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John McCain said he would keep U.S. troops in Iraq for “100 years.” Big mistake.
“Not Alex”

The Challenge: June 2008: Neither presidential hopeful John McCain nor Barack Obama had emerged as the favorite in the polls. Meanwhile, roughly 13 percent of voters remained undecided. While the economic downturn loomed large, the Iraq War remained a critical wedge issue for many Americans. So when Sen. McCain remarked at a press conference that he would keep U.S. troops in Iraq “for 100 years” if necessary, Fenton saw an opportunity for Moveon.org Political Action and AFSCME to connect with voters.

Our Approach: We decided one way to persuade undecided voters to reject McCain and swing toward Obama was to personalize the consequences of a prolonged war. We produced a TV spot, “Not Alex,” featuring a young mother with her baby, addressing McCain directly: “When you say you would stay in Iraq for a hundred years, were you counting on Alex? Because if you were, you can’t have him.” The ad, which tested more persuasively than any other ad in Moveon.org’s history, aired for a week in key states including Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Fenton also publicized the campaign locally in those markets as well as to national political reporters and bloggers.

Progress Accelerated: The $250,000 ad buy generated nearly $1 million in earned media in just two days, including CBS News, TIME, CNNPolitics.com, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Politico. Thousands of people posted their own videos to send a message to McCain that he can’t have their sons or daughters either. Even Glenn Beck conceded, “I have four kids and I don’t think any parent can watch that ad and not have an emotional reaction.” “Not Alex” ranked in the Top 10 of The Huffington Post’s “60 Memorable Campaign Ads of 2008.” The ad contributed to a tide of public opinion that helped defeat Sen. McCain and deliver President Barack Obama to the White House.