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

[judesuper]

McCain is downright dangerous. He is off his rocker. He has lied in the past, but this goes beyond the pale. And this is from the “maverick”. This was the guy that was going to run a clean campaign? Ha, those days are so over. How can anyone honestly vote for this dangerous old grouch? Never. He makes bush look (barely) good. Oh, I threw up a little just then.

NO WAY, NO HOW, NO MCCAIN, EVER!!!

[loax]

Not only is this stupid, but Sidekick and his cronies have gone lower that a snake. I read they were putting an ad out toady making fun of and using the Obama children in this ad! Sidekick McCain - no maoral! Shamefule and disgusting!

[brief candle]

I don't know about anyone else, but I am sick and tired of all the media featuring McSame's lies. If he wants to put out his propaganda, then let him pay.

[bascombe]

that's the real trick when mcKeatingFive can't raise campaign funds. all mccain has to do is play the ad once in scranton, pa. the media everywhere plays the ad for McMansion free of charge, then echo the charges against Obama. they also play whole segments of McKeating5's speeches and then give a brief, weakly-paraphrased response from 'the Obama camp' Fact-checking is not ever going to happen again with these guys, given the masters they serve. they are pitiful.

[poco767c]

Are the GOP not the ones to fear above all else?

[Shaddup]

Republicans=cowards=military failure.

[highlyamused]

How to handle the trolls....

"Whenever encountering a troublesome person, do not identify him as being cruel or stupid or rude or anything else like that. Instead, see him as a frightened person."

[Diogenis]

Very well put!

[Agnim]

McCaint used to drop bombs BLINDLY on INNOCENT humans from miles up in spacer.

So McCaint dropping these deceptive ads in cyberspace should be considered as the 'lighter side' of McCain't. lol

Americans will not be frightened into supporting warmongers again, not this time!
The stakes are too high.

[lthuedk 1]

No one knows how to use the First Amendment better than totalitarians bent on destroying it.

In the end, it's all about the Constitution and the rights it guarantees, against neoconservatism. That is, democracy versus totalitarianism. There has never been a clearer choice.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/finger_puppets.html

[fishsandwichesr2good]

What does the first amendment have to do with this post? Perhaps you're just regurgitating slogans?

[psychmaj323]

If this doesn't reek of desperation, I don't know what does, however, you will have that element of people who will believe this.

[BushyDEVIL]

Black Talk Radio has said it for weeks....BUSH will go to WAR if it like McCain is going to lose we will start another war..


a setting president can not leave office if we are in a war.......no one has said anything about that at all..

let alone marshall Law is instituted

[PensacolaTiger]

"a setting president can not leave office if we are in a war"

Huh? You are dangerously misinformed if you believe that is true.

[TakeBackAmerica]

What the hell are you talking about? That is the single most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

[orangepetal]

liberal losers
Your message is false.
Your accomplishments are lacking.
It will not happen.
The unknowns are real and many and therefor the fear is real. Obama is innadequate.
I will not listen to uh uh uh for four years.
Not this time. Obama = Bush < McCain
Forward Democrats For McCain

[jerseywolf]

Do you mean the known unknowns or the unknown unknowns?

[Heavy]

Lol. Coming from Rum my the genius who said he doubted the war would last six months.

[SmootyBooty]

You need a beatin'...

[Shaddup]

But you'd rather listen to duh, duh, duh for another four?

[PensacolaTiger]

Back under your bridge, Neocon troll!

"No way. No how. No McCain!"

[DaOne]

So much hate, so little time

Hope you are ready to serve petal.

[Christy1947]

More McCain and Bush joined at the hip. You may recall that there is speculation that Bush and Cheney want to attack Iran before they leave office, and this is undoubtedly part of that. I wonder if that is their planned October Surprise since Saakashvili jumped the gun on them.

[mesmerize]

Frankly i am getting sick and tired of hearing about Iran. We as Americans keep hearing about how dangerous of a country Iran is to America, yet we run straight to Iraq. Could it be that both countries are just as afraid of each other? If so maybe it is time to sit down and come up with something different.

[DaOne]

Actually we did Iran huge favor by taking out their enemy Iraq. That Iran is more of a threat today is all thanks to our horrible foreign policy.

Afghanistan - right thing to do but we took our eye off the ball, job unfinished
Iraq - wrong thing to do, job unfinished
Iran - trouble pending
Russia -potential trouble pending

This is why we are always hell bent on electing military types to lead, no other developed western nation looks for this "quality" in its leaders.

Our foreign policy will probably not be responsible for our military destruction. Our foreign policy will be responsible for our financial destruction long before.

[mesmerize]

O.k O.k Thanks for the insight.

[joekutz]

There is no truth in John McCain. Don't expect it. Like Bush he expects you to accept his version of reality right or wrong according to the whims of the moment much like a latter day King would have it.
The Republican-Rove-Schmidt game is insidious. Tell the lie, outrage people, talk about the lie and then substitute the lie for the truth and then act as though it was the other side that told the lie. This allows them to promote their lie and have the advantage of watching that lie be debated as if it were simply another opinion instead of a lie. You see if it is treated as an opinion then how could it be a lie. This is what the MSM do to promote for the Republicans their lie. They debate it with skilled Republican operatives who argue it as an opinion never answered the basic questions as to the veracity of a statement but simply making sure the statement is repeated over and over. Curiously enough even liberal leaning pundits begin to take on the lie now as an opinion to be argued instead of a lie to indeed be refuted. This is the strategy all along the line. The quick answer. THIS IS A LIE AND NOT WORTHY OF DISCUSSION. Case closed.

[jerseywolf]

"Tell men of high condition
That manage the estate,
Their purpose is ambition,
Their practice only hate:
And if they make reply,
Then give them all the lie."

-excerpt from "The Lie", attributed to Sir Walter Raleigh

[jerseywolf]

And so the fear-mongering and the distortions continue. But this approach works with the American people. Look at 2004. I hope Obama can overcome this. But his campaign will need to hit back hard.

[macbabe]

if we lose, our youth loses even more!

[jerseywolf]

I agree.