Dishonest and dishonorable

John McCain put out an add a couple of days ago that was one of the sleaziest ads ever seen in presidential politics, according to Joe Klein and many others, including the fact checkers below:

The New York Times’ “Checkpoint” (“Ad on Sex Education Distorts Obama Policy “), Factcheck.org (“Obama, contrary to the ad's insinuation, does not support explicit sex education for kindergarteners”) and the Washington Post’s Fact Checker ("McCain's Education' Spot Is Dishonest, Deceptive") say the ad is a gross distortion.

Basically, the legislation that Barack Obama supported in Illinois (but which did not pass), would have provided for educating younger children (as early as kindergarten) about sexuality in age appropriate and responsible ways, such as the difference between good touches and bad touches so they would be better protected against pedophiles.

But the McCain campaign and others are distorting this in sleazy ways. But the Big Money Media is starting to notice this crap and they don't like what all of this is saying about John McCain's character and the type of campaign he has decided to run. Jake Tapper has more:

The script reads as follows: "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 kindergarteners. Learning about sex before learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for your family."

The most controversial item in the McCain ad is the assertion that Obama supports children "learning about sex before learning to read," and the accusation that Obama's "one accomplishment" on education was "legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergarteners."

But both claims are false.

The idea seems to be to paint Obama as an insanely liberal sleaze ball who wants to teach young kids who don’t even know how to read all about graphic sexual information.

That's not fair and it's not accurate.

One can only imagine what the John McCain of 2004 – who called the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads “dishonest and dishonorable” – would say about this ad.
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I suppose one could twist this stuff any way you want if your only point is to make an inflammatory charge. And win an election.

One could say that if McCain opposes this bill he supports students in kindergarten making unwanted sexual advances towards each other, that he opposes ensuring that 5-year-old girls aren’t vulnerable to sexual violence.

It wouldn’t be true, but Obama could say that -- if his only point was to throw a rhetorical Molotov cocktail at McCain.

The fact checkers are not getting much sleep with the McSlime campaign running in high gear on the low road.

UPDATE:

(A new) ad defends Obama, and suggests McCain is indifferent to the plight of sexually abused children.

"Every eight minutes a child is sexually abused. That's why Barack Obama supported legislation to teach children how to protect themselves. Now John McCain is twisting the facts and attacking Senator Obama," says the female narrator, over images that suggest abused children.

"Doesn't McCain want our children to protect ourselves from sex offenders? Or after 26 years in Washington, is he just another politician who will say anything to get elected?"

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