Even such an establishmentarian milquetoast as Joe Klein is terming the McCain campaign’s latest TV spot “one of the sleaziest ads I’ve ever seen in presidential politics.” “Education” makes the absurd claim that Barack Obama favors explicit sex education for kindergarteners. Question: Is McCain betting that the media will not take on his distortions and fabrications? Or is he, under the tutelage of Karl Rove proteges, betting that anything the mainstream media has to say on the subject will gain less exposure and have less impact in the end than the spots themselves? I say the latter.

There’s video of the ad, plus Barack Obama’s “No Mavericks” spot, below the jump.

John McCain: “Education” (:30)

Team Obama’s latest, “No Maverick,” flashes more snarl than its predecessors–its closing line actually says McCain and Palin are “lying” about their records–but still seems too genteel by half. (Salon sums up the worries among Democrats about the Obama camp’s response to Palin.)

Barack Obama: “No Mavericks” (:30)