McCain camp mocks Obama as Messiah-like

By Steve Holland

PANAMA CITY, Florida (Reuters) - Republican John McCain's presidential team mocked Democrat Barack Obama on Friday as an overconfident, Messiah-like candidate with a tendency toward exaggeration in a Web ad that closed out a week of attacks.

The ad, e-mailed to supporters, refers to Obama as "The One" and uses rhetoric from some of Obama's high-flying speeches, making fun of quotes such as, "We are the ones we've been waiting for," and "This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."

"It shall be known that in 2008, the world shall be blessed," the announcer intones. "They will call him: The One."

Even the late actor Charlton Heston makes an appearance as bearded Moses from the epic biblical movie, "The Ten Commandments." As Moses parts the seas by declaring, "Behold His mighty hand," the Obama for President seal comes forth.

"Barack Obama may be The One," the announcer says. "But is he ready to lead?"

The remarkably personal Web ad marked the end of a week in which the McCain campaign stepped up aggressive attacks against the Democrat, who would be America's first black president if he is elected on November 4.

A television advertisement on Wednesday compared his sudden fame to pop culture celebrities like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.

And when Obama struck back by saying the McCain camp was attacking him because he has a "funny name" and his face is different from the white presidents on U.S. paper currency, McCain accused him of injecting racial politics into the campaign.

SENSE OF HUMOR

McCain, at a news conference, smiled as he talked about the new ad.

"We were having some fun with our supporters," he said. "We're going to display a sense of humor in this campaign."

Asked if the religious imagery was appropriate, he said: "That clip is Charlton Heston. It's a movie."

He said he was running a "very respectful campaign."

"I don't think our campaign is negative in the slightest," he said.

The Obama campaign was swift to denounce the new ad.