McCain Sex-Ed Ad Launched; Obama Camp: "Perverse"

John McCain is out with a response ad to Barack Obama's attacks today on his education policy, accusing the Democratic nominee of not accomplishing a single education-related goal other than to promote "comprehensive sex education" to kindergartners. Seriously, it's come to this.

The spot, titled "Education," comes after the two candidates went back and forth over education issues most of Tuesday. It is an attack the Obama campaign should be ready for. The same lines were used against the Senator during his run for office in 2004 by challenger Alan Keyes, and were brought up during the primary by Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

In essence, Obama supported "age appropriate" sex-education for children as a means of teaching them what was proper or inproper touching, as well as to protect them against pedophiles, his campaign has said. Used in the context of the McCain campaign ad, however, Obama's stance becomes another one of those cultural issues that seems designed to alienate the Illinois Democrat from more socially moderate voters.

And very quickly, the Obama campaign came out with a hard hitting response, pointing to a series of education accomplishments made by Obama, and calling McCain "perverse" for the latest attack.

"It is shameful and downright perverse for the McCain campaign to use a bill that was written to protect young children from sexual predators as a recycled and discredited political attack against a father of two young girls - a position that his friend Mitt Romney also holds. Last week, John McCain told Time magazine he couldn't define what honor was. Now we know why," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

Read more: McCain's Ad Cites Articles That Rip Him Worse Than Obama

Here is the script of that ad that the McCain folks say will be airing in "key" states.

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Education Week says Obama "hasn't made a significant mark on education".

That he's "elusive" on accountability.

A "staunch defender of the existing public school monopoly".

Obama's one accomplishment?

Legislation to teach "comprehensive sex education" to kindergartners.

Learning about sex before learning to read?

Barack Obama.

Wrong on education. Wrong for your family.

Comments

[zitlight73]

By the time we were through seventh grade biology and hygiene classes we had a more complete understanding of the mechanics of sex and its consequenses than most seniors graduating highschool now and that was way back in 67.

[barackobama4prez]

Still waiting on the O team to respond aggressively. This was sooooo over the line. DO NOT PRAISE THE POW EVER AGAIN! He's sold his soul.

[Darkdonnie]

What was over the line?

[ethancorso]

The McCain ad that is the subject of this article.

[AllenD]

Why does John McCain coddle pedophiles?

[Sammy00400]

Its not a Dukakis moment. Depending on how they want to play this, it will be quite easy for the democrats suggest that the republicans are at the very least using children for political gain (no shock there). If various democratic surrogates really want to push it they can suggest racism. If they focus hard enough talking about what they see as racist tendencies during the campaign they might be able to push Palin out of the news. Get McCain on the ropes defending himself against a racism charge. It doesnt have to be true. Just an issue that has to be defended himself against.

[Norak]

But is IS true. The images of Obama seem to have been darkened, just as OJ's were on the Time cover to make him appear sinister (actually, no trick with OJ, difficullt with Obama). And they couldn't possibly have found more unflattering, leering photos of a charismatic, handsome man.

[claudiam]

Where is the outrage in this lying and deceitful campaigning by the McCain camp? Why are they not being held accountable? The American public should be outraged that we are being fed crap like this. Those of us that are informed know that Barack is for age appropriate sex/safety education. Perhaps if the Palin household had educated their daughter she may have waited longer (or tried contraception). This is just like the Repubs to twist info to fit their agenda.

[ohio4obama]

Living in Ohio (note the name), I saw this ad for the first time yesterday. I literally spit the water out of my mouth. It is utterly terrifying how disgusting McSame and his camp's tactics are becoming. It verges on demeaning abuse.

And what's even more outrageous is his sides call for Obama to apologize on the lipstick comment. I implore them to review McSame's speech May 2, 2008 where he uses the SAME phrase in a speech criticizing Hillary Clinton....Apology for what McCain???

[seanID22]

It's odd to bring up sex education when his VP has a pregnant daughter and believes in abstinence only education, which is proven ineffective.

[NLEBOON1653]

Barack Obama is not a Muslim, "I'm a Muslim" We are not closets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvJfHr6OqOM

[BillORights1776]

I've answered John McCain's reprehensible ad with one of my own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qas8eGG98jg

[peace1970]

This clip is awesome, everyone go watch...now!!!
:)

[LuckyBlessed]

It is sweet. My white woman friend keeps calling MC a pig, she'll love it!

[barackobama4prez]

AWESOME!

This needs to go viral, pronto.

[jean22]

That was great.

[Whatashame]

I love that AD.

[MaryPatterson]

This is the ultimate racial stereotype- the black man leering at your young children, wanting to teach them about sex. Look at the children- they are all white. He already played the Barack is Uppity race card in earlier ads.
Are we back to the 1800s? Where are the carpetbaggers?

[steamboat]

I'm TOTALLY sure Obama meant no harm by this 'lipstick on a pig' comment. But even Jesse Jackson, Jr. (Obama's Co-Chairman) said he needs to be more sensitive in his comments. That they can be taken wrong (Don & Roma WLS-AM radio show in Chicago this morning)..............But there is one issue Obama may need to explain that nobody is mentioning: Why are the males on his senate staff receiving higher salaries then the female staffers?

[leftoflennon]

Barack may take a few punches, but when he lands one its a knockout!

The MEDIA, MSM, needs to CALL OUT McSame!

[jupitor]

LEveryone knows this is a sick ad! It's what mccain does, and what he is about. so why do women follow this thing?

[peace1970]

Yeah, just when you think he's down, he always comes back....everyone rally, the world needs Obama/Biden!

[CitizenInformed]

So true.

[3Westies]

I'd like to know why all these child protection groups aren't out there voicing their outrage over this ad. I thought these groups were advocates for children, yet they remain silent. Wake up!
A bill, with the intent on protecting children by educating them about the horrific menace called child predators would seem to be a no-brainer. Instead, in the ad McCain campaign chooses the gutter, the run-off to the sewer, the home of predators.

[Apov]

These child protection groups seem to have as much integrety as the Catholic church and John McSame.

They don't care about your children.
They don't care aboUt you.

They care only about POWER.........AT ANY COST.

LIE, LIE, LIE
CHEAT, CHEAT, CHEAT
STEAL, STEAL, STEAL
BOMB, BOMB, BOMB

THE REPUBLICAN WAY.

Will it become the American way???

[Yvaughn]

PLEASE, Obama Campaign--put those strong words into an ad! It's all well and good for the campaign to put out a strongly worded statement (which I loved, btw) setting the record straight. But the average American won't hear it unless the MSM covers the response (which often doesn't happen) OR if it shows up in the same form, a TV ad, that the original attack showed up!

It's all well and good for HuffPo to say "hooray, there's a backlash to all the McCain/Palin lies." But as long as that backlash exists in blogs, it's still not reaching a huge number of Americans who aren't as involved in the election as we are and who just believe what they catch during their regular TV viewing time or in headlines as they log in to check their e-mail.

Don't just speak the word. GET THE WORD OUT.

[peace1970]

YES, YES, YES....I agree!!

[claudiam]

Team Obama - you need to speak out! I respect and admire that you want to run a positive campaign but it is time to defend yourself or we will high road ourselves right out of the White House!

[AllenD]

I would love to see an Obama response to this ad accusing McCain of coddling predators and pedophiles!

[anniegirl9]

So let's take away all forms of women and children being able to protect themselves (other than picking up a gun) and then say "deal with the consequences." We cannot teach children that people touching their private parts is bad? We should teach adolescents that there is a void in thier body when we teach other systems of the human body? We don't even hold our own sevicemen accountable for the deplorable rates of sexual assault taking place in overseas against the brave women who volunteer to fight for our country, but should fall down at the feet of any man who happens to where a uniform. (I do realize most of our servicemen are good people, but we have allowed a few bad apples to go unchecked and unpunished).

When I shared those statistics with my mom, who met my dad while they were both in the Navy, she said "somethings never change." She had been told by another service man that was a friend of hers that there had been a "bounty" placed on her, meaning that the first guy who nailed her would get the pool. By the way, my dad wasn't in on it. We know about these problems but do so little to fix them.

So if a woman - or God forbid a child - should become pregnant from rape or incest, what do we say then? Too bad, you should have kept your legs together better? I guess that would be Palin's stance.