New McCain Ad: Obama Favors Sex-Ed For Kindergartners

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Advertising

The McCain campaign has released a new ad, "Education," that suggests Barack Obama favors teaching sex education to kindergartners. A McCain aide tells CBS News the ad will air on Fox News and in select markets in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

"Education Week says Obama 'hasn't made a significant mark on education,'" an announcer says as the spot opens. "That he's 'elusive' on accountability. A 'staunch defender of the existing public school monopoly.'"

The announcer continues: "Obama's one accomplishment? Legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners. Learning about sex before learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for your family."

Campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs told CBS News the legislation Obama supported provided information to children on what to watch for when with an adult they don't know, such as inappropriate advances or touching.

"It is shameful and downright perverse for the McCain campaign to use a bill that was written to protect young children from sexual predators as a recycled and discredited political attack against a father of two young girls – a position that his friend Mitt Romney also holds," Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement. "Last week, John McCain told Time magazine he couldn't define what honor was. Now we know why."

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by david-w-oaks September 12, 2008 11:18 PM EDT: Re-reading comments, I can''t quite understand Reedmore''s point, hope I didn''t mis-interpret it as a blast at Obama. Reedmore -- a question: Do you or do you not think the McCain ads on this ad are immorally and unfairly false?; Reply to this comment


by david-w-oaks September 12, 2008 11:10 PM EDT: The anonymous "Reedmore" instructs us all to read the bill in question that he claims would expose young children to material inappropriate to their age. Thanks. I''ve done that. So here''s a LIE ALERT.

It turns out there plenty of references to "age appropriateness" in the bill. Here three such excerpts: "course material and instruction shall be age and developmentally appropriate" .... "appropriate to the various grade levels"... "then such courses also shall include age appropriate instruction"...

Then again, I note that Reedmore apparently thinks it is immoral to type the three letters "***."

Since even those three letters make Reedmore uncomfortable, perhaps a more appropriate quote for "Reedmore" might be this, from the Ten Commandments:

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Your neighbor includes Barack Obama.

In other words:

That which is holy and sacred stands opposed to the hate lies promoted by McCain, the Republican party, and anonymous posters such as reedmore. Reedmore is literally violating core ethical traditions on which Western civilization stands.

This is using unethical approaches to try to get your way -- also known as authoritarianism.

This is also known as bullying.

This is all about bullying. I encourage American citizens to support one another, and stand up against such immoral bullying.; Reply to this comment


by bill19014 September 12, 2008 10:30 AM EDT: Reedmore, they don''t break down grade level by grade level what is to be taught; they simply lay out the requirements for K-12 and mandate age appropriateness. I think that those who design the curriculum can figure out that STD prevention in kindergartners has more to do with child predators than condoms.

I agree that age-appropriateness is in the eye of the beholder; the law allows parents to opt out.; Reply to this comment


by nik91179 September 11, 2008 10:55 PM EDT: I read the Illinois bill in question (SB99) and saw the following under section 27-9.1(a): "Each class or course in comprehensive *** education offered in any of grades K through 12 shall include instruction on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including the prevention, transmission and spread of HIV."

This seems to say that kindergarteners will be taught about STDs and, therefore, penetration.

Is that age appropriate?; Reply to this comment


by mojama-2009 September 11, 2008 8:17 PM EDT: Discussion of this advertisement is completely circuitous. Read the total break down of Obama''s TRUE stance on the bill here.

http://modernjackassmag.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/***-barack/; Reply to this comment


by reedmore-2009 September 11, 2008 6:48 PM EDT: Bill, if your interpretation is correct, then there would be no need to mandate a discussion about STDs in kindergarten since the lessons you describe (good touch v. bad touch) would cover it. Besides, not everyone agrees on what''s "age appripriate."

The bill also talked about abstinence, marriage, etc. It was not simply a child protection bill.

But here''s the link again. People can read it for themselves:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext
.asp?DocName=09300SB0099&GA=93&SessionId
=3&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=734&DocNum=99&GAID
=3&Session=; Reply to this comment


by bill19014 September 11, 2008 10:09 AM EDT: Reedmore, I believe the bill called for STD prevention teaching overall, and that it be "age-appropriate". What would be "age-appropriate" teaching regarding prevention of STDs for a kindergartener? Since by far the most likely way in which a kindergartener would become infected with an STD would be victimization by an adult assailant, the most effective way to prevent STDs is to teach them how to be safer from predatory adults.; Reply to this comment


by reedmore-2009 September 11, 2008 7:02 AM EDT: To all those attacking McCain, don''t just rely on the Obama campaign''s talking points. Go read the actual bill (something this reporter apparently didn''t do). It expands ***-ed to kindergarten and mandates for kindergarten students to receive "instruction on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections." It states it in 3 different sections of the bill. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09300SB0099&GA=93&SessionId=3&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=734&DocNum=99&GAID=3&Session=; Reply to this comment


by idahospud44 September 11, 2008 6:46 AM EDT: John McCain has by making and showing this ad sold his soul. To advertise this kindergarten program as something evil is the lowest thing I have ever seen in politics. I have worked with sexual abuse victims for many years and also taught kindergarten. The most common "*** education" for this age is a book on "good" and "bad" of touches which was written by an adult survivor of sexual abuse who wrote this book and gives teacher training on how to use it. The entire point is to alert and PROTECT children. To turn this into something evil is as low as it gets. McCain should go to Palin''s church,get on his knees and promise to quit lying. It''s his only chance; Reply to this comment


by idahospud44 September 11, 2008 6:34 AM EDT: John McCain has by making and showing this ad sold his soul. To advertise this kindergarten program as something evil is the lowest thing I have ever seen in politics. I have worked with sexual abuse victims for many years and also taught kindergarten. The most common "*** education" for this age is a book on "good" and "bad" of touches which was written by an adult survivor of sexual abuse who wrote this book and gives teacher training on how to use it. The entire point is to alert and PROTECT children. To turn this into something evil is as low as it gets. McCain should go to Palin''s church,get on his knees and promise to quit lying. It''s his only chance; Reply to this comment