Picking up where yesterday’s “3 AM” ad — which appeared to be designed to scare the pants off of voters — left off, the McCain campaign released another TV spot today. This one suggets an Obama presidency would pose a national security risk to America. The ad, titled “Tiny,” will air in “key states,” according to the campaign, whatever that means. It could be broadcast in 11 battleground states, it could air only in Toledo, or not at all. The new spot focuses on the threat a nuclear-armed Iran would present to Israel and the United States.

PRODUCTION NOTES: Visually, this ad is interesting because it is stylistically different from all previous ads from either campaign. It entirely comprised of a series of dark, ominous still shots that appear to be layered, with one area — either the foreground or background — in focus, and the other out of focus. The camera pans across the pictures, or zooms in or out, creating a sort of three-dimensional effect that is actually kind of cool.

On to the meat: The first image features Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad standing at a podium, appearing to be giving a speech near a large poster of an ayatollah. A male announcer says, “Iran. Radical Islamic government.” The next picture is of a large banner on a wall that reads, “Don’t Forget to Say Death To America” — of course, they speak Farsi in Iran so it’s unlikely such a banner appears anywhere in Iran. A little artistic license on the part of the production company. “Known sponsors of terrorism,” the announcer continues, “Developing nuclear capabilities to [slight pause to imply "air quotes"] generate power, but threatening to destroy Israel.”

The viewer then sees Ahmadinejad with a lab coat-clad scientist in front of what looks like a missile. A picture of Sen. Barack Obama appears on screen, followed quickly by an image of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps soldiers and a jihadist holding a bazooka, –subtle, right? — as the announcer says:

Obama says Iran is a “tiny” country, “doesn’t pose a serious threat”.

Terrorism, destroying Israel, those aren’t “serious threats”?

Obama — dangerously unprepared to be president.

There it is — “dangerously unprepared to be president.” This is a significant step further than the the McCain campaign’s signature refrain that Obama is “not ready to lead.” The message to voters is that if we elect Obama, we are putting ourselves at risk. This doesn’t seem to be a far cry from Vice President Dick Cheney’s suggestion during the 2004 presidential campaign that a Democratic win would invite “devastating” terrorist attacks.

The Obama quote cited in the ad is pulled — not surprisingly, more than a little out of context — from a statement Obama made in Oregon in May. The McCain campaign helpfully includes the whole quote in the email announcement for the ad. Here it is, in context:

OBAMA: “Strong countries and strong presidents talk to their adversaries. That’s what Kennedy did with Khrushchev. That’s what Reagan did with Gorbachev. That’s what Nixon did with Mao. I mean think about it. Iran, Cuba, Venezuela — these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don’t pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us. And yet we were willing to talk to the Soviet Union at the time when they were saying we’re going to wipe you off the planet. And ultimately that direct engagement led to a series of measures that helped prevent nuclear war, and over time allowed the kind of opening that brought down the Berlin Wall. Now, that has to be the kind of approach that we take.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks, Pendelton, OR, 5/18/08)

Obama actually said Iran is tiny and poses a minor threat when “compared to the Soviet Union.” He goes on to say later that Iran’s military could never be any match for that of the United States. Here’s part of the rest of the quote:

And we should use that position of strength that we have to be bold enough to go ahead and listen. That doesn’t mean we agree with them on everything. We might not compromise on any issues, but at least we should find out other areas of potential common interest, and we can reduce some of the tensions that has caused us so many problems around the world.”

Obviously, according to the McCain campaign, that’s completely insane. Talking to adversaries doesn’t help Republicans win elections. But if history is any indicator — especially with two diplomacy-focused senators on the Democratic ticket — convincing voters that we may see a mushroom cloud in an American city if we elect the wrong candidate just might.