I have a good idea for an Obama ad - reaching across party lines

[Doodler71]

I'm not skilled enough with video editing to do it myself, but I'd love to see this as an ad.

I'm not sure if video exists of this event on the Senate floor...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/us/politics/02senate.html?ref=politics

On Wednesday evening, as the senators gathered to vote on the $700 billion financial rescue package, Mr. Obama, Democrat of Illinois, walked over to the Republican side of the chamber to extend a greeting to Senator John McCain of Arizona.

While it took Mr. Obama several seconds to make his way over to Mr. McCain, the actual handshake lasted barely a second, as Mr. McCain responded with a chilly look, a turn of his head and a brief return handshake.


Announcer: Barack Obama will bring change to Washington, bring our country together, reach across party lines and end partisan politics. John McCain... just more of the same.

Sound bite of Obama speech: "...we are not red states and blue states, we are the UNITED STATES of AMERICA..."

Real change, real leadership
Barack Obama

[Tallison]

1. That's the narrative of an alpha and his opponent

In nature, the alpha always makes the first move. This dynamic is probably subconscious for Obama and McCain, but it's very real.

[Doodler71]

2. Would that come off as a bad thing for Obama?

I can't tell from you post if you think that would be good or bad as an image for Obama.

[Tallison]

4. It's very good

It's just interesting how it parallels animal behavior. When McCain is on his own, he seeks attention. When he's in a room with Obama, he shrinks out of instinctive fear/deference, realizing that reaction is the only recourse to the disadvantaged. Classic wild kingdom.

[Bucky]

3. Obama: Big Dog v2.0; McCain: Tricky Dick v3.0.

To be fair to McCain, he's doing surprisingly well for someone who's politically inept and unwilling to lead.