Speak Softly, and Carry a Good Tire Gauge McCain Camp's Sight Gag Is Latest Attempt To Rebut Obama and Keep Voters Interested
By ELIZABETH HOLMES
August 5, 2008

RAPID CITY, S.D. -- Want to measure the progress of the presidential campaign? Look no further than the tire-pressure gauges handed out on John McCain's campaign plane Monday morning.

Mark Salter, the Republican candidate's senior aide known for his gruffness, alerted the traveling press corps that the campaign would be distributing Barack Obama's energy proposal during the short flight. Once in the air, Mr. Salter gleefully handed out tire gauges labeled "Obama's Energy Plan."

The act is the latest in a string of stunts that signal the start of the electoral silly season. With the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics just days away and hordes of voters on vacation, the American public's attention span for politics is minimal at best.

To break through, the McCain campaign has resorted to some unusual push-the-envelope tactics. This week, it's the tire pressure gauges. Last week it was a pair of videos: a television ad titled "Celeb" that used shots of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton; and a Web clip that spliced footage of Sen. Obama's large rallies with images of Charlton Heston as Moses parting the Red Sea.

Sen. McCain, who is said to put a high value on humorous members of his inner circle, says it's nothing more than a joke. "We're gonna display a sense of humor in this campaign," Sen. McCain said Friday in Panama City, Fla. He added that, should the Illinois senator like to duel, "light sabers is my weapon of choice."

The joking coincided with the McCain campaigners' cries that Sen. Obama had accused them of racism -- arguably the most sensitive topic of the campaign.

Sen. Obama responded Saturday by calling the McCain campaign cynical. Gags like the gauges, his aides say, are examples of Sen. McCain diverting attention from substantive issues.

Even so, the Democrats have taken the bait on each of the charades, perpetuating them. ("While he's focused on Britney and Paris…" began an email from the Democratic National Committee, before segueing into a missive about Social Security payroll taxes.) The back-and-forth over air pressure in car tires picked up traction -- so to speak -- for that very reason.

It started last Wednesday, when Sen. Obama first made the suggestion about tire inflation as an energy-saver during a campaign stop in Springfield, Mo. "We could save all the oil that they're talking about getting off drilling, if everybody was just inflating their tires," he said.

The next day at a town-hall meeting in Racine, Wis., Sen. McCain mocked what his campaign dubbed the "Air In Our Tires" proposal. "He suggested we put air in our tires to save on gas," Sen. McCain said. "My friends, let's do that, but do you think that's enough to break our dependence on foreign oil? I don't think so."

The Republicans, with the help of conservative radio talk-show hosts, backed Sen. Obama into a corner by the end of the week. The Democratic candidate finished the week opening up the possibility of offshore drilling -- a potential dramatic reversal from previous stances.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was the first to the tire-gauge draw. The rumored shortlister for Sen. McCain's running mate pulled it out of his pocket at the opening of a new GOP headquarters in Iowa over the weekend.

The gift-giving continued Monday morning, with the passing-out of gauges to the traveling press and additional deliveries to newsrooms in Washington and an Obama rally in Michigan.

Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor responded with two emails to reporters. One cited the U.S. Department of Energy tip: "Keep tires properly inflated and aligned to improve your gasoline mileage by around 3.3%."

Mr. Vietor also found a NASCAR press release from 2006 that supported the theory and distributed that as well. The piece, which begins, "Tires are the Rodney Dangerfield of the automotive world…[they] get no respect," carries the headline "Tire maintenance key to safety, fuel economy."

The gag just keeps going. The McCain campaign used it as a fund-raising tool as well, asking supporters to put "Senator Obama's 'tire gauge' energy policy to the test." Donors who shell out $25 or more will receive a gauge of their own.

From the Wall Street Journal