(CNN) - Embattled community organizing group ACORN is taking the offensive with a new ad targeting Sen. John McCain and the Republican Party, accusing the GOP presidential nominee and his party of attempting to intimidate voters.
The new ad, entitled “Not This Time,” is shot in black-and-white and features an African-American man who ages before viewers’ eyes. “It happened to him in 1960, 1965, and again in 2000. He was intimidated so he wouldn’t vote,” an announcer says as a traditional Southern hymn plays. “Tell John McCain: not this time,” the announcer says as the ad ends, and the phone number of McCain’s Capitol Hill Senate office appears on screen.
“Senator McCain needs to instruct his operatives and supporters to cease and desist. Nothing is more important to the fabric of our democracy than protecting the rights of American voters,” said Steve Kest, ACORN’s executive director, at a Wednesday press conference where the ad was released.
In a statement issued Wednesday about lawsuits recently filed in New Mexico, Sean Cairncross, the Republican National Committee’s Chief Counsel, said the only voter suppression has been that directed at false voter registrations.
The McCain campaign also swiftly responded to the allegations of suppression in the new ad. “I am not sure how any allegation relating to what might have happened 48 years ago has any relevance to the McCain campaign,” former GOP senator John Danforth, the co-chair of the McCain campaign’s Honest and Open Election Committee, said on a conference call with reporters. “Our response is that any kind of intimidation or suppression is illegal, it’s reprehensible, it is condemned by the McCain campaign, it has been condemned specifically by Sen. McCain himself.”
ACORN says the new ad will air 48 times on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News Channel in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. The group said it is hoping to raise enough money to continue to air the ad through Election Day.
From CNN Politics
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Talking from both sides of his mouth as usual, that is McCain.
He has used Sarah Palin to stir up hatred and bring up the worst part of America.
His continous silence to the support his campaign gave to one female campaign staffer who came up with the lie about some "racial " attacks on her last week is deafening to say the least!!!
McCain called her without verifying her allegations( as usual) so did sister Sarah.
McCain listen, you sound drab and we can see through your lies and bigotry!!!
I absolutely love this ad. This is the most truthful yet. GO OBAMA!
Swallow that McCain! You and Palin ought to be totally ashamed.
Good for them!
Hooray for ACORN. Love the tlevision ad.
OBAMA*BIDEN
About time you guys spoke up and defended yourself. It isnt rude to fight back, it is American.
Ahhh yes,
Even ACORN is hitting back.
I don't agree with what some of their members did, with respect to phony voter registrations. That was completely wrong, and those employees should be prosecuted.
However, I have seen the dirty "Rethuglicans" do much worse in my lifetime with respect to voter fraud; and without any reprucessions.
Heck, just look at the '00 and '04 elections (voter supression).
KUDOS to ACORN for standing up and fighting back against the GOP.
Hey now we know that ACORN is supporting Hussein Obama. We knew that all along but when they use their money to campaign for the guy from Kenya, ;you know it is WOW.
Give us all a break and pull the lever for John Sidney McCain.
Gulp. Great ad.
OBAMA/BIDEN in 2008!
The conservative machine will do everything possible to steal the election, just as they did in 2000 and 2004 via dishonest methods which the media, for whatever reason, refuse to thoroughly investigate and report.
At the same time, the republicans continue to throw stuff at the walls with the hope that some of it will stick. They simply do not want to debate the issues with integrity because they are incapable of doing so.
We true patriots must run up the score, beyond the reach of those who endeavor to steal close elections, i.e., conservative right-wing religious fanatics who do not live by their own doctrine.
GOP attempt to "purge" voters last week and prevent foreclosed home owners from voting in Michigan is WAAAYYY worse than a few people registering Mickey Mouse and Donald Trump by ACORN employees trying to make $8/yr
"Registration" Fraud is WAY different than "Voting" Fraud
ACORN is so unethical it is rediculous. Voter suppression is not the issue, it's called wanting a fair election. It's funny that ACORN has to drag and bribe people to regoster to vote. Voting is a priviledge and a right for every American. If some are too lazy to register, that's their problem. ACORN, being biased, should have their funding cut off.
LOL.... oh my god.... Funny....
ACORN actually preaching about voter fraud...
Oh man... stop it.... you're killing me.... OHHHH... good one
Good it is time ACORN got out its side of the story. Voter suppression is a much bigger problem than registration fraud. There is little chance any of the problematic registrations will actually turn into voter fraud but there is a huge chance this election will be stolen once again by the Republicans because of widespread voter suppression. We cannot take four more years of abuse at the hands of these people while they trick us with misleading claims of patriotism, socialism and christianity. Most of these people wouldn't really know Gods word if he whacked them on the head with it.
In your FACE McCain !
I'll send in a donation to have this run right thru eletion day. This is great.
We're behind you, ACORN!!! Keep upholding our civil rights!!! The Republican spin machine is on the way OUT.
While the McCain campaign says there is no relevance what happened 48 yrs ago but it does have relevance to what happened 4 yrs ago,and it should not happen again.The republicans are trying everything under the sun to throw a monkey wrench into some of the races and I'm glad that ACORN has come up with this ad.
Disgusting ad.....there goes the lie that Acorn is for registering all voters, not just Democrats! More Racist talk from Democrats!
This time around we will send the repubs a clear message that we are not going to take it any more, and the republicans and McCain are going to feel our frustration with their policies, the mess the repubs put us in.
The message will be clear by a landslide everywhere and even Arizona the home state of McCain is about to go blue. That's the way we like an han an han.
wow, talk about divisive, and racism! Now Democrats playing the race card......................... yet blames repubs.
I hope they are able to raise the funds to run that ad through Election Day. This kind of thing can NEVER happen again...the fact that there already IS voter suppression in early voting scares me. FIGHT PEOPLE! Voting is your RIGHT!
I rate this television campaign ad as one of the best. ever. Amen.
Take that Republicans!!
Although I respect what ACORN is trying to do.. they're supposed to be non-biased.. and really should shut up and keep in the shadows right now. By placing ads like this.. and their current problems, they're doing Obama more harm than good. ACORN should be like George Bush.. staying away is the best thing they can do for their candidate.