Political Base:

Nevermind that 67 percent of Americans (and 50 percent of Republicans) believe our president should be willing to meet with our enemies.

Those new polls must really be bothering Johnny Boy.

Leave it to the Jed Report to try to explain to the right wingers why this is offensive:

If you think there's nothing disrespectful about McCain's ad, take a look at this ad that I mocked up in just a few minutes time. Like McCain's actual ad, it uses visual imagery to to make a brutal attack, in this case suggesting that John McCain is personally indifferent to the deaths of American soldiers.

Whether or not you agree with my mock ad's message, is there anyone who thinks McCain would consider it to be "respectful"? And if not, then how is his ad respectful? Just imagine how angrily the McCain campaign would respond if Barack Obama ever ran an ad such as this.

To be clear, I know that political campaigns are a tough business -- and I'm not squeamish about that. But McCain said his campaign was going to be different, and when he made his pledge, he received glowing press coverage for having set himself apart.

And now that he's broken his promise, launching the first negative attack ad of the general election, straight talk demands that he be held accountable.