LOTD - New McCain Ad Falsely Suggests Obama Wants Kids To Learn "About Sex Before Learning To Read"

[Triana]

(LOTD - Lie of the Day - McInsane releases one about one daily)
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SO. John McCain is AGAINST trying to prevent STDs and HIV, eh?
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http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/new_mccain_ad_badly_distorts_o_1.php

The McCain campaign is up with a new ad attacking Obama on education that makes some rather strong insinuations about sex:

There's a lot to chew on here. But we want to focus on one particularly pernicious aspect of it. The ad shows a dreamy-looking Obama as it says:

Obama's one accomplishment? Legislation to teach "comprehensive sex education" to kindergartners. Learning about sex before learning to read?

In a final moment of subtly, the ad says Obama is "wrong for your family."

According to the McCain campaign's own email, the sex ed claim is based on Obama's support for a bill, in the Illinois state legislature, that said:

"Each class or course in comprehensive sex education offered in any of grades K through 12 shall include instruction on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including the prevention, transmission and spread of HIV."

As you can see, the McCain ad says that Obama was the one who pushed the "comprehensive sex education" measure. The Obama campaign has pointed out that the bill would simply add instruction on disease prevention to already existing classes. But the McCain campaign cheerfully turned this into Obama's support for "learning about sex before learning to read."

And "civil" and "honorable" McCain approved that message.

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How LOW can he go?

[berni_mccoy]

1. From the Man Who Called His Wife a C*NT. What a MAJOR DICKHEAD!

[Triana]

2. Yep. And dickhead is against preventing the spread of STDs, apparently...n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. McCain learned about sex from reading petroglyphs on cave walls

when he was a kid.

[jpertello]

4. That is a disgusting ad

That's it! The gloves are off! I can't believe the Reps would sink this low. I mean I knew they were slimy mouthbreathers but this is a new low even for them!

[Meshuga]

5. Oh, boy...

It's about shifting the debate to something this stupid in order to avoid the real issues. What a loser! If we had a real media they would be on his ass but since we do not have a real media that does fact checking so "the media" themselves are going to make this into an issue. John McCain comes out with a lie and they let him get a free pass. Just watch!

[Joanne98]

6. He's getting swiftboated. FIGHT BACK!

[Meshuga]

7. Late Update: Obama spokesperson Bill Burton's response directly questions McCain's honor:

"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."

This quote was added to the bottom of the article linked by the OP. I love the response!

[Triana]

11. The response won't be seen on tv following the commercial..

..most people will never see the response. Only the ad.

[msongs]

8. some people like to be a punching bag who will not fight back I guess nt

[terrya]

9. It's seriously time to unleash the 527's.

Destroy these motherfuckers.

This is slimy beyond belief.

[goodgd_yall]

10. OMFG n/t

[Matariki]

12. This is SO bullshit. BUT obvious. They are trying to take charge of the conversation.

Keep everything at an irrational level. It's an all out psych war. No surprise the news the Rove is working for McCain.

[knowledgeispwr]

13. John McCain wants to protect CHILD MOLESTERS

just one possible 'meme' to respond to the ad.

Some others:
"John McCain doesn't care about your children."
"John McCain doesn't want your children to be able to protect themselves"
"John McCain is playing politics with sexual predators."

[girl gone mad]

19. Exactly. n/t

[DCofVA]

14. I think this one is really gonna blow up in McCain's face

This is a low as you can go.

[seabeyond]

15. that was a sick perverted ad beyond what any repug has ever done

it was just filthy. this mccain has become a creep

[RoadRage]

16. I've never wanted to hit someone so badly in my life..

Republicans will do anything possible - lie, cheat, distort, steal, KILL to win a fucking election. Talk about politics as usual.. hell no. McCain is the candidate of change.. he's changed from a normal slimeball republican to one that should be locked up. This is beyond fuckin' disgraceful.

But, truthfully anyone who sees that ad and believes it - well they're dumber the a pile of rocks.

[Imagevision]

17. Just when you think they can't get lower, the hits keep coming...

[Patsy Stone]

18. It might have helped Bristol.

Just sayin'.

[Triana]

20. A response from my RN friend in MA....

This criticism isn't new, but I haven't seen Obama counter it very effectively. It's true that the legislation simply adds STD/HIV content to existing curricula without requiring new classes, but that response doesn't address most people's concerns.

For many, the questions (and controversy) are around what content in those areas could possibly be appropriate for young children (5, 6, 7 year olds). The answers are pretty simple & not terribly controversial. It's things like teaching kids that diseases are caused by germs, that germs & diseases are spread by contacting infected people or contaminated items, that some diseases (like a cold) can be spread with simple contact (like touching one's nose & then touching someone else's hand), that other diseases (even those caused by germs) are not spread by casual contact like hand-holding or hugs, that blood can be infected, and if they find a needle or an item with visible blood on it, they should not touch it, but they should report it to an adult.

For me, one of the best parts about the legislation is that it gets educators thinking in advance about how to answer kids' questions in appropriate & accurate ways.

I don't know ANY educator who promotes, say, explicit discussion of condom use with 5 year olds.

Ed: And beyond the STD/HIV issue, comprehensive sex education for younger children is also pretty benign stuff. Things like teaching the right not to be touched & to tell a trusted adult if someone touches inappropriately, correct terminology, and the idea that some grown-ups have kids and some don't. Long before kindergarten, kids have discovered masturbation & need to be taught about privacy. So sex education starts early, whether it's formally recognized & thought about by the adults doing the educating or not.

Susan VanPelt is a registered nurse living in western Massachusetts

[adamuu]

28. thank you. n/t

[BlueIdaho]

21. Cowardly John and Porkey Pailin - two major shits.

Not an ounce of honor in THAT whole campaign.

[unblock]

22. let there be no doubt, the ad was designed to make you think "child molester".

you can't respond to something like this by logically refuting the explicit charges. they don't give a crap about the actual bill or what it does or doesn't support. they just want define our candidate as a pervert they need to protect their kids from.

you also don't want to respond by turning the ad into a "controversy", which only causes gives the ad free air time and makes people interested in seeing it.

the only way to respond is to counterattack with something bigger. i like the attack on his "honor", but it can't just be a press release counterstatement. we need an ad of our own that really calls his honor into question and takes any attention off this slimball ad.

[Mabus]

23. Doesn't McCain have a running mate with an unwed teen daughter

who is now a dropout? She probably wouldn't be in that position if she had had sexual education at an early age.

[stillcool]

24. Well Sarah Palin..

charged rape victims for rape kits. John McCain has a problem with educating children about sexual predators and how they might protect themselves. What is it with Republicans and sex?

[slinkerwink]

25. Is this ad being played in battleground states or is this just a video press release?

[wolverinez]

26. Great ad. I hate it, but great ad. Attacking character.

We lose because we don't do this.

[Eyes_wide_ open]

27. bullshit

Only scum would do this. Becoming scum isn't winning ... it's losing.

[wolverinez]

29. Losing is losing.

nm