"Just As You Suspected" A Radio Ad On Obama

A reader tips me to a curious line in a McCain-Palin/RNC radio advertisement that's running on country music stations in Virginia.

The narrator:

"Barack Obama says he wants to spread the wealth. His plan, raise your taxes and give it to big government.
[Woman's voice]: "More for big government, less for you. Just as you suspected, Barack Obama's wrong for you."
[Man's voice]: "Your savings, your job and your financial security are under siege. Congressional liberals will make it worse. Congressional liberals plan nearly a trillion dollars in new government spending. To pay for it, congressional liberals promise higher taxes on American families making over $42,000 a year. Congressional liberals call it spreading the wealth. We call it higher taxes for you."

The line is: "Just as you suspected..."

Who suspected what?  Is this code for something?

What do you think?

Comments

JAYS = "But he was, in fact, black the whole time!"

Posted by Mr. Merle | October 29, 2008 1:53 PM

I think it's just your standard GOP appeal to fear. (It's really all they have left at this point.)

Posted by Darius | October 29, 2008 1:55 PM

Just as all of you suspected, Obama is really a black guy who wants his homies in the hood to recruit all their bastard children into his army of communism

Posted by Lily R. | October 29, 2008 1:57 PM

Yeah! Big government!!! That's the reason I was so scar- er, hestitant of Obama!!! It wasn't any other reason- it was just as I suspected!!!

Posted by Dave | October 29, 2008 1:58 PM

RNC and JSM have went above and beyond not to use the republican playbook(southern strategy). This Ad plays to the fear centrist have against liberals (very tame in scaring virginians). Give it to JMC. He is fighting this above board in Virginia. Sometimes I feel like he is trying to destroy the GOP coalition. And this truly proves it to me.

Posted by Suggestive | October 29, 2008 1:58 PM

Seems to be a reference to either his race, party ID, or liberalism. Really, it's just vague enough that the listener can hear what he/she chooses.

I see the $42K lie repeated again too. Not surprising. I'm almost ashamed I voted for McCain in 2000. I thought so highly of him back then. :(

Posted by Rich | October 29, 2008 1:59 PM

it's a wink and a dog whistle designed to affirm the implied etcetera. i don't think it'll be very effective because it's not explicit, but i'm not their target demographic.

Posted by sarah | October 29, 2008 2:00 PM

I think the phrase, "just as you suspected" is very clever. For many undecideds, their rational minds accept Obama's arguments and recognize his leadership qualities. But either because of pre-existing doubts, or the perpetual onslaught of negative McCain campaigning, there are some residual irrational concerns. The beauty of "just as you suspected" is that it validates what is in the eye of the beholder. The latent racist will fear black political power; the fiscal conservative will hear "tax and spend" despite the tax calculators; independents and political moderates will wonder if Obama is a true pragmatist or a far-left liberal, and so on. Once again, the McCain campaign cynically feeds peoples vague and irrational fears, while the Obama campaign proposes solutions to the nation's pressing needs.

Posted by Buffaloed | October 29, 2008 2:00 PM

Before anyone starts bitching about redistribution of income or socialized medicine, don't forget that the largest redistribution of wealth and socialized medicine can be found in the so-called bastion of conservatism...THE MILITARY! In 2009, the government will take $651 billion from American taxpayers at-large and redistribute it to 1.4 million active duty military personnel in the form of pay AND free housing AND all-but-free medical care IF they so choose. It's that medical care that paid for my mom to have me and my three brothers. It's that medical care that paid for my brother's treatment for his degenerative bone disease in his hip. And it's that medical care that continues to pay for my youngest brother's treatment of his epilepsy, which would, without the military's "socialized" medicine, cost my parent's thousand of dollars PER MONTH.

And let's not forget the further redistribution of wealth that occurs when the government uses tax-payer money to pay private companies like Boeing and Lockheed for the newest, biggest toy when most of the world is still trying to catch up with our technology from ten years ago.

But we accept this massive spending for the sake of the public safety and public good, and rightly so. So why should healthcare be any different? Obviously there's some kinks to work out, but to demonize and decry "socialized" medicine just because Europe (not the most innovative group of people) hasn't figured out how to make it efficient is beyond ignorant. It's dangerous.

Posted by Codyak | October 29, 2008 2:00 PM

Who suspected what?

That maybe the most liberal member of the US Senate is in favor of more spending and higher taxes?

Really, who would have suspected that?

Keep looking for hidden meanings though. It's pretty funny at this point.

Posted by Andrew | October 29, 2008 2:01 PM

It's just as you suspected, there's something about the guy you don't like. And here you go, it doesn't have to be that he's black or named Barack Obama. You can pin it on "big government." But the code isn't exactly racism, in my view. It's the Republican pandering to gut-level aversion to otherness, whether that's Kerry the gawky-panty-waisted guy with affinities for France or the dude with the funny name.

Posted by Jonathan | October 29, 2008 2:02 PM

Hey Marc,

I'm voting for McCain.

Am I a racist? Is my vote code for something?

Come on tell me.

Posted by Andrew | October 29, 2008 2:05 PM

it's rhetorical --coming at the beginning of the spot it's placed where people are more likley to remember it --thus it plants suspicion

--the listener supplies the reason --he's black--he's a tax and spend liberal --he's an elite snob who thinks he's better than you --

for whatever reason occurs to the listernor to allow them to convince themselves that "Barack Obama's wrong for you"

slick ---sleazy

Posted by ken | October 29, 2008 2:09 PM

Of course, the GOP is trying to make people buy into an irrational fear that Obama is going to take money away from white people to give it to black people.

The way they do this rhetorically is exactly how they convinced 2/3 of the public that Saddam did 9/11. They don't go out and say it, but they endlessly repeat a misleading message filled with dog whistles.

It is amazing how the GOP can convince so many in the middle class that it is best to give the rich tax cuts.

Posted by RKA | October 29, 2008 2:12 PM

No Andrew, not necessarily a racist, just about as stupid as the cocktail waitress who you're voting for...

Posted by Kerpin | October 29, 2008 2:18 PM

Andrew,

No, you're not racist. But if you make less than 250k and you're still voting for McCain, I would say that you're dense. If you make more than 250k, I would say this probably means you voted for GWB and I would like to personally thank you for your individual role of putting us in this sh*thole.

Posted by joe sixpack | October 29, 2008 2:19 PM

JAYS = another misleading (or-more accurately-blatantly false) claim about Obama's tax policy;

oh, and as a bonus, we used to agree with him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3AvZqYC4mw

Posted by Ross | October 29, 2008 2:19 PM

I think this is a "joining" strategy. "just as you suspected" reassures the listener that s/he's right, and that you understand what s/he's feeling. I don't think it needs to be code for anything other than "you're one of us." Politics, and life, are about who you're going to include in "us." For some it's a race to contract into the smallest, most gnostic, "we." For others of us life is a challenge to see if we can include more and more people in our arena.

Posted by lemonfair | October 29, 2008 2:25 PM

Well let’s see... here on planet earth a couple of the main gop talking points for more than 30 years have been dems want to take your money and expand government. So I'd guess "More for big government, less for you" followed directly by "Just as you suspected" has something to do with obama's middle name.

Posted by hadenough | October 29, 2008 2:25 PM

Apparently, the ad is intended to appeal to the undecided voter. The McCain campaign is all over the place showing the high level of panic they have created for themselves. All part of the campaign's death ritual.

Posted by Lou R | October 29, 2008 2:28 PM

joe sixpack,

Here's the thing. You are assuming that tax policy (and specifically how it affects me personally) is the only issue I care about.

It's not.

Theoretically, I would get a tax cut under both plans, though I grant it would be bigger under Obama's. Here's the thing though, I can't go up to a person who makes more than $250,000 and take a thousand or two dollars and spend it however I want. It would be immoral and illegal.

Why exactly is it moral if the government simply acts as my agent in taking that money and 'spreading it around'?

Personally, I'd prefer less government overall and lower taxes for everyone.

Oh and you're welcome.

Posted by Andrew | October 29, 2008 2:35 PM

As an African American man, it's pretty damned obvious what it means. It's code for "you were right to suspect him all along" - and we know a big reason why he's "suspected".

People complain sometimes that not everything is racial. Yeah, well - sometimes it is.

Posted by Scientific | October 29, 2008 2:42 PM

McCain keeps saying Obama will raise taxes. Obama says it's not true. McCain is saying "Obama says he'll raise taxes, but you have always been suspicious of any Dem who makes that claim. Turns out you were right to be suspicious." Basically saying Obama is lying when saying he'll cut taxes, that he'll abandon his plan and raise em first chance he gets.

Posted by guy | October 29, 2008 2:45 PM

"As you suspected" may well be hypnotic. And considering how common the use of hypnotic techniques is in lots of advertising, I hardly think I'm jumping to an extreme conclusion here. Who is the "you" who "suspected" that Obama is "bad"? Presumably, this "you" is a dormant (but very real) part of the listener, who is troubled by Obama's "otherness" (black skin). And sometimes these "subpersonalities" have input into the voting decision.
Sorry to seem a bit paranoid, but I don't think the "as you suspected" is accidental.

Posted by Ming | October 29, 2008 2:55 PM

This ad is running on the female-oriented pop station here in central Iowa (102.5) and also on whatever station they happened to be playing at the Ben Franklin in "downtown" Nevada, Iowa (the county seat of Story County, in which Iowa State University is located) earlier this afternoon.

I cringed each time I heard "as you suspected." It sounds even more creepily insidious live.

Posted by Tara | October 29, 2008 2:58 PM

It's a dog whistle, of course. See John Judis in the TNR:

I mention the Bradley effect because I think, too, that McCain and Sarah Palin's attack against Obama for advocating "spreading the wealth" and for "socialism" and for pronouncing the civil rights revolution a "tragedy" because it didn't deal with the distribution of wealth is aimed ultimately at white working class undecided voters who would construe "spreading the wealth" as giving their money to blacks. It's the latest version of Reagan's "welfare queen" argument from 1980. It if it works, it won't be because most white Americans actually oppose a progressive income tax, but because they fear that Obama will inordinately favor blacks over them. I don't doubt that this argument will have some effect, but I suspect it's too late and that worries about McCain and Republican handling of the economy will overshadow these concerns.

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/10/29/more-cork-popping.aspx

Posted by rts | October 29, 2008 3:02 PM

Just forget about it. No one cares anymore about the c*ap McCain talks about.

Every freaking independent knows that McCain is lying when he claims that "higher taxes on American families making over $42,000 a year". So, whenever a pursudable independent listens to this crapola he/she gets more tuned off at McCain. McCain is not only loosing the election but he is also loosing his honor with these key indies.

Posted by Erin | October 29, 2008 3:03 PM

Of course he's talking about African-Americans.

Anyway, the best ad of the election for Obama has turned me on to a great band I'd never heard of, thanks in part to your bearing the message!

Posted by Bahrad | October 29, 2008 3:06 PM

Its an attempt to get undecided voters. McCain figures that the undecideds "suspect" something is wrong with Obama (or they wouldn't be undecided) and he is trying to play on that.

Posted by Peter | October 29, 2008 3:12 PM

Just as you, enlightened voter, suspected, despite the media's and Obama's attempts to convince you that he's centrist, he is actually....

I think that's all it means.

Posted by B | October 29, 2008 3:12 PM

Studies have shown that the vast majority of people who have some measurable racial biases don't actively consider themselves racist and wouldn't fit the traditional profile of a racist. Where race does come into play in a person's perception is at an unconscious level, where the person unknowingly harbors suspicions about someone of color without knowing how or why. Thus, you get cliches like "clutching your purse tighter" and whatnot.

Basically, there are a lot of people out there that are harboring suspicions about people of color that they're unknowingly simply waiting to be confirmed. McCain's ad is trying to exploit this by giving their target permission to feel this suspicion about Obama.

It's sad, but it's politics. And it's something that does more harm than good for Obama to actively raise as an issue, which is why McCain is doing it.

Posted by dannity | October 29, 2008 3:30 PM

People know the facts. My conservative friends in TN don't even believe this stuff. The ad goes from spread the wealth to Obama raising taxes and then the gov't magically has our money. It skips ahead to congressional dem's raising taxes and back to spreading the wealth. Where is the money being spread to? Is this an attack on Obama, dem's, obama and dem's?

Posted by John | October 29, 2008 3:30 PM

If you respond positively to McCain Palin ads....you might be a redneck!

Posted by bdbd | October 29, 2008 3:36 PM

Just one more lying attempt to smear Obama! Where are Palin and McCain's medical records? What are they hiding by refusing to show them? This is unprecedented, it is standard procedure to submit them when nominated to the highest office in America. How are these two con artists getting away with this?

Posted by Sarah McDonald | October 29, 2008 4:24 PM

I'm very depressed because it seems people have forgotten that the objective truth actually exists. There are facts around which to form our opinions.

"Obama will raise taxes on people who make $42k a year." This is a fairly solid statement. It can be proven or disproven. Where are the supports for those who assert such a thing? The burden of proof lies with the accusers. And a question to those accusers: if you are found to be in error, can you admit it? Or will you make the choice to willfully be in error and spread lies?

"McCain will keep us in Iraq for 100 years." Also a solid statement. Can anyone back this up with proof? Factual evidence? If not, you should stop repeating this tripe.

Where are all the rational people? The center cannot hold.

Posted by John | October 29, 2008 4:50 PM

Andrew,

Over the last eight years, we have given the largest tax cuts to the wealthiest. We have paid for these tax cuts by borrowing money, which means that we pass on a higher debt to future generations while a greater portion of the federal budget goes to paying off an increasing interest on the debt. That is the preferred method in rightwing LaLa Land.

Obama wants to cut taxes for those who need to keep more of their income the most, and pays for those tax cuts by taxing those who make more than enought to live comfortably. In rightwing LaLa Land, this means socialiam and then totalitarianism.

Are you beginning to understand why your ideology is being thrown out with the garbage right now?

Posted by Mikelx | October 29, 2008 4:58 PM

Just as you suspected, "he's in it for the Black."
Just as you suspected, "he's not one of us."
Just as you suspected, "we didn't know who he is," which mean he may be
a Muslim
a Terrorist
and certainly, a Communist.

And the proof of it all is our little WHITE lie.

Posted by Kevin McNamara | October 29, 2008 5:42 PM

I wonder if McCain ran an ad Bush did about John Kerry, but changed the name in it to Obama, would it be considered racist? My guess is it would.

Anyway the $250,000 thing is misleading. If you make over $112,000 you will most likely pay more under Obama. Single-earner families that make more than %75,000 will generally pay more under Obama than McCain in cases where they have more than two kids. Two-income families generally pay more at a point below $250,000. Granted Obama's plan doesn't raise taxes for anyone under $250,000 but the cuts are less than McCain's in some upper-middle class brackets. FactCheck doesn't seem to mention this for whatever reason, but the sources they use do.

http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/numbers/displayatab.cfm?DocID=1840

Democratic scare-tactics are more about health care, social security, and in this election making Hispanics think McCain hates Mexicans. Or in the primary season making it out that Obama is "foreign" and hangs out with Bill Ayers. (Hillary's people were the first to latch onto both those things) This is seen as more acceptable because of the theory that Democrats are more enlightened and only use racism or homophobia because they have to in order to reach the lumpen proletariat.

Posted by Thomas R | October 30, 2008 5:39 AM

Barack is nothing more than a polished salesman, well spoken when he has to read, but certainly not as bright as President Bush when it come to logicing things out. Barack is NOT fit to be cleared as President, And he wont be.

www.GoMcCainPalin.com

Posted by Web Master | October 31, 2008 11:52 AM