McCain To Outspend Obama On Olympic Ad Buy

Republican Will Spend $6 Million On Network And Cable Ads During Beijing Games

(AP)  John McCain won't cede the pricey Olympics airwaves to Barack Obama.

The Republican presidential candidate plans to run $6 million worth of TV commercials on NBC broadcast and cable channels during the Summer Games in Beijing. McCain committed the money just a few days before Friday's opening ceremonies and a few weeks after his Democratic rival's campaign signaled its intention to spend some $5 million on ads.

Republican and Democratic officials with knowledge of the purchases confirmed the advertising plans that were first reported by the Web site of Advertising Age, a magazine that covers the industry.

Such extensive purchases of air time give both candidates wide exposure before the Democratic National Convention, to be held the last week in August, and the Republican National Convention, to be held the first week in September.

Typically, presidential candidates spend little on advertising during the August summertime lull when attention is focused not on politics but on the Olympics. By running ads on NBC, both candidates are sure to hit a high number of viewers. At the same time, both candidates seem to have plenty of money to spend.

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Campaign Watch '08
Read about and watch campaign ads from McCain and Obama.

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A prolific fundraiser, Obama has chosen not to accept public financing for the general election, and the spending constraints that come with it. McCain will accept the taxpayer money and limits, meaning he must spend his primary money now before the start of his convention.

[leftyintexas]

You surely can be talking about votes! Obscamma couldn''''t even get the majority vote from the democrats and the republicans haven''''t had a chance to vote against him yet!

Posted by WellHell3 at 10:52 PM : Aug 06, 2008

Hahahaha! Well, we''ll just see won''t we? Hahahahaha!

[leftyintexas]

Who cares whwre he spends his money, he''s got LOSER written ALL OVER HIS FACE.

[praiseallah1]

I am joining millions of others all across the world in the boycott of the olympic games in China due to their governments position on Tibet, human rights violations and their massive pollution which is killing the environment and contributing to the majority of global warming. We will not watch the Olymics on television nor sponsor any athletes, nor buy any products associated with the 2008 Olympics. I hope others will join this boycott!

[wellhell3]

It doesn''''t matter how much the GOP raises as long as they blow it on smearing Obama the way Clinton did and don''''t offer a positive vision for the future of the country.

Even if McCain sees the light and backs out of public financing he won''''t be able to keep pace with Obama''''s 50 state strategy, especially when he has no policy legs to stand on.


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Posted by realpatriot1 at 03:16 PM : Aug 06, 2008

Obama''s 50 state strategy? You mean the one where his little army of voter registration volunteers are going house to house promising to turn in voter registration and throwing away the targeted republican ones?

You surely can be talking about votes! Obscamma couldn''t even get the majority vote from the democrats and the republicans haven''t had a chance to vote against him yet!

[noloyalisti]

McCain: The anti-torture candidate supports torture. The pro-immigration candidate opposes immigration. The candidate who opposes tax cuts for the rich supports them. The pro-campaign finance reform candidate has a campaign run almost exclusively by lobbyists. The candidate who opposes "agents of intolerance" in the Republican Party embraces them. The candidate who claims to be a fiscal conservative wants to bust the budget.

McSame flip flops and lies even more than the real McBush. Is there one good reason to vote for someone so against the people?

[realpatriot1]

For some relly enertaining pandering, I''d like to see Obama a back dive off the high board and McCain performing a floor exercise.

Then McCain can be drug tested for Viagra and Obama for crack.

[kissamaarse]

Now JukeBox John McSame doesn''t think that properly inflated tires helps gas mileage. Has he ever read anything?

[realpatriot1]

It doesn''t matter how much the GOP raises as long as they blow it on smearing Obama the way Clinton did and don''t offer a positive vision for the future of the country.

Even if McCain sees the light and backs out of public financing he won''t be able to keep pace with Obama''s 50 state strategy, especially when he has no policy legs to stand on.

[tbweb]

The only thing missing from McCain now is his Bush costume, but then maybe he doesn`t want to get it dirty before Halloween! Since he`s not scaring voting acting like Bush, maybe he`ll scare voters when he starts looking like Bush! lol

[hologram5]

Mcain doesn''t have a chance against Obama. I''ll bet the GOP pulls out a shiny new "tin man" that has more electability than an OLD GUY.

[dchu76]

spending should be outlawed, candidates should both work with the same amount of cash and keep it limited...
when was the last time obama went to work. the junior senator still is a senator, right?


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Posted by fstop100 at 12:32 PM : Aug 06, 2008


lol McCain has been the most absent senator ever. Maybe you should check his histroy. I am not just talking about this year, talking about the past decade. Even during this election year Obama has gone to the senate more than McCain.

[dchu76]

You, for one, are ignorant. Altogether, McCain has more cash on hand, due in large part to the GOP (Obama''''s contributions outweigh McCain''''s, but the GOP has been pulling in $$$ hand over fist, while the DNC is lagging, again).
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Posted by mike071067 at 12:46 PM : Aug 06, 2008

Mccain has to spend all of his cash on hand before sept. Before he accepts public funding, then he is limited to 80 million for the last 2 months + whatever the GOP is willing to spend. Obama has no such restrictions, and is getting money like crazy. He will outraise Mccain GOP combined. What ever the DNC raises will be gravy.

[ddaryl1]

here''s the challenge McCain

all substance ads that talk about how you are going to fix the economy , ween us off oil, anbd deal with the nuclear waste.

No attack ads, or negative campaiging

can you do it ?

No ads about Obama, just what McCain is about and how ... in detail ... you will fix a very broken country.

[antoniof123]

You, for one, are ignorant. Altogether, McCain has more cash on hand, due in large part to the GOP (Obama''''s contributions outweigh McCain''''s, but the GOP has been pulling in $$$ hand over fist, while the DNC is lagging, again).

Posted by mike071067 at 12:46 PM : Aug 06, 2008

Mike hate to break this to you but total est. are showing McCain only raising about $400 million while Obama est. are over $600 million. Where do you people come up with this do you make it up as you go along or were you born to lie.

[tawpdawg111]

Limbaugh is playing clips from Obamas townhall today in Ohio......he REAMED McBush!

Found video and transcript here:

http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/5/151153/0986/374/563046

Obama 08! Pokin'' ''em back with a stick.

[fstop100]

spending should be outlawed, candidates should both work with the same amount of cash and keep it limited...
when was the last time obama went to work. the junior senator still is a senator, right?

[aldon61]

I for one, am extremely pleased that McCain is outspending Obama this early. Obama''s overall resources currently dwarf McCain''s, and the money will be much more significant after their respective conventions.