Liar Liar, Pants on Fire

New Obama, McCain ads say opponent is lying

A new Obama ad accuses McCain of lying to change the subject on the trail.

(CNN) — Hours before they face each other on stage at the second presidential debate, John McCain and Barack Obama each accused the other of deliberate deception in new attack spots released Tuesday.

"Who is Barack Obama?" asks the announcer in the new 30-second McCain spot, “Hypo.”
The ad includes footage from a Missouri television station that reported "Obama's presidential campaign is asking Missouri law enforcement to target anyone who lies or runs a misleading television ad."

The reporter on that story, John Mills, has since dialed back those allegations, telling a Missouri newspaper that "in the retelling of the story, it got out of control… If they think a group has put out a misleading ad, they’re basically going to call a press conference and say the ad is misleading. I’m sure the Republicans would do the same thing."

The narrator in the McCain ad continues by citing a string of Obama ads whose claims have drawn criticism from independent fact check organizations. "How hypocritical," says the narrator. "Obama's Social Security attack was called 'a falsehood.' His health care attack … 'misleading'. Obama's stem cell attack … 'not true'. Barack Obama. He promised better. He lied."

In “Subject,” the Obama camp continues to paint McCain as dishonest and out-of-touch, using a quote from an anonymous campaign aide to the Republican nominee that appeared in Monday’s Daily News: "If we keep talking about the economic crisis, we’re going to lose."

“He’s out of ideas. Out of touch. And running out of time. But with no plan to lift our economy up, John McCain wants to tear Barack Obama down. With smears that have been proven false,” says the narrator in the 30-second spot.

"Why? McCain’s own campaign admits that if the election is about the economy, he’s going to lose,” continues the announcer, as an image of that Daily News quote flashes on the screen.
"But as Americans lose their jobs, homes and savings, it’s time for a President who’ll change the economy. Not change the subject."

The campaigns did not reveal the extent of their ad buys. The McCain camp said that “Hypo” would be “televised nationally”; the Obama team said “Subject” would air on national cable beginning Tuesday.