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

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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

[nyhfrog]

Shove it, McCain.

[saron123]

I've said this many times: McCain is a BIG-FAT-LIAR !!! Period !!!

It's unbelievable McCain wants to lead the free world. This man should not be near the White House what so ever!!!

[tchristin]

How unpatriotic of McCain.

[DaOne]

McFear because we can't offer you McHope.

[mayhem4masses]

I already know what this years most frightning Halloween costume is going to be, I am so buying John McCain's ugly old jowel face for Halloween and scaring the jeepers out of everyone on my block!

http://www.barackobamasworld.com

[dwillisno1]

""McCain's Most Dishonest Ad Of Campaign So Far""

Get ready to read this line daily for the next three months. As McCain gets progressively more desperate.

[AzRealProgressive]

And effective. He is dead even with Obama in many polls ,and slightly ahead in others. So who is desperate? O should have had this deal closed by now, so why not?

[poco767c]

John McCain :: Dangerously Inept

[P-U-M-A]

PARTY UNITY MOVEMENT ACTIVIST

I thought this was a good way to take over PUMAS name so we all can be PUMAS but with a different message. PUMAS FOR OBAMA/BIDEN08/12

[yesenia]

Thanks Puma!

[ominous]

what the hell is a puma, and why is everyone talking about 'em?

[Diogenis]

McCains Campaign is: FOR ALL THE WRONG REASON

[southsideirish]

Since I'm getting blocked, I'll try this again. Sorry, if it reappears more than once:

In McCain's old age, his ravenous appetite for power has made him a loathsome, grotesque, and yes, even craven, shadow of a man.

Hero? At one time, sure.

Responsible leader? At one time, maybe.

President Elect in '08? God forbid.

Anybody who would vote for this guy, I'm looking at you PUMAs, is just a balls-out selfish, unthinking fool worse than McCain or Bush themselves.

[Brillig]

Maybe we should all get together and produce a BLOGGERS FOR OBAMA AD using the Kerry as Gigolo ads of 2004 against McCain

Music: "Smooth operator" by Sade plays in background

MALE VOICEover :

McGigolo -

He cherry picks words and phrases and rich wives:
Keating 5,

ON SCREEN SCRIPT NEXT TO HEADSHOT OF MCCAIN:
extramarital affair(s),
Putin is "President of Germany"
"Iraq-Afghanistan border",
I cant remember- too many houses to count,
loafers worth half a grand,
"Obama is responsible for high gas prices", and so on...

MALE VOICEOVER:

Is he just sloppy, too old, plain stupid, and/or delusional? Or has his ravenous appetite for power made him a loathsome, grotesque, and yes, even craven, shadow of a man.? McGIGOLO is a SMOOTH OPERATOR - LOOK OUT FOR THIS MAN!

The above was plagiarized from previous bloggers( see above) I am Brillig, and I approve this message.

[AzRealProgressive]

Some 50 million Americans may vote for him. What is your description of them?

[PensacolaTiger]

Scared out of their wits by lies and fearmongering.

[SaintMTraveler]

Senator McCain Ad makes Iran an Issue

Senator McCain attempts to divert our attention away from our national problems by creating imaginary threats such as Iran. He forgets that we have seen these puppet masters works and we have learned about their tricks.

Senator McCain is out of touch with my generation. My generation demanded we should give all children in America the same opportunity irrespective of the gender, color of skin, religion of the parents, and the national origin of the parents, or where they live in America. My generation supported the American workers, farmers, and the middle class.

The Republican Party is responsible for the mass migration of the American industry and technical jobs to other countries; they had one objective to maximize their profits using the cheapest labors at the expense of the environment. The Republican Party is responsible for withdrawing investment in our country’s infrastructures and industries so that they can invest the capital in the other nations; they had one objective to maximize their returns at the expense of the American future.

The Republican Party and their flag bearer Senator McCain supports multi-national corporations whose sole allegiance is to the profits at the expense of my children and grand children? The Democratic Party supports the workers, the farmers and the middle class Americans.

Senator McCain, we have seen the Republican Party’s puppet dance before. It would not work again. The issues are: job, medical insurance, transportation, education, housing, and the national infrastructures.

[barackobama4prez]

Anyone remember when Prez Bush called O an appeaser? Remember how Joe said this is BS and malarkey? THIS is why they are scared. O's skin color won't let him hit back HARD, but Joe can and will deal with these rethuglicans. Classic O move.

[erykah]

Can somebody say Willie Horton. The Dems had better have a strategy because lie or not, that's an effective ad.

[khalibrrr]

effective?­......Yeah­, if you're stupid.

[DiogenesII]

Is that not the really frightening part?...St­upid is very, very, Deep and very, very Wide..
How else can you account for the previous eight years and how close this race has
become?

[DaOne]

#1 issue is the economy. Most Americans don't give a rats about Iran and rightly so.

[rpagan]

Has Mr. McCain ever defined what winning is - is it like "it all depends on how you defend winning"? Poor man he simply doesn't know whether he's coming or going. Another one of the things he seems to have forgotton is that he was going to run a clean and honest campaign. How can anyone want to elect a man that is a carbon copy of the man that has brought this country to the point of ruin. And while we're on the subject how will the people who backed Obama and are now going to vote for McCain live with their decision if the "doddering old fool" is elected? Not one of them had better complain about the state of the country if that man gets elected because I will show no mercy!

[waverly]

Madman McCain dishes out the ads on youtube. MSM quickly airs them over and over again for commentary. All FREE negative ads by McCain. If Madman Mc had to pay to run the ads he would limit them.

Start complaining to the media to stop supporting free airtime for this slime. McCain is winning the game and hurting Barak by this unfair practice of MSM.

[SFkid]

Bush-McCain tactics...­Bush-McCai­nBush-McCa­inBush-McC­ainBush-Mc­CainBush-M­cCainBush-­McCainBush­-McCainBus­h-McCainBu­sh-McCainB­ush-McCain­Bush-McCai­nBush-McCa­inBush-McC­ainBush-Mc­CainBush-M­cCainBush-­McCainBush­-McCainBus­h-McCainBu­sh-McCainB­ush-McCain­Bush-McCai­nBush-McCa­inBush-McC­ainBush-Mc­CainBush-M­cCainBush-­McCainBush­-McCainBus­h-McCainBu­sh-McCainB­ush-McCain­Bush-McCai­nBush-McCa­inBush-McC­ainBush-Mc­CainBush-M­cCainBush-­McCainBush­-McCainBus­h-McCainBu­sh-McCainB­ush-McCain­Bush-McCai­nBush-McCa­inBush-McC­ainBush-Mc­CainBush-M­cCainBush-­McCainBush­-McCainBus­h-McCainBu­sh-McCainB­ush-McCain­Bush-McCai­nBush-McCa­inBush-McC­ainBush-Mc­CainBush-M­cCainBush-­McCain

Oh yeah Bush-McCain.

[deanfv]

This is not about Bush.