Obama Runs Constructive Criticism Ad On McCain

In response to Republican attacks, Barack Obama unleashed a series of slightly negative ads that gently point out how McCain could be doing a better job.

[@bravetherainbow]

I laughed out loud at "he called McCain a real character"

[@AJ69238]

@@cockoffgewgle4993 someone's offended. Need a safe space?

[@johnmartinez7440]

@@cockoffgewgle4993 You weren't watching this video properly if you thought this was "sucking his dick". Depessing that your vote counts the same as mine.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

@@AJ69238 Americans are truly inane NPCs. On both sides.

[@AJ69238]

@@cockoffgewgle4993 oooh, we got a centrist here!

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

@@AJ69238 You realise western Europe does nothing but laugh at your country and its politics, right? lol. American centrism is basically Nazism here. Wrong. Again. It's bizarre how defensive you idiots get of your black Bill Clinton.

[@CHURCHISAWESUM]

"If you punch me in the face I'm not just gonna stand there, I'm gonna winch, raise my hands and ask you to stop." LOL

[@rcvnow1712]

*politely

[@mattrogers5188]

*period after "there"

[@jwaj]

Great job guys commenting on a 9 year old comment 👍

[@sexyohhenry4192]

*wince

[@medexamtoolsdotcom]

Like Apu in the simpsons, saying "Mr. Simpson, I have politely asked you to stop mangling my merchandise, and if you persist, I will have no choice but to ask you politely again."

[@clogeater]

"How has McCain reacted to the ads?" "He's planning to release an ad calling Obama a gay-loving elitist Muslim and then a second one targeted at his children." Simply gold.

[@joehaddad6276]

clogeater hi im from the future

[@dantecaputo2629]

Me too. What is being an adult like in 2009? Is there a way I can move there from 2020?

[@joehaddad6276]

Dante Caputo such a rubbish generation

[@dantecaputo2629]

Joe Smith We seem to be in a bit of a pickle. Granted 2009 wasn’t great either, we had two wars and a depression, but at least you could go outside.

[@joehaddad6276]

Dante Caputo correct but people werent snowflakes

[@davidwestin6232]

This is gold. I love how Obama in his own ad have images of himself looking sneaky and suspicious while all the pictures of McCain are very flattering. After the most weak attack you can imagine Obama also clarifies that he himself are "not necessarily any better" and also suggests which weak spots McCain could hit him back with.

[@calebbenedict5587]

And in the background of the end of the second ad has an electoral map where McCain wins every state 😂

[@pillowcasecorner7519]

"Not that McCain has to do that, Barack Obama is just saying".

[@asecretone]

"and a second one targeted at his children"

[@despicableone4495]

@Milin Augustin Hey

[@jamesdeerwood146]

Greetings

[@williammoore6534]

Hello there

[@StarCit]

Willy • 23 years ago General Kenobi

[@TABBYMUSIC]

Yo

[@AdmiralBetas]

"scathingly helpful suggestions"

[@JamieMillwall]

What is actually quite endearing about this is that they actually had a great deal of respect for one another to the point that Obama gave a speech at his funeral. I guess that friendship really did last a lifetime

[@DrFajardo]

Not only that, there was a great deal of respect even during the '08 campaign kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHrNlqGgdrOkd80

[@PotatoPatatoVonSpudsworth]

See, THIS is how politicians should be! Obama and Mccain both understood that whether or not they disagreed, they both still wanted to improve people's lives. Thus, they could respect one another.

[@PotatoPatatoVonSpudsworth]

Honestly, I think Trump single-handedly shattered this mutual respect. He was so inherently aggressive and rude that he turned the whole thing toxic.

[@Degenerate999]

@@PotatoPatatoVonSpudsworth I disagree I think the leftists were so butthurt about trump winning that they couldn't let it go. Don't blame that shit on trump. Look in the mirror.

[@zviyeri9117]

@@Degenerate999 did you ever see his tw- oh nevermind ;)

[@puertoriconnect4611]

The Bernie Sanders campaign saw this and didn’t get it was satire.

[@CD-pz6gb]

lol

[@jamestonjes8263]

As someone who thinks bernie woulda been the best candidate, this shit harsh but true

[@darkbeetlebot]

More like Weaver saw it and read it as a guidebook.

[@briantannenbaum8110]

James Tonjes I mean I don’t agree with Bernie on anything , but I respect him cuz he isn’t fake and actually believes his own message

[@laughable6650]

I wish Bernie would have been more on the offensive. Stop calling Biden your friend. He isn’t your friend.

[@ihaveagun22]

"obama to give mccain $60 mil in campaign funds to show he isn't upset"

[@x0cx102]

this somehow reminds me of that time when mccain defended obama at a rally

[@suryamohan3410]

he did?

[@x0cx102]

@@suryamohan3410 it's a pretty famous clip: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHrNlqGgdrOkd80

[@donpacificbobcat9er615]

@Humanity Galatica I’d say it was more about the political climate at the time. Republicans weren’t doin so great after Iraq.

[@harshbansal7982]

@@donpacificbobcat9er615 or the , you know, the Great Recession.

[@heirofthenazareen3812]

@Humanity Galatica Memory Check! At a campaign event, McCain said the economy was in great shape -- 4 days later, the economy tanked. The bottom fell out. The crash of 2007. And the Obama campaign made sure everyone knew that McCain didn't understand economics. That's a major part of McCain's loss. He also linked himself to Sarah Palin who was repeatedly proven to be an airhead. She was running for VP and on national TV she couldn't even say what the VP's constitutional duties are. Palin was McCain's albatross. McCain lost for a number of reasons, but not because he had the decency to shut down a vile attack on Obama's character.

[@jeremytheoneofdestiny8691]

2:20 I would cry tears of joy if the next US presidential election could be this wholesome.

[@mosesracal6758]

The irony in this is that Obama and McCain are good friends and actually respected each other during the presidential race

[@FirstLast-fl1co]

too bad that barely happens in politics and its mostly just competition just seeing who can fuck up things more, both in agenda and the country itself.

[@davidy22]

The joke in this video was that obama and McCain's campaign was more riddled with attack ads than any race we had seen before

[@hackerkiller2131]

I’m from the future and this happens all the time. Unfortunately, out of the two candidates at our old folks home (with a golf course for settling feuds), Biden has dropped. Trump was depressed by the news and gifted him a driver that ‘increases your hitting distance by more then 50 yards’. We moved them closer to each other in suites 104 and 105 respectively

[@ChesterRGC]

"I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message" I guess he really approved that message

[@Decibel_DJing]

Nice soad pfp

[@MoreParksLessParking]

This wouldn't actually be that terrible of an idea to be honest. Sad that in politics we still value competition over cooperation; the one place where we need it most.

[@samb8744]

Jesus Christ. Yes it would. The whole issue this video is satirising is how elite corporate politicians suck eachother off regardless of policies. We need less civil politics. Not more. Civility led us into 8 interventions with countries that never attacked USA.

[@joexer1]

Why would two nominees from opposing parties cooperate in an election? makes no sense

[@archsteel7]

We're bad people and we deserve bad things, Trump is proof of that.

[@almostskater3210]

One of the most vapid comments I've ever read

[@almostskater3210]

@Shadow Oh ya bro those craaaazzzy SJWs, right? Dude, get your head out of your ass. This country has real problems, not college kids that have never affected your life in any way besides slightly annoying you

[@theCamelCase]

"...And a second one targeting his children." This is hilarious. My gods I love the Onion.

[@itookallthenames]

You might be dead now, but now targeting the kids is compulsory. The onion predicted the future

[@FirstLast-fl1co]

@@itookallthenames they didnt predict it, they know the future

[@olavihekandjo2928]

Someone explain this to me

[@halfgeek1394]

This is exactly how Bernie dealt with Biden In the 2020 Democratic Primary

[@feelinggrape]

Except Biden never went any unfair path.

[@hi123452008]

@@feelinggrape Yeah, he had others to do that for him. The viciousness of the constant smears leveled at us Bernie supporters, sponsored by pro-Biden superpacs... Also that whole thing about, ironically, Obama personally calling all the candidates to get them to drop out and endorse Biden while asking Warren to stay in to split Bernie's vote base - that sort of election meddling can hardly be called a "fair path".

[@_blank-_]

@@hi123452008 He did that? Wow... Anyway, even if we lost the nomination, we won the battle of ideas.

[@mattrogers5188]

@@hi123452008 Do you know of any sources that Obama called them all personally or asked Warren to stay in? I'm not saying you're wrong necessarily, but it conflicts with what I've read in credible sources. According to Politico, Buttigieg dropped out after having breakfast with Jimmy Carter. Several prominent Democrats had also called him and asked him to drop out. Buttigieg had already conceded when he spoke with Obama. Biden was on the call as well, and it was Biden who asked for Buttigieg's endorsement. Buttigieg said he would consider it. Beyond that, there were rumors that Obama had been "sending signals" that Biden was the best candidate to support. I think there may have been some truth to those rumors. I don't know of any evidence for the specific scenario you've outlined, but I'd be happy to review any credible sources you might know of. www.politico.com/news/2020/03/02/pete-buttigieg-campaign-2020-election-118573 www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/did-obama-encourage-buttigieg-and-klobuchar-to-endorse-biden/ar-BB10LvDj

[@KingoftheJuice18]

It was a fair contest between them, actually. But in any event, I don't think Bernie would have taken down Trump, and that was the most important thing.

[@UncleMax27]

That McCain is a real character. OH, THE GLOVES ARE OFF!

[@GalaxyPolar]

This is literally Bernie Sanders vs Biden.

[@CD-pz6gb]

yes but very sadly

[@lcg3092]

I don't think so, it wasn't Biden directly that attacked Bernie, it was other candidates and media pundits.

[@cubersanonymous5180]

So damn true

[@jamesperkins191]

Some of the Bernie Bros are lunatics, and broadly I'm a Sanders man, but the primary is over, so Biden’s the man to back. Not perfect... but good enough.

[@GalaxyPolar]

@@jamesperkins191 Yikes... Is he really though? I mean come on, really? What's he gonna do if he gets in office? He's not going to listen to us, he's going to sit there with his thumb up his ass, warming the seat for another Republican to replace him. Bernie would have actually done something to try and fix this broken corrupt system, what Biden will realistically do is going to be like putting a tiny shot band aid over a broken leg that's all mangled up. It's just worthless.

[@SgtKickass926]

Holy shit, this is basically how Bernie Sanders handled Joe Biden in the Dem primary

[@Rin-qj7zt]

i vote for the guy who shows reason and respect. but mostly i vote for whoever supports the policy i want regardless. usually there is only 1, if any at all, option. i even vote third party if they are the only one to support it. my vote always represents me.

[@kezkriune]

“Hey, I’m fine if you win instead of me, just as long as the other guy doesn’t win.”

[@acc314]

This was Bernie’s biggest mistake. Treating Biden as his friend instead of an enemy that shouldve been dealt with

[@calvinkay1747]

@@acc314 nah as much as I wish Bernie was President, Biden had a better chance. Bernie would be too divisive and too many people think he’s a communist so he wouldn’t win imo.

[@s.bakyhnh1756]

@@calvinkay1747 Republicans have called Biden a "radical leftist" so in the end it didn't matter. Bernie was the only good option.

[@BloodBaath]

"he was up all night with a stomach ache worrying mccain wouldnt like him" hahaha

[@solcitlalliraygozaramirez7923]

A versión of these could be done now about sanders and biden

[@robertaylor9218]

Yep

[@CalamityInAction]

@@robertaylor9218 "I'm Bernie Sanders, and I think that we could maybe work a few things out with Joe. I'm not sure about some of what he's doing, but I hope he doesn't make it personal because that would put me in a social obligation that would make me uncomfortable"

[@puertoriconnect4611]

Sanders actually did the friendship one quiet a bit. Not as an ad, of course, but he would constantly remind people that he was friends with Biden and that Biden was indeed a good guy who would make a great president.

[@CalamityInAction]

@@puertoriconnect4611 I'm not sure about Biden (I'm not in the mood to argue), but that was nice of the Bernster

[@CalamityInAction]

Christian Psychonaut777 I’d want Bernie as president, but he probably wouldn’t be able to do much since the legislative process would go against him

[@Manofaction0]

"You're not mad, are you?" "We're cool right?"

[@ZamatoElite]

"McCain is planning on releasing an add calling Obama a gay loving elitist Muslim." ROFL!!!

[@alvallac2171]

*ad (short for "ADvertisement") add = ADDition

[@VestinVestin]

From what I've heard, in (corporate) British English "it seems like some voters might be confused by his healthcare plan" roughly translates to "everyone can plainly see that his healthcare plan is completely nonsensical, and if he had any sense of dignity, he'd jump off a bridge after setting himself on fire".

[@Demiglitch]

Yeah, basically parliament and media bullshit. See "Tired and Emotional". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tired_and_emotional

[@Mauserpad]

Ok and?

[@GSBarlev]

At the same time, the House of Commons has _institutionalized heckling_ and has occasionally broken out into _literal brawls._ Not saying you're wrong, just that the dissonance is hilarious.

[@cutecommie]

"Not necessarily any better" Damn this is true.

[@TCt83067695]

Actually i disagree. Mccain was a war hawk so we would have been in more wars

[@TCt83067695]

@Oliver Hancock lol bless your soul. You didn't need to apologize. Yes much needed context would reveal Obama's absolutely disastrous record particularly going from 2 wars to 7. Yet we can be certain John "Bomb bomb bomb Iran" McCain would have been worse without a shadow of doubt

[@kosatochca]

Oliver Hancock It’s some gold comment here 😂 I remember how Thatcher called her political opponents both in Tory and Labour Party as whiny and conciliatory. She really vilified any possibility of acquiescence

[@cicalinarrot]

When they go low, we kindly say "oh, I'm utterly sorry" and move out their way.

[@LOTRgrim]

Nothing like a good dose of Onion News to brighten up my day.

[@oakoe188]

Man I wish elections were actually this civil

[@swimteamizzle1114]

He'll wince, raise his hand, and politely ask him to stop

[@Qwerty0791]

"Whoa! Those are some scathingly helpful suggestions." LMAO

[@rainerwahnsinn9585]

So there is a 8 years-break of comments!!! And then dadadahhh new comments. So nobody saw this for 8 years!!! KZbin should show kind of this gold much more

[@davecullins1606]

Obama sounds like an honourary Canadian.

[@BreadBox.]

"Scathingly helpful suggestions" is a line I'm gonna be using now lol

[@zwickflixproductions4379]

“Scathingly helpful suggestion”

[@Salchipapafied]

The text on the TV ad near the beginning says "excellect".

[@Asianpersuasion3]

Woah! I never knew that Obama spoke so harshly about Mccain. Loved the bit that said obama would donate 60 million dollars to Mccain's campaign.

[@Maranville]

McCain as the epitome of negativity? We were so innocent.

[@Maranville]

@Deadpoppin weird flex but ok

[@CH-ek2bm]

I love how the map at 1:40 in Obama's constructive criticism ad shows a McCain landslide

[@h0gheadS]

God I miss these videos. Onion, start a damn kickstarter or something. WE NEED THESE

[@LeoMcIntosh]

"He's telling republicans, "You punch me in the face, I'm not just gonna stand there. I'll wince, raise up my hand and ask you politely to stop!" LOL

[@LordVader1094]

I wish this was still the type of satire that could be made about our elections lol

[@davidy22]

This video was made and was supposed to be funny because it was the polar opposite of what was actually going on in campaign ads. You can absolutely make this video today and have it still hit the same notes as it did when it was first made

[@styraco4739]

If you're too lazy to pay attention to the video and scroller at the same time: "Bush warns if Russia not reined in, world may face more movies such as 'Wargames' and 'Rocky IV'" "Mother suspects son in coma just lazy - interview on next 'Today Now' 7 - 9 a.m." "White House says government may be forced to intervene in comptroller strike if whatever comptrollers do is important" "News from Laredo. TX: Article on George Clooney's political activism the only Clooney-related article local woman does not care to read" "Congressman apologizes for 30-minute long 'Slip of the tongue', Rep. Robert Ingersol (R-SC) says he 'misspoke' during half-hour racist tirade" "War for the White House update: Obama reaches out to geek voters with proposal to make 'Watchmen' premiere a national holiday" "Detroit takes top spot on 'Newsweek' magazine's 'America's Murderyest Cities' list" "Senate commission on art calls for 700-mile long mural to be painted on Mexican border wall" "Department of energy releases new seasonal scents for natural gas" "Murderer with puppy dog face set free again - next 'Raw Justice' 9 p.m. ET Wednesday"

[@clootscalhoun9481]

“ those are some scathingly, helpful suggestions” Hahahaha

[@Trailtracker]

i like how quickly “children” cut off

[@ineedtoeatcake]

I miss this level of respect in politics. I want a President whose character I can admire.

[@B0ssguy]

I didn’t see this was the onion and just assumed obama did that

[@panzer-chan69]

if a candidate actually campaigned like this theyd get 90% of the vote

[@strategicsage7694]

No they wouldn't. People respond to negative ads. People say they don't like them, but they work.

[@abrahamthebewildered1448]

Best presidential ads ever! Won me over.

[@quietearthMT]

"Scathingly helpful suggestions" LOL!

[@blackreazor]

I just love the way ppl used to pronounce and annunciate Obamas name

[@Youcifer]

enunciate* but yeah same

[@skywz]

When ONN is more accurate than OANN, and also when KZbin recommends this video to you 12 years later.

[@emilyscloset2648]

very spicy indeed

[@skywz]

@@emilyscloset2648 And when other people see your comment on a 12 year old video and agree.

[@LuciusC]

I was thinking Canada, but your answer's perfectly valid too.

[@gotank]

Ugh... On one hand I'm laughing, on the other I actually totally agree with that last ad (the apology one). People seem to forget what things actually matter.

[@PedanticPig]

Funny how this rather accurately predicts Obama's entire attitude throughout his presidency.

[@adamk314]

RIP John McCain - one of the last honest Republicans

[@eoghan.5003]

*I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message*

[@Jimera0]

two things 1) this is the Onion. These adds are not real. They're poking fun at Obama's unaggressive add campaign. 2) This is seriously the way politics should really work, instead of screaming slander at the other candidate offer helpful criticism. We'd get so much done like this. But unfortunately this seems to be beyond human beings in groups that are not composed entirely out of friends or number more than 3.

[@Alex1891]

I realise you wrote this comment nine years ago, but based on what you said, I'm genuinely curious as to what you thought of Andrew Yang's campaign

[@cyin974]

I'll honestly consider voting for a candidate with ads like this

[@Brett733]

This is in my top 20 favorite Onion vids.

[@Username-or9nr]

McCain actually respected Obama. Rip a true Republican

[@Rsharlan3]

@Adam Jensen We had a local talk show host emcee a McCain rally in Cincinnati. He opened with a routine about Barak the secret Muslim, and McCain said "we're not doing that in this campaign." The host stormed off the stage and on his show the next day said he'd vote third party. I guess the party was already Trumpified years ago.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

That says more about Obama and his policies than McCain.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

@@Rsharlan3 He is a secret Muslim, though, isn't he?

[@mattpytlak]

"target his children" LOL! I'm a little surprised that they didn't say BFF.

[@krispduck]

"i'll wince, raise my right hand and ask you to stop" hahahahaha

[@paulbrasier372]

What a terrible sad time in America history.

[@sri.sai3]

"I'm Barak Obama and I approve this message"

[@julianivanov3058]

The fact that Obama actually made an ad like that in alternative Universe is why I love him

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

Nauseating.

[@holdenroberts6973]

​@@cockoffgewgle4993thanks for the input 'cock off gewgle'

[@johan_r59]

This was Bernie Sanders vs Joe Biden...

[@Gaeisok]

Bernie is so sweet and caring.

[@katie-st8nx]

that text crawl is gold

[@AlongtheFarClimbDown843]

There was a book in 1992 entitled, more or less: "Governor Bill Clinton's Qualifications to be President of the United States." Needless to say all the pages were blank.

[@Master_Twango]

Friends forever lol

[@genghisdingus]

how Bernie ran against Biden in the 2020 primary

[@FrancisR420]

Except they are on the same team fighting the same enemy even if Biden seems to think it's the public

[@bhatbasit8614]

*Mother Suspects Son In Coma Just Lazy* 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@tristanreynolds5748]

This is how my parents act like electoral politics was before trump 😂

[@DoctorT144]

"Now tell me... how has McCain reacted to the ads?" "He's planning to release an ad calling Obama a 'gay-loving, elitist Muslim'. And then a second one targeted at his children."

[@jwaj]

Ok

[@threebucks1678]

I would vote for someone with this ad campaign.

[@zenergetic_8299]

MOM SUSPECTS SON IN COMA JUST LAZY Whoever writes their ticker headlines needs a Pulitzer

[@Thisisthegreatestatofalltime]

It’s reverse psychology to make him think he’s safe, the absolute madlad.

[@AomoriKryhavek]

1:40 lol the ticker says that hes reaching out to geeks by making watchmen relase date a national holidy lmao

[@VIRGOTHE13TH]

Seriously the ticker is the funniest of all. ..'mother suspects son in comma just lazy' ...omg lffao

[@Max-is4qu]

Politicians in the Netherlands are actually like this, most of then at least

[@ratherryan]

This has aged spectacularly well indeed.

[@gamingmaster_0472]

why cant all election ads be like this forever

[@nekozombie]

because this world is plagued by antagonistic competition instead of rational and friendly cooperation

[@epsiloncentauri6067]

Simpler times

[@CerebralChaos]

Honestly, compared to ads run in today's political climate, I'd say many political ads back in 2008 were essentially constructive criticism.

[@serioussilliness2064]

That end there reminds me of Jon Stewart saying something along the lines of "personally I'd have gone with 'If you bring up my kids again I will drone strike the fuck out of you.'"

[@jhodance]

"...an ad targeting his children." HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[@RomZruleTeHworld]

"im barack obama & i approve this msg."

[@sunburn5461]

'that was one scathingly helpful ad'

[@Forestdude9000]

I want this in U.S. politics. Please...

[@josephlamps431]

The first one is kinda brutal in a passive-aggressive way

[@DFC222]

0:26 they misspelled excellent i have no life

[@jwaj]

Ok 9 year old comment

[@Sidnapolis]

So true especially now, with our administration too afraid to stand up for what's right and support the Iranian election protests.

[@kireitonsi]

The funniest thing is for them to legally publish this and use the "I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message" voice clip he had to actually approve of it.

[@VanessaMagick]

I doubt it. This would be protected under the first amendment under parody, and I doubt they were concerned that the Democrats would go after them.

[@Estragon17]

Seems more like Kerry than Obama.

[@plasticballs]

Canadian politics

[@andybaldman]

Remember when the internet was smart?

[@dasfun2243]

Oh boy, reading these comments all these years later is simply Gold..

[@joehaddad6276]

Compare this to now?😂

[@jamesryan2115]

I miss this election Also dear lord the Onion is gold

[@diamondgirl7377]

the detail of the guy at 0:48 mimicking the recording of himself is priceless

[@alexanderphilip1809]

One good thing about BHO was that a he was a good man, civil and kind. Not a great president but definetly a kind one.