Piaras Kelly PR - Public Relations in Ireland

I was discussing the US election with an American last week and pointing out John McCain’s conduct in some online videos as a means of highlighting that his campaign wasn’t representative of him as a person. I highlighted the following video clip but got an interesting rebuke. During the clip a voter says that she doesn’t trust Obama because he is an Arab, McCain takes the micro phone away from her in embarrassment and explains that Obama is a decent, family man. However, the person who I was having the conversation with pointed out how clever McCain was with his words. He doesn’t address the fundamental accusation by simply replying that Obama is a proud American. Instead the thought of Obama as an Arab is left to linger - a shameful communications ploy.