Barack Obama has responded to the ad tying him to Weatherman William Ayers with an ad of his own. "With all our problems, why is John McCain talking about the sixties, trying to link Barack Obama to radical Bill Ayers?" it says. The ad was put out by an independent group, but McCain's campaign has tried to use Obama's connection to Ayers against him.
The original ad, whose creators released their donors after questioning by the Huffington Post, was funded by one billionaire McCain supporter. The group has sunk nearly $3 million into airing the ad.
Watch Obama's response:
According to Ben Smith, the ad is airing in Ohio.
McCain's campaign has responded in turn to Obama's ad: "The fact that Barack Obama chose to launch his political career at the home of an unrepentant terrorist raises more questions about Senator Obama's judgment than any TV ad ever could," spokesman Brian Rogers said. "And the fact that he's launching his own Convention by defending his long association with a man who says he didn't bomb enough U.S. targets tells us more about Barack Obama than any of tonight's speeches will."