First Paid Political Ad on MTV Attacks Obama

In MTV’s 27 year history it has never aired a paid political ad. But with young people playing a larger part in the 2008 presidential campaign than possibly at any other election, the cable network decided this was the year to allow campaigns and groups to air their views on the network than skews young and metropolitan.

Many assumed the network would turn into a Barack Obama telethon, but surprisingly the first ad aired by MTV hit Obama, and hit him hard.

“People are saying that Senator Obama’s recent changes of position have made him a flip-flopper,” the ad begins. “He’s not. Flip-floppers hold only one position at a time. Senator Obama is different. Senator Obama holds two positions at the same time.”

The ad proceeds to hit Obama on his perceived switches on gun rights, campaign financing and a timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq.

“He’s both ways Barack, worse than a flip-flopper,” the ad concludes.

The ad was paid for by a conservative group called “Let Freedom Ring.”

In announcing its decision to accept campaign ads, MTV said it would carefully consider running ads from groups not affiliated with political parties or candidates.