McCain Ad: Obama "Dangerously Unprepared" To Be President

John McCain's new ad hits Barack Obama with a specific and harsh assault on Iran policy. Watch:

The AP points out that the ad is incredibly misleading:

The ad is misleading because it states that Obama said Iran is "tiny" and "doesn't pose a serious threat" without noting that Obama was comparing the threat Iran poses today to the Soviet Union, the nuclear-armed adversary of the U.S. during the Cold War ...

In calling Iran "tiny" compared to the Soviet Union and having a small fraction of the Soviet military force, he noted that direct diplomacy with the Soviets was a bipartisan policy for decades in spite of their threat.

ABC News' Jake Tapper concurs: "Today's new McCain ad -- "Tiny" ... crosses a new line into dishonesty, however, beyond whether or not it's actually airing anywhere."

Marc Ambinder addresses the inherent conflict in reporting on these kinds of ads:

McCain campaign airs provocatively misleading ads.

The press has a conundrum.

If we want to point out how misleading they are, we air the ad.

Story continues below

McCain's campaign wins the point.

If refuse to point out how misleading they are, McCain's campaign escapes criticism.

Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan responds:

"John McCain is distorting Barack Obama's words to cover up for the fact that it's the failed Bush-McCain approach to foreign policy and the Bush-McCain war in Iraq that that have strengthened Iran and endangered Israel. While Barack Obama recognizes that Iran has been the biggest beneficiary of the war in Iraq and that the Bush-McCain fear of tough diplomacy has allowed Iran to spin 3800 centrifuges, threaten Israel, and fund terrorism, John McCain promises more of the same. If John McCain was serious about dealing with the threat from Iran, he would join Barack Obama's bipartisan effort in the Senate to step up sanctions on Iran instead of adopting the same tired, old Bush-Rove playbook."

The Full Ad Transcript:

Script For "Tiny" (TV :30)

ANNCR: Iran. Radical Islamic government. Known sponsors of terrorism.

Developing nuclear capabilities to "generate power" but threatening to eliminate Israel.

Obama says Iran is a "tiny" country, "doesn't pose a serious threat".

Terrorism, destroying Israel, those aren't "serious threats"?

Obama -- dangerously unprepared to be president.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.

Comments

[Beaster]

Can you say Schumck? This guy is really the buttt hole of the ally rat!

[SensibleAmerican]

"Unprepared"?! As in Obama not ready or fit to be President?! Isn't that what Joe Biden also said?! McCain-Biden think alike ...

[JonW]

So what is McCane prepared for?--Certainly not economic solutions, foreign affairs. Did a good job as MC at the bikers show a couple of weeks ago!! Maybe MC at Hooters, American idol or some game show?

[mamacat]

McCain has already convinced me, he can stop spending money on ads. There is no way I will be voting for any Republicans this time.

[RhinoCrossing]

Trickle down economics. Lies. Known sponsor of oil and corporate monopoly.

Developing nuclear capabilities to "generate power" but threatening to eliminate our beach fronts and national parks to drill. And, he called his wife a c***.

McCain says we are a nation of whiners, the economy does not pose a threat.

Unemployment, recession, destroying our working class, those aren't "serious threats"?

McCain -- dangerously unprepared to be president.

[takeamericanback08]

Casper the unfriendly ghost strikes again

[gazissax]

H.L. Mencken said that Roosevelt was the man least fit to hold the office of president in 1932. Nixon said that JFK was not fit. And yet both, when pressed, proved great.

[vsign]

It does not matter what is said about a leader - it matters a great deal how that leader responds to criticism and adversity. Is Obama a pied piper who will step aside and allow those who follow fall over the cliff or will he lead us to green pastures? No one knows and yet voters are prepared to believe in green pastures instead of the possibility that O is a JOKER character. Voters like all children should be warned to not trust strangers - no matter what sweet candies or promises are offered.

[PensacolaTiger]

Voters should also be warned not to believe the blandishments and half-truths that are spoken by 'leaders' and their cronies who would act to steal their wealth to enrich their 'friends'. Halliburton, Blackwater and KBR come to mind.

[bogtrotter]

Voters, like all children, should be warned not to trust the lies that get us into needless wars. They should also be educated for something besides jobs. Of course it would then eliminate our two party system.

[Birdman]

mmm have you been asleep? or do you watch to much Faux news. Obama has been responding to many of these ads. He has a foreign policy that gee doesn't involve lying and going to war just because someone having a gas attack from eating too many beans. Obama went to Iraq and says we need to leave, Iraq agrees. McCain goes to Iraq, says everyone come out and shop, it is wonderful. Oh never mind the helmet and bullet proof vest I'm wearing, or the 100 security people, and that helicopter up there it is perfectly safe here. McCain is somewhere in LALA land much worse then your green pastures because he has no clue, and he has proved it time again, maybe McCain should move to Yugoslavia.

[vsign]

Dangerously unprepared?

This has happened before.

ONCE UPON A TIME: A people elected a leader because they thought they could win with him. He seemed more powerful than he was because of new technologies. The microphone, radio and film made his voice seem more powerful than he was. Today there are new technologies that are influencing this election to propel an unprepared and untested candidate to the world stage in much the same way. These new technologies of the internet, 24 hour media sources, and the entertainment/advertising industries have intersected with our culture to create this moment in time.

This has all happened before.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[mama mac]

You are delusional

[RhinoCrossing]

And that leader.... George W. Bush!

[vsign]

Let us not do it again. Party does not matter.

[DCtrain]

I am an Obama supporter and have been from day one. Dang I am so happy to see someone who is intelligent poised to take the whitehouse. But... the proverbial But... Obama needs to hit back with truth
Mc C a in's own mouth, Mc C a i n's own words.

Mc C a i n during a speech had to be corrected by Lieberman about the difference between Suni and Shiite. Mc C a i n also during a speech somehow thought that Iraq and Pakistan were boarder countries, not even acknowledging Iran as the country between them. I would think that a basic understanding of the people groups in the mid-east and a basic understanding of geography in the region are both pre-requisites to becoming President.

Obama needs a well designed add that reminds American's that these were actual comments on tape from JM, and how these comments thoroughly disqualify JM for the penultimate leadership position in America.

[OxnardDad]

and should understanding the function and place for using the UN and or NATO to resolve aggression by Russia be a pre-requisite for leading the most powerful nation in the World?

Twice now, in the last ten days, when asked what should be done about Russia invading Georgia BO has said that the U.N. Security Council should pass a resolution calling for an immediate end to the violence. He also thinks a U.N. mediator should join efforts to try to end the fighting.

Excuse me??? Does BO not know that Russia has instant veto power in the UNSC and could block any and all actions against them. NATO was set up by 19 Western Nations specifically for the purpose of stopping the Communist Eastern Block from attacking European nations.

HELLO????? Wake Up????

[DCtrain]

The public hasn't seen the whole picture. I imagine that BO is being briefed as the nominee. So, he knows far more than you or I. Should we go into saber rattling mode? That was JM's knee jerk reaction and GW's reaction. We've, the USA, played international cop one too many times (well more than one). We've, or should I say Bush and McCain, have worn out our allies with unilateral decisions that have large ramifications. BO is just being more thoughtful and wise before he starts spouting off about what to do. Building international consensus is a hard and necessary thing now. Once the Russians are put to the test by NATO and shown to be uncooperative (or hopefully cooperative). We can then act with International support. Like a chess match, we need to think a few moves ahead and not give-in to knee jerk reactions, like McCain. Also keep in mind, that BO has one of the wisest foreign policy guys in Sam Nunn on his team. To have Sam Nunn re-enter the political arena speaks volumes. No, BO will proceed intelligently and through proper channels so as to get results while keeping good relationships internationally. The world is more complicated after 8 yrs of cowboy diplomacy. BO is aware of this and thinking.. It is so nice to have someone who thinks at the helm. BO has an awesome foreign policy team. No worries, he is well thought out, many moves a head.

[DCtrain]

Sadly and unjustly, Mc C a in as a POW learned the geography of a box... I sympathize with him what a form of he ll on earth to endure. Unfortunately, that didn't help him or qualify him to understand the geography of the middle east nor the cultures of the middle east.

[CharlesJ]

We love you to McCain, as much as we love a migrane. There is one cure for a migrane, only one cure, and that is to remove the source of it. So it is with great pleasure I hereby declare you to be unimportant, unwanted, un-needed most of all you are unqualifed to be president of this great country.
Why you ask? Unqualified because you must have a functioning mind of your own, you can not be a hand puppet controlled by special interest groups, big oil companies, and big corporate america, all of whom has declared you will give them additional tax breaks for their deep pocket support. Oh, but I am not finished. You are also not qualified because you have voted against womans rights, you have voted against our childrens education, you have voted against senior citizens and social security, you have voted against renewable energy, you have voted against the future, and most of all you have voted against our military that YOU personally had a very large hand in sending off to war to die, and shed their blood. That sir is the most unpatriotic act you have taken. Lastly you have been Absent with out leave over 50% of the time you have been in the senate. Sorry, but I am not interested in an absentee president.

[OxnardDad]

ATTENTION ALL DEMOCRATS

I have found the perfect ad to run to counter this Mccain Ad. Check it out and pass it along to all fellow Democrats. The TRUTH needs to be known!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nREIkkhJJBY

[poco767c]

McCain's age doesn't worry me , it is the age of his ideas and his arcane world view.

[JonW]

Frankly all three bother me. Mccain's time passed long ago.

[hazardous]

well despite the fact that they took obama's words out of context and are total fear mongers... mccain IS dangerously too old to be president...

[lw1899]

Since McCain's so into cherry-picking words, I'd like to cherry-pick: Keating 5, extramarital affair(s), Putin is "President of Germany" (according to McCain), "Iraq-Afghanistan border", too many houses to count, loafers worth half a grand, "Obama is responsible for high gas prices", and so on...

Is he just sloppy, too old, plain stupid, and/or delusional? Take your pick. Any one or combination makes for a bad president.

[mama mac]

but---but---but-----

POW, dammit!

[DCtrain]

The 'ol POW card!

[jones]

If you appwooved dis message, den you a nasty widdo man, mistah McCain.

[poco767c]

Fascism wrapped in a flag.

[AzRealProgressive]

I doubt you even know the definition of fascism. You throw it aroung like a four letter word

[poco767c]

Why not enlighten us all with your definition.

[dwillisno1]

So fascism is better than a four letter word?

[enlighteninglad]

And your definition is?

[enlighteninglad]

We're still waiting for you to read a dictionary. Come on. Don't keep us in suspense like this. We want to have our collective heads handed to us by your brilliant logic and undeniable fact based argument about what fascism is and who, at present, is practicing it here in the US. Please?