Obama focuses on health care, ethics in campaign ads

TITLE: “Interest.”
LENGTH: 30 seconds.
AIRING: Iowa.
SCRIPT: Obama: “I’m Barack Obama, and I approve this message.” Female narrator: “While Iowans struggle with health costs, outside groups are spending millions to stop change, including false attacks on Barack Obama’s health plan. But experts say Obama’s plan is ‘the best.’ It ‘guarantees coverage for all Americans.’ Putting ‘pressure on insurance and drug companies,’ his plan cuts costs more than any other — saving $2,500 for the typical family. The same old Washington politics won’t fix health care. But we can.”

KEY IMAGES: Quotes from newspapers such as the Daily Iowan, The Washington Post and the Iowa City Press-Citizen are superimposed over video of Obama, mostly in shirtsleeves, talking and listening to people. The background goes black while white letters spell out the dollars and cents: “The Obama Plan: Saves $2500 for the typical family,” sourced to The Washington Post. It closes with the words “Caucus for Obama” superimposed over more video.

ANALYSIS: The ad seeks to turn what his opponents call Obama’s lack of experience in Washington to his advantage by portraying him as not welcome, even criticized, by an establishment threatened by the change he represents. It’s a swipe at Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, one of his rivals for the Democratic nomination and for the votes of the types of people shown in the spot — women and older Americans. The Obama, Clinton and John Edwards campaigns have been feuding over their health care plans. Both Clinton and Edwards would mandate that the public obtain health insurance; Obama would not. The Clinton campaign in particular has been criticizing Obama’s proposal, saying as many as 15 million people would end up with no insurance. Obama has said that reducing costs would make insurance attractive to most Americans and move the country in the direction of universal coverage. On the Net: iowa.barackobama.com/interest

TITLE: “Listening”
LENGTH: 60 seconds.
AIRING: Iowa.
SCRIPT: Obama: “I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message. America is listening. Not just Democrats, but Republicans and independents who’ve lost trust in their government, but want to believe again. I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over. I have done more than any other candidate in this race to take on lobbyists, and I have won. They have not funded my campaign and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am president. I’m in this race to take those tax breaks away from companies that are moving jobs overseas and put them in the pockets of hardworking Americans who deserve it. I want to stop talking about the outrage of 47 million Americans without health care and start actually doing something about it. That’s why I’m running, Iowa. Your future is our future and our moment is now.”

KEY IMAGES: Sun-dappled campaign footage of Obama in shirtsleeves shaking hands and talking animatedly with a series of people who, in turn, nod, smile and pat him on the shoulder supportively. More footage of Obama shouting at times into a microphone at a campaign rally, people responding with cheers and applause, some clapping with hands raised above their heads. Lettering over the video lists the Iowa newspapers that have endorsed him. The screen briefly goes black to make a key point, spelled out in white letters: “Obama law: ‘Strongest ethics legislation … yet.’ Washington Post.”

ANALYSIS: The message: Obama represents not just change, but ethical change. That’s campaign rhetorical code for making the case that Obama would take on lobbyists and companies who are outsourcing jobs more effectively than someone who has spent years in Washington like Clinton. The hand-held camera footage of rallies in Iowa, the quick editing and the sense of urgency conveyed by Obama’s raised voice portrays optimism and momentum.

Analysis by Associated Press Writer Laurie Kellman.
(Associated Press)