I can't help but wonder, have we ever before had an election season where the smears are 1) emphasizing the celebrity and fame of one candidate and 2) highlighting the other candidate's close ties with the current president?

Rebecca Tapscott, Weekend Edition Intern

The weeks may be flying by, but it seems a little bit like deja vu - what's new this week is disappointingly stale. The McCain campaign goes negative, the Obama camp talks about race, and the issues fall to the wayside, as celebrities like Ludacris offer their two cents. It's August 1 - only three months to go...

Ad Busting

WASHINGTONPOSTBLOG:
McCain's Risky Ad by Chris Cillizza, Friday, August 1, 2008.

Chris Cillizza links both the recent McCain campaign attack ad painting Obama as a clueless celebrity, and the Obama campaign response ad linking McCain to President Bush. He explains how the ad might backfire for McCain. I can't help but wonder, have we ever before had an election season where the smears are 1) emphasizing the celebrity and fame of one candidate and 2) highlighting the other candidate's close ties with the current president?

MODERATEVOICE:
McCain No Longer "Hot" by Jazz Shaw, August 1, 2008.

Jazz Shaw explains why the McCain ad that draws an unflattering comparison between Obama and Paris was really a risky choice: the Hiltons are actually significant contributors and fundraisers for the McCain campaign. Oops.

Race and Politics

REDSTATE:
Is it Okay to Vote Against a Candidate Because of His Race? by Erick Erickson, July 31, 2008.

Erick Erickson discusses "reverse racism" through the lens of Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen's bid for re-election to the Senate.

TALKING POINTS MEMO:
Obama Campaign rejects rapper Ludacris' rhymes by Deanna Bellandi, July 30, 2008.

Deanna Bellandi examines the lyrics in a new Ludacris song, claims that an Obama presidency is destiny. It goes on to insult President Bush, as well as Senators McCain and Clinton. The Obama campaign has called the song "outrageously offensive."

ANDERSON@LARGE:
Race and the Presidential Race v.6.0 by Faye Anderson, August 1, 2008.

Faye Anderson focuses on the fears that this presidential campaign is about to turn into a race about race. She links to numerous articles and video footage, so you can see what all the pundits are saying. What do you think? Should race even be a central issue in this campaign? Or is it being used to avoid talking about other topics?

1:18 - August 1, 2008

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