The first major ad buy this year from a major party aired over the weekend, a TV spot courtesy of the Republican National Committee attacking Democratic candidate Barack Obama for a lack of creativity on the energy scene. While John McCain is “pushing his own party to face climate change,” the ad says that Obama isn’t pushing the boundaries like his rival. The ad points out that Obama says no to suspending the gas tax, no to offshore drilling, and even, erroneously, no to nuclear. McCain’s energy platform is also the subject of new “independent” ads paid for and vetted by the RNC, but created by an outside firm so as not to be subject to campaign-finance laws. The independent ads, which have aired in four swing states, also tout McCain’s willingness to drill offshore and suspend the federal gas tax, the most palatable parts of his energy policy to many conservatives. McCain’s stance on climate change is more controversial, though. Some of the party’s more conservative members are gearing up for a fight to keep the language on climate change relatively weak in the party’s official platform.
