Ex-McCain Adviser Slams Britney Ad as 'Childish'

Negative turn generates anger toward candidate

(NEWSER) - A new Obama campaign memo obtained by Time documents Republican disapproval of the McCain camp’s recent tactics. Some highlights:

• Pat Buchanan on the commercial juxtaposing Obama, Britney Spears, and Paris Hilton: "Look, this is not an effective ad.”
• Ed Rollins: “John needs to be the deliberate, experienced veteran and not the grumpy old man.”

He's a celebrity but unqualified to lead, it says

(NEWSER) - A new ad from the McCain campaign deems Obama the “biggest celebrity in the world” while flashing images of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, Time reports. While mocking his rock-star status with other images from his trip to Europe, it asks, "But is he ready to lead?" The Obama camp responded that McCain has launched “yet another…false, negative attack. Or, as some might say, ‘Oops! He did it again.’” More»

McCain, Obama break with tradition and carry their negative campaigning into the election's final days

(NEWSER) - Both presidential candidates are bucking tradition and remaining on the offensive in the last days of the election—a time when campaigns usually back off and focus on positive messages, the Washington Post reports. Barack Obama is spinning Dick Cheney’s endorsement of John McCain as a troubling indication of a possible Bush redux, and McCain’s newest robocalls feature Hillary Clinton’s primary season attacks on Obama. More»

'Tinny and trivial' attacks are too small, and in any case too late, in momentous election

(NEWSER) - Any day now, John McCain will mock John Kerry for flip-flopping. Or maybe go with George H.W.’s “Read my lips, no new taxes,” pledge, even Eisenhower’s “I shall go to Korea.” What he won’t do is offer anything new, because all year he’s “seemed intent on fighting the last war, or rather, waging the last campaign,” Scot Lehigh writes in the Boston Globe. More»

Remind voters why they admired him: Kristol

(NEWSER) - William Kristol has some advice for John McCain: “When you’re in a hole, stop digging.” In a recent poll, 64% of respondents said they believe McCain spends more time attacking Barack Obama than making his own case. The senator ought to pull his negative ads, robocalls, and mailers, “muzzle the campaign,” and make his own case, Kristol writes in the New York Times. That case in a nutshell: Security, security, security. More»