Cheesy. I don't like the "McSame" line. Sounds like a new sandwich at McDonalds.

It does seem a bit cartoonish, don't know if that's effective or not.

Maybe its supposed to be boring--pairing "McCain" with "blah".

The meme to use is "poor judgment." It applies to Iraq, lobbyists, Hagee -- and it was the precise language used in the Senate's censure of McCain in the Keating Five scandal. It also dovetails perfectly with the Obama campaign's message on national security.

The CDA is certainly going in the right direction. Can't wait for rev B, etc. There's no pics of Mc in a cowboy hat? Put his head in the locked Beijing door photo.
Then there's the famous "Guy Crush" shot.

I think it's brilliant.

We need to start associating the two to the general public in a somewhat innocuous way. This ad does that.

We can't start by firing everything in the arsenal (Keating 5, multiple infidelities, lobbyist scandals, etc.).

Let's start by labeling him as Bush 2.0 and move from there...

I'm happy to see that somebody is attacking McCain rather than our own candidates.

OT: Whatever happened to McCain's kids? I've not seen them this whole campaign - only the trophy (Stepford) wife. Did someone decide they didn't work that well, eight years ago, so they'd drop them, this time?

I'm sure the McSame camp researched that and figured his kids wouldn't play well to the conservative base. I suspect they will show up at the Republican convention however.

I don't know - I kind of liked it. It made me chuckle with that lasso thing they had going, changing McCain's head into Bush's. I think it's fairly effective and highlights just what needs to be right now. And they had that great ManCrush photo at the end to hammer home the point.

Let's see what they do next. I think I'll go throw them a few dollars!

Well, I thought it excellent, and especially hope it gets lots of airing right now when Bush is doing the big gala endorsement of McSame.

Unfortunately putting Mc in front of anything brings to mind McDonalds the food chain. So while the idea of associating McCain with Bush is good, it was diluted for me by wondering how McDs figured in.

It's simple and effective. In organizing and messaging, that's what you want. I've always thought the mark of a good 30 second advertisement is that you can mute the tv and it still communicates its message to you.

Obama has demonstrated that a simple and effective mesage works - stressing a message of "Hope and Change" much more than getting into wonky policy discussions (boring for the average voter).

This is what Obama's line will be repeatedly in the fall - if you want more of the same, that's McCain. If you want change, that's me.

(People want change.)

I think McBush is better.

Food for thought:

If we don't denounce "McSame", then doesn't Barack Hussein Obama become legit?

Just saying.

Agree heartily with SCMadden and Donal, "McSame" is childish and doesn't work for me. Took me a few seconds to focus on the point of the ad because I was trying to puzzle out the distracting McDonald's reference; think the phrase "Just like Bush" would work better.

Overall the ad worked pretty well for me. Those who worry that it's aiming too low intellectually, just think back to the Ohio voter Steve Kroft spoke to on 60 Minutes -- all he knew of "the issues" is that he'd heard somewhere Obama didn't know the national anthem (yes, he even got the smear wrong).

I think the add is OK, but I do beleive it will be effective, sepecially considering the media love affair with the Democratic race. To paraphrase, the just keep on moving those goalposts!
I for one support media buys which tend ot focus on How Bush is ruining this nation. Obviously, all of us read the news everyday and see the effect he is still having in our country but almost all the major media attention is given to the democratic race. John McCain is a notorious flip-flopper, that does not mean that he does not stand on his convictions, actually it juts means that his positions change because he is not one of the brightest minds in politics regarding any number of issues, as he states clearly when he references his knowledge of the economics. You can see from his campaings make-up that special interest needs to have a seat at the table with JOhn McCain because he just doesn't understand many of the issues. This should be pointed out! As to his claim that he will be hard on special interest, look at who his major donors are, and look into his past, he was censured by the ethics committee for the Keating 5 scandal!

Personally my favorit character to call John McCain is Johnny McBush, but I am pushing it so its not exactly fair!

Let's get to the point! McBush or McShame will do.

Apply directly to the forehead.

Right idea to make the connection. Pretty childish execution. "McSame"? Did no one have a second idea?

P.S. The picture of him hugging Bush should play with all of them. His criticizing Falwell and Robertson along with it would help.

What about this?

The McCain Red Phone ad:

Scene opens as in Hillary's red phone ad: children sleeping peacefully, their mother looking in on them.

Voice: A phone is ringing at the White House: (picture of red phone ringing.

phone rings once . . twice. Camera turns to John McCain sleeping peacefully in his bed. Third ring. . . . Fourth ring.

The camera continues to show John McCain sleeping peacefully.

Answering Machine: You have reached the White House emergency line. Senator John McCain cannot take your call right now, but if you wish to speak to him, his office hours are 9-11 and 2-5 Monday through Friday. If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 911. Have a nice day. . . . dial tone

McCain continues to sleep peacefully. The scene fades with Mrs. McCain watching over him lovingly.

I like it. It carries lots of meaning beyond the words being spoken. Anything labeled "Mc___" carries the idea of lot of cheap stuff without having to say it-a negative beyond the ones being pointed out. The head replacement thing brings up the whole phonied-up Photoshop idea - a phony, a Trojan horse, a trick on the viewer.

Yes, it's boring, etc., but the viewer remembers the "McSame" (rhymes with McCain) and the Photoshopped heads, and the message sticks long after the ad is gone. Only a tune as catchy as the Oscar Meyer wiener song would stick to the subconscience longer.

Now they need to do another one with the "bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" clip. That one still gives me nightmares. Different audience though.

I like the moniker "John W. McSame". It has the aliteration of the "J" and "G" to start, has the 'W' stuck in the middle (where he'll have to keep emphasizing his real middle initial, reminding people of the 'W' every single time), and ends with the 'Same'.