I always enjoy your perspective, and you're spot-on here as always. Except the Bea Arthur jab - I think she's genuinely cool! :-)

Sent by Eric | 5:21 PM ET | 08-01-2008

This is hilarious, you made my day! PS. I changed my homepage from MSN to NPR because of Britney/Paris overload.....

Sent by Lisa Khajavi | 10:46 PM ET | 08-01-2008

Right on, it is Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker
The Force (Obama the Jedi Chosen One) will win!

Sent by Ginnette Powell | 7:57 AM ET | 08-02-2008

You won't think of McCains ads as pathetic if he wins
remember we are a country who elected George Bush twice( well almost the second time around) who kept Senator Stevens in office for a lifetime, who didn't impeach Bush for going to war and killing innocent people, but tried to impeach Clinton for a blow job.

Sent by LJ | 11:35 AM ET | 08-02-2008

Hey! Leave Bea Arthur alone!

Sent by Denise Bennett | 5:56 PM ET | 08-02-2008

Mr. Ridley
Thank you so much for a different and refreshing way to look at this crazy-making attack ads.

Sent by G. McDuff | 9:13 PM ET | 08-02-2008

If Obama does not get above the race issue he will lose. McCain is using race and will continue to use race and generally Obama will lose if he continues to pursue a defense of the issue.

He will attract more black voters but will lose more white voters than the attracted black voters.

Sent by Ray | 12:38 PM ET | 08-03-2008

You're my hero J.R...

I like John McCain over Dubya anyday, but with Obama... well, if anyone can turn this shipwreck around before it goes over the falls, it will be Barack. I sincerely believe that.

Sent by Morgan Tyree | 7:39 PM ET | 08-03-2008

I love how the meaning of the ad is lost on most people - the fact that people are voting for Obama because he's (supposedly) so cool, and yet has nothing to say, no ideas to put forth and no plans on what to do if he is elected.

How pathetic that we are so shallow as a country that people are voting for the leadership of this country based on color, looks and the fact that Hollywood likes him.

Sent by M. Cruz | 8:15 PM ET | 08-03-2008

If you think the Britney Spear/Paris Hilton ad is interesting, you must you tube the "Obama thinks he's the chosen one" add with Charlton Heston. It's freaking hilarious.

Sent by Ananda | 10:32 PM ET | 08-03-2008

It is sad that this years election is about skin color and not about what Mr Obama and Mr McCain stand for. Who ever wins in November... Did they win because there were the right person to be President or because of there skin color?

Sent by Wesley | 2:31 AM ET | 08-04-2008

Mr. Ridley,
I appreciate your viewpoint. One of the many reasons Obama is "dreamy", is because we've had 8 years of an idiot (which I still can't believe Americans fell for)! Americans are thirsting for a change. Our world today, sometimes appears hopeless. Obama happens to be an intelligent (something lacking in the White House), articulate (another characteristic lacking in our present leadership)and a refreshing breath of hope and optimism. I think he would still have the same appeal if he were green with purple polka dots. But does anyone think of the same question I keep thinking, "Why does a man's race matter?" or did the McCain campaign miss the apology?

Sent by lauren schexnider | 7:59 AM ET | 08-04-2008

I generally like your posts but, dude, Bea Arthur could whoop your butt any day of the week and give Barack a run for his money at a game of pickup basketball and you know it.

Sent by M. Bryant | 12:00 PM ET | 08-04-2008

"The enemies of ascendancy"? "Ascendancy"? Talk about subtext!!

Sent by Sherman | 3:02 PM ET | 08-04-2008

It is nice to read an entertaining as well as intellectual article on the silliness of these ads. I put a link back to it on my site. Thanks!

Sent by Jessica | 3:22 PM ET | 08-04-2008

Once again, celebrity trumps substance. Let's see how enthralled you all are with the Chosen One after he and his Congressional cohorts tax us into economic oblivion and allows feral seventh-century troglodytes to declare open season on everything we once considered sacred.

Sent by Steven G. | 4:12 PM ET | 08-04-2008

We'll keep obamas number on file if we need a basketball player or a dreamer. Lets talk reality if the young senator from Illinois is all that then Illinois should be the land of milk and honey shouldn't it. Lets see
highest taxes in the nation check
highest gas prices in the nation check
school system on the decline check
infrastructure falling apart check
crime out of control check

yep hes a candidate for change and hope. hope he doesn't change the country like he did Illinois.

Sent by James -chicago | 4:52 PM ET | 08-04-2008

I think reasonable people would agree that our embarrassingly pathetic celebrity culture is woven into the presidential political circus. Image is paramount and Obama is all image. I wish McCain's people were pointing out how fast this guy is running to the right and questioning his credibility then maybe voters with an IQ above 5 might see the light.

Sent by Chris | 6:15 PM ET | 08-04-2008

Awe Steven G. you sound so threatened. There is still time to move to Saudi Arabia where they will protect your conservative values.

As one of those feral 7th century troglodytes you fear I'm happy to say I will be declaring open season on your traditional values. Values such as explotation, racism, hatred and militarism. If you dislike Obama articulate some real reasons and lay off the fear mongering, it makes you come across as a little backwards.

Sent by t in pdx | 7:05 PM ET | 08-04-2008

Your usual wit "notwitstanding," I suspect that neither Bea nor Jack would be caught dead in a McCain ad!

Sent by Joe B | 9:59 PM ET | 08-04-2008

Sorry, but I have to say you're off base with this one. I don't see anything wrong with McCain pointing out Obama's apparent "choseness." Our country is fixated on looks over qualifications and that is the ad's deeper meaning.

Sent by Penelopy G. | 12:26 AM ET | 08-05-2008

I haven't seen the ad but it sounds very immature. It scares me to think of someone who never grew up in office.

Sent by Cathy | 8:59 AM ET | 08-05-2008

I do understand how many might view McCain's ad as admittance that Obama is a "superstar".
However, I think the insidious aspect that is being missed is that its suggesting that he cannot be taken seriously.
The Obama campaign needs to present Obama as the first of his kind to be Editor of the Havard Law Review, a community activist, legislator and a law school professor at the University of Chicago. IMHO these are some of the hard facts that qualify him for the highest office in the land.
Further, Obama does not need to prove to the non-believers that he's cool. (That's a given, although irrelevant.)
He needs to prove that he has the qualities and basic skills that will allow him to set up an Executive Branch of government and address the SERIOUS problems this country faces.

Sent by Jerry | 2:08 PM ET | 08-05-2008

Obama is Cool as me!
And you can't get Cooler than that.

Sent by Sleepless G | 3:34 PM ET | 08-05-2008

most obama supporters probably dont pay taxes or dont know anything about economics

Sent by lower taxes | 4:45 PM ET | 08-05-2008

Dig your style John and I like it that I don't always agree with you 100%

It's still early in this race.... and McCain is saying what should be noted .. what better time than early on .. this isn't the big guns yet.

McCain is fighting fire with fire, it's not his fault that culture sucks so much at the moment that he has to talk down.

Reality TV has really screwed us up as a culture, it makes me sick. I blame the sociopathic rise in irony in the earlier 2000's. It makes being selfish and vain just fuel more of this sense of false self-esteem, .. and ganging up on any peg that stands above the rest, .. not only pegging it down .. but eliminating it. SCARY!

(I voted for Obama earlier this year).

Sent by dis-appointed college drop out. | 4:17 PM ET | 08-07-2008