1.3 trillion.” It then cuts to shots of China, closing on a shot of McCain and George W. Bush. The words on the screen: “Can we afford John McCain?”
Analysis: Here’s a counter punch to the long-tried GOP attack that Democrats are big spenders. In this one, Obama throws it back in McCain’s face, suggesting that he is the true big spender.
The Tax Policy Center, whose data the campaign uses, actually says Obama has it wrong: According to its most recent analysis of the candidates’ tax plans, McCain’s plan would increase the debt by $5 trillion on top of the $2.3 trillion increase that the Congressional Budget Office forecasts for the next decade.
That’s far higher than the $3 trillion cited in the ad.
The center says that Obama’s plan would boost the debt by $3.5 trillion by 2018.
These estimates assume, however, that there aren’t substantial cuts in spending. Both McCain and Obama have vowed to do just that.
In the most recent presidential debate, McCain floated the idea of freezing spending except on defense, veterans and a few other vital programs that he didn’t elaborate on. Obama opposed the idea, saying some programs are worthy investments.
The second number — estimating McCain’s plan to privatize Social Security would cost $1.4 trillion — comes from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. It estimates the cost of privatizing Social Security under President Bush’s plan at $1.4 trillion over the first 10 years.
McCain voted in favor of creating Social Security accounts in the past, but has not spoken about privatization much during the general election. According to factcheck.org, however, he said on March 3 that he is “totally in favor of personal savings account, and I think they are an important opportunity for young workers.”
Finally, on the $1.3 trillion in tax credits sent to insurance companies: McCain wants to change how people get their health insurance by shifting from job-based coverage to an open market where people would chose from competing policies. McCain would offer families a $5,000 tax credit to help buy insurance policies. Everyone would get the credit, regardless of whether they kept a policy through an employer or shopped for a new one.
Jessica Wehrman is a reporter for the Dayton Daily News. E-mail: jwehrman@coxnews.com.
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Eye on Ohio: “Foundation” ad for McCain
The ad: “Foundation,” 30 seconds
Producer: McCain campaign
Where to see it: It’s scheduled to be televised nationally.
Script: John McCain: “You, the American workers, are the best in the world. But your economic security has been put at risk by the greed of Wall Street. That’s unacceptable. My opponent’s only solutions are talk and taxes. I’ll reform Wall Street and fix Washington. I’ve taken on tougher guys than this before.
Female Anchor: “Change is coming. John McCain.”
John McCain: “I’m John McCain and I approve this message.”
Video: It opens with McCain speaking to the camera, slowly zooming in on his face and then interspersed with photos of Wall Street, the stock market trading floor and Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Joe Biden. It closes with a photo of McCain talking on a rather large cell phone and then a photo of McCain in front of an American flag with the words “The Original Maverick.”
Analysis: The ad focuses on the slumping economy and workers’ fears about job and investment security. Stylistically, it’s a bit different — none of the typical scary music or grainy black-and-white unflattering photos of the opponent. Instead, McCain speaks directly to the camera and viewers. His only attack on Obama is that his “only solutions are talk and taxes” but the ad reveals no details of how McCain would help the economy.
“I’ll reform Wall Street and fix Washington. I’ve taken on tougher guys than this before,” McCain says with a bit of a grin. McCain, who has been in Washington for 26 years, uses two taglines in the ad: “Change is coming” and “The Original Maverick.”
Behind the scenes, the McCain camp points to the Arizona senator’s push for shareholder approval of corporate chief executives’ pay and severance packages and his pledge to reform laws and regulations governing the oil futures market to curb speculators driving up gas prices, and his efforts to require corporations to list employee stock options as an expense on their financial statements. The Obama campaign this week also released a two-minute video focused on economic security that promises a laundry-list of vague solutions, including tax reform, real regulations for Wall Street and fast-tracking energy independence.
Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the Dayton Daily News. E-mail: lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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Obama to hold rally at Fifth Third Field
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will kick off a two-day “American Jobs Tour” on Thursday, Oct. 9, with rallies in Dayton, Cincinnati and Portsmouth.
The tour is scheduled to start in Dayton with an 11:20 a.m. rally at Fifth Third Field, 220 N. Patterson Blvd. Doors open at 9 a.m.
The event and rallies in Cincinnati and Portsmouth are open to the public and tickets are not required but an RSVP is encouraged by the campaign. Visit www.oh.barackobama.com to RSVP. Space is on a first-come, first-served basis, the campaign said.
The Cincinnati rally is at 3 p.m. at the Ault Park Pavilion, 5090 Observatory Circle. Doors open at 1 p.m.
The Portsmouth event is at Alumni Green, Shawnee State University, 940 Second St., at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Gov. Ted Strickland, a key Obama supporter, has been urging the Obama campaign to visit southern Ohio, home of conservative to moderate Democrats, and the Portsmouth stop will put the Democratic candidate in that region.
Strickland comes from Duck Run, not far from Portsmouth.
The Thursday rallies will put Obama in the state on the same day as Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, who’s scheduled to be in Wilmington. Palin and McCain are to appear together on Wednesday, Oct. 8, in Strongsville, a Cleveland suburb.
As the candidates head into the final month of the campaign, here’s a chance to make your choice.
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Crites to file complaint against Cordray
Republican attorney general candidate Mike Crites said Monday, Oct. 6, that he will file a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission by the end of the week against state Treasurer Richard Cordray’s campaign.
Crites wants an expedited hearing and the right to take depositions of Cordray and others about the source of a $10,000 campaign contribution to Cordray’s campaign.
Lindsey Kuty, 25, made the contribution shortly after Cordray took office in January 2007. Her step father, Montford Will of Wachovia Securities, told the Dayton Daily News that the money came from Kuty’s mother. It is illegal to give contributions in someone else’s name.
Will’s firm went from doing about 1 percent of the treasurer’s bond trading work between 2000 and 2006 to 37.5 percent under Cordray. The two previous treasurers were Republicans; Cordray is a Democrat and now running for attorney general.
When the Dayton Daily News raised questions about Kuty’s contribution, Cordray said he did not know her or anything about the donation but that he would refund it to avoid appearance issues. He also said that there is no connection between campaign contributions and state contracts.
“My opponent can spin his wheels filing Elections Commission complaints, but our campaign committee has addressed and resolved the matter,” Cordray said.
Cordray added: “If we are going to ask the Elections Commission to investigate campaign contributions, they should look into the fact that Michael Crites went on the public record in August promising the paint industry he would drop a lawsuit against them just before accepting the same month a $5,000 contribution from RPM International, a paint company, which appears to be a quid pro quo in violation of Ohio law.”
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Eye On Ohio: McCain ‘Promise’ ad
The ad: “Promise,” 30 seconds. Producer: McCain campaign. Where to see it: It’s airing nationally. View it at DaytonDailyNews.com/eyeonohio.
Script: (Announcer): “In the midst of war, Sen. Obama voted to cut off funding for our troops. What did Biden say?”
(Joe Biden) “They said they voted against the money to make a political point.” (Announcer): “He added ….” (Biden): “This is cutting off support that will save the lives of thousands of American troops.” (Announcer): “Barack Obama. Playing politics. Risking lives. Not ready to lead.” (McCain): “I’m John McCain, and I approve this message.”
Video: The ad begins with dark images of troops fighting in Iraq and the words “Voted to cut funding for our troops.” Television sets show then-presidential candidate Biden speaking at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 15, 2007, and on “Meet the Press” on Sept. 9, 2007, before he was selected as Obama’s Democratic running mate. The ad ends with a color image of a smiling McCain, the Republican presidential candidate.
Analysis: FactCheck.org called the McCain claim that Obama voted against the troops “highly misleading.” Obama has voted in favor of war-funding bills at least 10 times since becoming a U.S. senator.
Using the same standard employed here, McCain has supported cutting off funding to U.S. troops.
McCain’s presidential campaign cites one vote that Obama cast against a funding bill to justify its claim, but that vote came after President George W. Bush vetoed a version of the bill that included a date for withdrawal from Iraq. In fact, most Republicans voted against the 2007 war-funding bill that Obama and other Democrats supported. McCain was absent for that vote, but he urged Bush to veto the bill.
Jon Craig is a reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer. E-mail: jcraig@enquirer.com.
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Eye On Ohio: Obama ‘Zero’ ad
By Laura Bischoff
Dayton Daily News
The ad: “Zero,” 30-seconds. Producer: Obama for America.
Where you can see it: It’s running nationally on cable TV. View it at DaytonDailyNews.com/eyeonohio.
Script: Announcer: “Number of minutes in debate: 90. Number of times John McCain mentioned the middle-class: Zero. McCain doesn’t get it. Barack Obama does.”
Obama: “The fundamentals of the economy have to be measured by whether or not the middle class is getting a fair shake. … And when you look at your tax policies … you are neglecting people who are really struggling right now. I think that is a continuation of the last eight years, and we can’t afford another four.”
Obama voice-over: “I’m Barack Obama, and I approve this message.”
Video: The ad opens with letters being typed over a black screen about McCain’s failure to mention the middle class in the first presidential debate. Then it shows clips from the debate of Obama talking about the economy.
Analysis: The spot uses the debate footage to paint McCain as out of touch with the middle class because he failed to mention it by name. Factual, yes — McCain didn’t use the words “middle class” — but fair is another question. McCain said on ABC News’ “This Week” that he was referring to everyday Americans during the debate when he spoke about people on Main Street struggling and paying the price for greed on Wall Street.
Obama criticized McCain’s tax policy during the debate. Both candidates favor tax cuts, but Obama’s tax-reform package is generally targeted to help the middle class, while McCain favors broader tax changes that would benefit even the wealthy.
McCain favors lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent, doubling personal exemptions for dependents to $7,000 and extending the Bush tax cuts for all.
Obama favors extending the Bush tax cuts for everyone but the very wealthy, expanding the earned income tax credit for low-income Americans, eliminating income taxes for seniors making less than $50,000 and closing business tax loopholes.
Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the Dayton Daily News. E-mail: lbischoff@dayton dailynews.com.
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Today is deadline to register to vote
Today, Oct. 6., is the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 4 election.
It’s also the final day for people to register to vote and cast an early ballot on the same day. Early voting will continue until the election.
The Montgomery County Board of Elections, 451 W. Third St., in Dayton, is open from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. today to register to vote.
You can get more information and download forms at the Ohio Secretary of State’s Web site. Click here for the site.
Here is more detailed information on registration at boards of elections in the Dayton area.
Greene County
Board of Elections:
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday)
Extended hours:
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 11, 18 and 25
9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, 23, 27 and 29
9 a.m. to noon. Nov. 1
Montgomery County Board of Elections
7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays in October and Nov. 1
noon to 5 p.m. today, Oct. 5
7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6
noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 26
noon to 6 p.m. Nov. 2
Miami County
Board of Elections
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday)
Extended hours may be available closer to Election Day.
Preble County
Board of Elections
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday)
8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6
8 a.m. to noon Nov. 1
Warren County
Board of Elections
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday)
Extended hours will be available closer to Election Day, but have not been finalized.
Here is more informaton on boards of elections.
Clark County: 3130 E. Main St., Springfield, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., (937) 521-2120
Darke County: 300 Garst Ave., Greenville, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., (937) 548-1835
Greene County: 651 Dayton-Xenia Rd., Xenia, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., (937) 562-7478 or 7473
Miami County: 215 W. Main St., Troy, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., (937) 440-3900
Montgomery County: 451 W. Third St., Dayton, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., (937) 225-5656
Preble County: 101 E. Main St., Eaton, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., (937) 456-8117 or 8118
Shelby County: 230 E. Court St., Sidney, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., (937) 498-7207
Warren County: 406 Justice Dr., Room 323, Lebanon, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., (513) 695-1358
