Misleading Democrat Ad Against McCain

In courtrooms across the country, witnesses are sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  If Democrats were required to do that, we probably wouldn't see them advertise at all.

Take the latest attack ad produced by the Democratic National Committee ("DNC") against John McCain.  The ad, which can be viewed at this link, talks about President Bush's comments that American troops might be in Iraq for 50 years then cuts to a clip from McCain saying, "Maybe 100."  Then, after a bad edit, McCain continues, "That'd be fine with me."

This despicable ad pulls the words it wants from a McCain statement about a continuing U.S. presence in Iraq (like we still have in Germany and Japan).  What McCain actually said, as reported by Yahoo News, is:

"Maybe 100.  As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, that'd be fine with me, and I hope it would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al-Qaida is training, recruiting, equipping and motivating people every single day."

The DNC conveniently edits out all context from what McCain actually said.  Their ad implies that McCain favors a continuation of the status quo in Iraq for another century.  That's a ridiculous implication.  And it certainly isn't the whole truth.  Heck, it isn't even the whole phrase or sentence.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean is quoted as saying that "there's nothing false" about the attack ad.  That may be true - depending on what the meaning of "is" is.  But the ad certainly isn't the whole truth, though Dean claims otherwise.  He stated, "We deliberately used John McCain's words.  This isn't some ominous consultants voice from Washington.  This is John McCain's own words.  And we've been very upfront about everything that he's said."  

Everything he's said?  Clearly not.  Howard Dean . . . you're a liar.  And that, sir, is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.