•Aug 7: Obama releases an ad claiming that McCain will be merely a continuation of Bush-dom.

•Aug 6: Paris Hilton responds to the McCain ad that mentions her by participating in a spoof campaign ad.

•Aug 5: McCain releases “Broken”: by far the best directed of the ads so far, containing no direct attacks.

An announcer says: “Washington’s broken. John McCain knows it. We’re worse off than we were four years ago. Only McCain has taken on big tobacco, drug companies, fought corruption in both parties. He’ll reform Wall Street, battle big oil, make America prosper again. He’s the original maverick. One is ready to lead: McCain.”

•Meanwhile: Black-and-white images of the White House, the Capitol and the interior of the floor of the House of Representatives — with lawmakers in motion — flash on the screen. Then a profile shot of McCain is followed by a gas pump with its numbers turning upward. The screen fades to black momentarily, and then, everything is in color. The next scenes show McCain talking to voters beside his Straight Talk Express bus, climbing into his campaign plane and at a town-hall-style meeting with the stripes of an American flag in the background. The words “The Original Maverick” appear on the screen at the end. (description from NYT)

•Aug 4: Obama’s “Low-Road Express”: accuses McCain of resorting to lies and slander.

Obama’s “Pocket”: claims that McCain is in the pocket of the oil companies.

•Aug 1: McCain’s “The One” (Web release): mocks hardcore Obama supporters; represents Obama as Moses parting the Red Sea.

... contd.