Sweet blog special: Obama unveils new Iowa Social Security ad.

WASHINGTON–Iowa caucus voters tend to be older; that’s a reason White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is injecting Social Security as an issue in the campaign. Obama’s latest spot, unveiled Sunday, is titled “Wind” as in finger to the wind to determine a position. The paid media hit follows a campaign swing on Saturday designed to yield free media.

To see spot LINK

Obama neglects to mention in the ad the higher wage ceiling he wants. At present, wages are taxed for Social Security on the first $97,500 in earnings.

The Obama ad sticks it to chief rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) because she dodged a direct answer after Tod Bowman, a teacher at Maquoketa Community High School, asked her about Social Security during a forum. Nedra Pickler of the Associated Press later reported that Clinton did give a answer to Bowman when he posed for a picture with her on a rope line–that she was open to higher payroll taxes.

That position is not that different from Obama and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.)

The Obama position from spokesman Ben LaBolt

“Obviously there are a number of ways to extend the Social Security trust fund, and Barack Obama will come to the table with an open mind and listen to all those options but he believes that benefits should not be cut and the retirement age should not be raised but instead the the wealthiest should pay a little bit more to ensure that the most successful social program in history stays strong.”

from the Obama campaign…..

New Obama Ad: We Need An Honest Conversation about Social Security

CHICAGO, IL Obama for America today released a new television ad about the need to have an honest conversation about the future of Social Security. The ad entitled Wind starts airing in Iowa today and can be found at www.iowa.barackobama.com/iawind.

The ad comes one day after Obama noted in a Des Moines townhall that Senator Clinton has repeatedly dodged opportunities to reveal her thinking about the best way to strengthen Social Security. Obama was introduced at the event by Tod Bowman, a previously undecided Iowa caucusgoer and Maquoketa high school teacher, who asked Senator Clinton for more details about her position on Social Security at a campaign event in Iowa. In the public forum, she declined to directly answer Bowmans question, but later offered him a response when she thought no reporters were present. [To read more, click HERE and to see Bowmans endorsement, click HERE]

Script of Wind:

OBAMA: Im Barack Obama and I approved this message.

OBAMA: Weve got 78 million baby boomers who are going to be retiring. Theres going to be more money going out than money coming in.

OBAMA: If we have failed to have a real, honest conversation about Social Security, it will not get fixed. This is a program that millions of people depend on.

The Obama Principles:

Protect benefits

No privatization of Social Security

End Social Security tax exemption for the wealthy

OBAMA: I dont want to just put my finger out to the wind and see what the polls say. I want to bring the country together to solve a problem. [Applause]

To learn more visit:

BarackObama.com/seniors

Message Approved by Barack Obama

Obama 08

Iowa.BarackObama.com