Count the Lies #106: McCain's Afghanistan Ad Distorts the Record

The Democratic National Committee today updated the Count the Lies counter after FactCheck.org said John McCain's latest campaign ad distorted Barack Obama's words and votes. The ad "recycles a misleading, 14-month-old charge that Sen. Barack Obama disrespected U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan" and "misrepresents" his votes.

Since John McCain locked up his party's nomination and promised to run a respectful campaign in February, at least 106 independent, non-partisan fact checks have to debunked McCain campaign lies. Visit www.democrats.org/CountTheLies to see the updated Count the Lies counter.

FactCheck.org: McCain Afghanistan Ad "Recycles a Misleading" Charge and "Misrepresents" Obama's Votes. "A McCain-Palin ad calls Obama 'dishonorable,' while distorting his words and votes on troop funding. It accuses him of saying "our troops in Afghanistan" are just bombing villages and killing civilians. What Obama said, in context, was a criticism of U.S. military strategy, and not of American troops. It accuses Obama and "Congressional liberals" of voting repeatedly to cut off funding for troops, 'increasing the risk on their lives.' In fact, the votes were for bringing the troops home, cutting off funding only if the president failed to comply. The McCain-Palin campaign released the ad, titled 'Dangerous,' and said it would be televised nationally. It recycles a misleading, 14-month-old charge that Sen. Barack Obama disrespected U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan by accusing them of 'just air-raiding villages and killing civilians.' It also misrepresents votes in favor of withdrawing troops from Iraq as being votes 'increasing the risk on their lives.'" [FactCheck.org, 10/6/08: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/dishonorable.html]