(CNN) - John McCain's campaign is denying Democratic charges the presumptive Republican nominee flippantly dismissed a new book attacking Barack Obama that includes several documented falsehoods.
Asked by the Associated Press earlier Friday what he though of author Jerome Corsi's new book, "The Obama Nation," McCain said, "gotta keep your sense of humor."
Related: Book blasted for 'vicious innuendo'
Those comments were immediately slammed by the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee, which e-mailed its 3.4 million supporters declaring, "John McCain thinks smears and lies are funny."
"Despite pledging to run a respectful campaign, McCain is just standing by while Corsi and his publisher, former Dick Cheney aide Mary Matalin, poison this presidential race," read the e-mail from DNC Rapid Response Team.
Watch: Is Obama being swift-boated?
But McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said later Thursday the Arizona senator actually did not hear the question, and would not be commenting on the book.
The book, which is expected to debut No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list, repeats many long-discredited falsehoods about the Illinois senator, including the claim that he is Muslim.
Corsi, who has said he's on a “mission” to take down Obama, also co-wrote "Unfit for Command" - the 2004 book that spawned the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth attacks against then-Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.
From CNN Politics
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Whether McCain heard the question or not, his response was fitting. I'm wondering why we haven't heard of a law suit if the book contains outright lies about B. Hussain Obama. I'm no lawyer but I do know the word slander. Does any of his supporters.
of course he "didn't hear the question" - he randomly makes strange statements like "you gotta keep a sense of humor" all the time when he is talking to himself about himself
Maybe he should turn up his hearing aid if that is the case.
Look what the last 7years under Bush gave us? A housing recession, $4 gas, and high unemployement.
I hope people would be smarter this time around and don't buy this baseless attack! Otherwise, we'll have another 4more years of disaster under another Republican.
The problem with McCain responding this way is that he'll either need to repudiate and denounce the book eventually or stick by his "just have a sense of humor" comment. This book is so inflammatory it may lead to a doubling of the Secret Service detail around Obama to protect him from all the nut cases it will spur into action. Sad
keep a sense of humor? In a previous article, McCain joked. “I’ve got to say that a lot of my taste in music stopped about the time I impacted a surface-to-air missile with my own airplane and never caught up again.”
Lost his taste in music when he discovered bombing. He likes to bomb stuff. ha ha. real funny.
What kills me about the Republicans is that they're supposed to be religious, God- fearing people of faith, when in actuality, they are, for the most part, the dirtiest, most low down bunch of truth twisting liars this country has ever seen.
Liar!!!
Obama can smear real good, but he is a cry baby when he gets smeared.
He lies. These things are true.
Oh whine, whine, whine. The Obama campaign is one big whining wannabes. What do they expect? Didn't they see this coming? How can this country even consider someone like Obama who keeps crying, they're picking on me. How is going to perform when the audience isn't adulating fans, but beheading barbarians? He should go back to the senate and grow up.
McCain's answer! My, my my – what about the following:
"If you look at folks of color, even women, they're more successful in the Democratic party than they are in the white, uh, excuse me, in the [laughs] Republican party."
Talking racism! What about Dean's remark? Where is CNN's indignation?
Mr. Corsi is slime, pure and simple. Spending your time attempting to tear down someone's character with lies proves that. Quite frankly, those of you who defend this guy's book and views shows that you're in the same boat with him. Man, I hope McCain loses this election, otherwise, it'll show that viciously destroying people is the norm. Self-righteous peons.
Vince August 15th, 2008 7:35 pm ET
If it's untrue why doesn't Obama sue the author for slander? Or Libel whatever the case may be. Why didn't Kerry sue?
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Who's to say that Obama won't after he becomes President??
last Honest Man August 15th, 2008 7:48 pm ET
Truth hurts
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You mean to TELL it...
Just like Obama and his supporters always blaming their opponents for comments they didn't make. They can't seem to have brains enough to realize that most people have ideals of their own and do not have to copy from others like Obama does.
This whole election thing is a joke. Both candidates are a joke. US is going down regardless of who is elected. Both are unfit to be president. One thinks that everything is funny and the other thinks that everybody is racist if people don't vote for him. How pathetic.
Any comments
I'm mad at the American people for not giving me a Presidential candidate I could vote for.
Typical of the right wing neo cons. This is right out of the Karl Rove play book. It's shameful yet I've come to expect this crap from the likes of these people who lack any ethics or honesty.
When McCain says you "have to keep your sense of humor" and then claims not to have understood or heard the question, it has to make us all ask "has he lost his sense of reality?" Perhaps the age of John McCain SHOULD be a legitimate and very important question. Many reach senility early, and the fact that McCain appears healthy and has good genes does not, in and of itself, make him capable of leading the United States.
Obama spent 20 years in a racist, bigoted "church," witha left-wing, extremist, nut case for a Pastor. Enough said.
You guys can't even get your typing right in a quiet, secluded office space and you try keel hauling somebody who didn't hear the question.
Get real and new jobs!
Who Cares? August 15th, 2008 7:30 pm ET
Get over it! Obama and his camp were warned that the Repubs would chew him up and spit him out in little pieces. All of you supporters said to bring it on so here it is. That's what Repubs do so quit your whining and "man" up!
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Yep. You're really proud of being a Republican, aren't you? Must be fun to appreciate this guy's handiwork...
There are lots of sites on the web that refute most of the BS in this book. Check out snopes.com, factcheck.org and the Obama sites. This book is crap, the author has noted his goal is to slam Obama and for some reason no one sues this sleazebag.
McCain doesn't hear, he doesn't remember Czechoslovkia no longer exists, he doesn't understand the Ms. Buffalo Chip contest is topless before volunteering Cindy......wow, he needs a rest. This guy is past his prime, he is not fit to lead.
I am not one for burning books....but this book is one that is fit to be burned, stumped and ditched in the nearest garbage can. The title of the book should have been...The Ignorance of Paranoid Old Farts.