(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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"McCain didn't hear the question and would not be commenting on the book" ??
What a sleaze!
Maybe mccain should go on vacation and see if his poll numbers rise. Or he could wait and go on vacation on november 7, when he wakes up from being slapped across the face with election results and they were not in his or the RNC's favor. I live in arizona, for the last 11 years and even arizona is not a RNC given. He might be a walmart greeter in a few months.
I believe the last line should read "... then Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry."
Wow....
Obama did not feel that way about smears and lies when HE was doing it to HRC and all her supporters.
Obama committed the WORST political sin- he trashed and bashed fellow democrats. He labeled Bill and Hillary Clinton as racists.
If that is not crossing over to lies and smears and thinking it is all so funny... then what is?
Eventually McCain is going to find out that every distasteful thing that comes out of his mouth is not so easily dismissed as "humor." We don't need a Comedian-in-Chief. The last guy was a laugh a minute, and look where he got us. Searching for WMDs under that table, that was a real knee-slapper.
Who cares about this book? The media perpetuates this nonsense and ignores John McCain's other comment of the day: "My friends, we have reached a crisis, the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War." re: Russia/Georgia. Where has he been the last 15 years? This is not just rhetoric – these types of comments happen daily. The public is being hoodwinked – McCain is living in a different world, and nobody reports it.
Someone may want to re-read that last paragraph.
If the book is crap, then it should be easy to prove wrong.
Especially with most of the media being in the bag for Obama. Kerry never had that luxury.
The Obama camp sure are a bunch of whiners, though. They're just helping the guy sell books.
Someone screwed up. You should correct the end of the article to say what you meant. You intended to say John Kerry, McCain was never a Dem. Presidential Nominee.
You know what they say one mans junk is anothers pleasure. There is more dirt yet to come, you can bet on that. can hardly believe with all the digging going on it has not been unearthed yet. (or it has and the media is keeping it quiet, again like the Edwards deal.
Can someone explain why this guy can't be sued for libel? This is not a rhetorical question. I am serious, why doesn't he get sued for lying about folks in a publicly advertised book that is sold as non-fiction.
Didn't hear the question???? So why did he make comment? Amazing!
My comment does not appear. I guess this item will stand alone.
Old Man McCain is either (a) hard of hearing or (b) lying. Both are bad.
McCain is a joke. Wake up America. He will take you to unecessary war and he has no ecomomic knowledge to help out. On the moral front I will give 1 out of 10. Can you imagine this? I can.
Vote Obama for president of the United States of America
Its more like he didn't understand it !!!!
Wow........... your hearing going..........
McCain isn't commenting on Corsi's new book....McAttack said No comment Regarding John Edward cuz he Cheated on his 1st wife
He should Denounce it ....He proably purchased 100 of the Books to promote the sale
Riiiiight-
Then what was he responding to then? The voices in his head?
So... along with the laundry list of physical ailments McCain has, we can now tack on hard of hearing as well? Great. But I suppose we can't mention it, lest he has a hissy-fit about "ageism", right?
He HEARD the question "LOUD AND CLEAR" and based on his recent responses to NEGATIVE and TRASH against Obama, he has consistently responded in this way "Got to have some fun and humor".
If this is "fun and humor" then this is "LOW AND NASTY"
Why is John McCaiin answering a question that he did not hear? Does he have a hearing problem? This is concerning. Corsi is a slime and should be readily dismissed and ignored.
Did McCain's campaign say what his comment "gotta keep your sense of humor" was about, if it wasn't about the book? I can understand miss hearing a question, or replying to another question asked at the same time (if you’ve been to a press conference you know it happens) but if he did, what did he think he was answering?
If you don't hear a question the proper response should be "what was the question?' not "you gotta keep a sense of humor". Duh......
How can CNN even pretend to be fair reporters of the news when Obama's campaign pays for his political ad to appear everytime I open the "political ticker". I know candidates pay for television ads, but seeing Obama's face makes CNN look like they are in the Obama camp . . .Oh, I forgot they are!
He didn't hear the question??? Then why did he respond to it? Seriously...how stupid do McCain's people think we are?
It kills me how McCain's people think they can flipantly explain away any statement HE makes the proves inconvenient. Yet they want to say Obama is a flip flopper... (When really he's only guilty of non-partisan compromise, and actually listening to the people and his advisors)
Do yourselves and the country a favore McCainanites: Go thouroughly check out non-partisan FACTCHECK.ORG and POLITIFACT.COM.