Horserace
March 21, 2008 4:56 PM

Obama Unveils New Ads In Pennsylvania

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
Barack Obama
Barack Obama has three new ads running in Pennsylvania, a state where he trails Hillary Clinton in the polls. Clinton has yet to run ads in the state.

The 60-second spot, "Opportunity," opens with Obama extolling the American dream. The candidate is shown discussing his family history, particularly his grandparents, who "didn't have money, but they gave me love, a thirst for education, and a belief that we're all part of something larger than ourselves." Obama also talks about his time as an organizer in Chicago and political career thus far, spotlighting his work on tax cuts, health care for wounded troops, and ethics legislation.

"I've seen the power of opportunity in America when it's working," he concludes. "I've lived it. If we don't let narrow interests capture the agenda in Washington, there's no problem we cannot solve."

Watch it here.

The 30-second spot "Toughest" is more issue-focused, opening with the claim that Obama "took on the special interests – and won." The spot is an extended criticism of the influence of special interests that concludes with an excerpt of an Obama speech.

"They have not funded my campaign, they will not run my White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people," Obama says as the spot closes. Watch here.

The other 30-second spot, "Carry," has run in other states; it casts Obama as a uniter who "was successful in a bipartisan way."

The spot includes a testimonial from Republican state Sen. Kirk Dillard, who is shown talking about how Republican legislators respected Obama for his "negotiation skills and ability to understand both sides." Click here to watch it.

Add a Comment See all 31 Comments
by jean243 March 24, 2008 5:03 AM EDT
Hillary has become a Republican at heart. When she was on the board of directors for Walmart, she didn''t make a peep about the low-wage workers at Walmart that needed health care!!! She voted for the Iraq War in order to look more "Republican" in a plan to get more votes in her future presidential run. Obama however, he has worked for the poorest people in Chicago, to help them organize to get an employment office in their neighborhood, to get asbestos testing, to get buildings repaired, to get the parks dept. to put in a playground.
Reply to this comment
by jean243 March 24, 2008 4:59 AM EDT
Gee, never thought the Clintons were ever poor--hello!!! And thank heavens Obama isn''t like Hillary, who takes the low road in politics when she starts to lose.
Reply to this comment
by hillary4us March 24, 2008 3:20 AM EDT
OPPORTUNITY?

Campaigning for her husband in Zanesville before the Ohio primary, Michelle Obama described to a group of women how hard it had been for her and Barack to make ends meet:
"We spend between the two kids, on extracurriculars outside the classroom, we''re spending about $10,000 a year on piano and dance and sports supplements. And summer programs... Do you know what summer camp costs?" (10,000!!!!! THAT IS WHAT MY AUTISTIC SON AND I LIVE ON FOR A YEAR)
The burden was especially heavy because she and Barack had to repay the student loans for college and law school at Princeton and Harvard: "The salaries don''t keep up with the cost of paying off the debt, so you''re in your 40s, still paying.
Actually, Michelle''s salary has kept up pretty well. The University of Chicago Hospital, where she is vice president for community affairs, bumped her pay from $121,910 in 2004 to $316,962 after her husband was elected to the U.S. Senate that year.
The Obamas also have Barack''s salary as a U.S. Senator ($169,300), royalties from his two best selling books, and an undisclosed amount of income from her service on six corporate boards.











Reply to this comment
by irkutsk1 March 24, 2008 3:03 AM EDT
The candidates should be talking more about the plight of education.
In California, which ranks 46th among the states in per pupil spending and where there were substantial cuts in 2003, Gov. Schwarzenegger, after proclaiming
2008 as the education year, has
proposed a $4.8 billion cut in
education expenditures this year and next. He refuses to entertain
the idea of raising taxes to avoid
these cuts, which are the most drastic ever imposed on California
schools. It will mean firing of thousands of teachers, increased class sizes, and elimination of some programs. The citizens of California have finally been aroused and are voicing their protests to their Assemblyman and
Senators. But more such pressure is needed
Reply to this comment
by lucilioness March 23, 2008 9:25 PM EDT
BILLARY''S LOSING! PERIOD!
Reply to this comment
by March 23, 2008 5:55 PM EDT
if every voter is so narrow-minded and allowing fear mongering to dictate their conscience as afactcheck21, then Obama wouldnt even got a single vote. But the truth is that he is winning, and winning big. afactcheck21 and his chorts could bury their heads in shame.
Reply to this comment
by regello March 23, 2008 5:38 PM EDT
Obama runnin a TV ad is news? This is just more digression from the cold fact that with the Rev Wright contoversy affixed around his neck like an albatross, Sen. Obama will simply not prevail in November, even if Tiny Tim were running on the Republican ticket. His dismissive attitude towards the voters of Florida and Michigan (our 4th and 8th most populous states, respectively) means he will lose there for sure, while Clinton beat him by double digits in all the other big states, and probably Pennsylvania as well next month. The question people should be asking themselves now is whether they''re so tied philosophically or otherwise to this candidate, that they''re wiling to let the G.O.P. retake the White House, continue the Iraq War and bankrupt the American government. Once this last scenario unfolds, there will be no more elections and no more democracy, since the institutions that maintain it will no longer be going concerns. The Obama candidacy has from its inception been the work of Karl Rove. For more on how the strategy was hatched and what we can expect down the road, I''ve published an article at thecityedition.com.
Reply to this comment
by b-easy63 March 23, 2008 10:42 AM EDT
Obama will pick your pocket book by increasing the power of government, and increase your tax to spend on this wasteful government which benefits the contractors and other crooks.
Posted by je100 at 12:13 AM : Mar 23, 2008

Yeah, we KNOW Hilary''s plan to create UHC for the entire country, take away choice in service and insurance providers and hold America hostage to certain companies who may or may not decrease the benefits we will be forced to pay for....may be the most expensive program ever taken by a government that can''t even keep their hands off of or finance Social Security, Vets Programs or Disability programs already.

Good luck with trying to peddle Clinton as a saver--everytime she opens her mouth--if she is not bashing Obama or lying --then she''s trying to "buy" votes by telling us her latest scheme to shop til she drops with OUR tax money. LMAO Try again.
Reply to this comment
by b-easy63 March 23, 2008 10:35 AM EDT
How many times do the Dems have to turn a Republican massive deficit and recession into a budget surplus and economic prosperity before you all will learn that the GOP is poison for the economy and the budget?

Posted by realpatriot1 at 06:40 AM : Mar 23, 2008


Let''s try for a little honesty here: The Dems NEVER turned any deficit into a surplus. NEVER. EVER. And you know this. With a Republican majority Congress in power and slashing budgets left and right and with the taxes raised by a Republican President before Bush Sr left office, the budget was brought under control. This was done over the repeated anger and protest of Democrats who are still upset about pet projects being cut.

Many are still mad at Bill Clinton for going along with the program and the law (Gramm Rudman law) which demanded the budget be brought under control.

Democrats have NEVER, ever on their own --cut programs or tried to save money. They truly are spend, spend, spend. And now, so are the Republicans.

But to your comment--the balancing of the budget being presided over by a Dem while a surplus grew? It''s only happened once and probably would not have happened ever if the Dems had still controlled Congress.

Those are the facts and anyone can check them. Love your party--by all means--but have a little decency and don''t lie for them while you are doing it.
Reply to this comment
by realpatriot1 March 23, 2008 9:40 AM EDT
je100,

Newsweek studied the campaign promises of all 3 major candidates and found that Obama''s promises were the least expensive to the Treasury while McCain''s plans to stay in Iraq, along with other promises were the most expensive. By far!

How many times do the Dems have to turn a Republican massive deficit and recession into a budget surplus and economic prosperity before you all will learn that the GOP is poison for the economy and the budget?
Reply to this comment
See all 31 Comments
.

Follow Horserace

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...