McCain blasts Madonna's Hitler comparison

CARDIFF, Wales, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Campaigners for likely Republican U.S. presidential nominee John McCain say it was "outrageous" for Madonna to compare him to Adolf Hitler at a Wales concert.

U.S. pop star Madonna, launching her "Sticky and Sweet" tour Monday in Cardiff, Wales, unveiled a video segment accompanying her song "Get Stupid" in which an image of McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, was juxtaposed with those of Hitler and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

Later in the song, an image of McCain's probable opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was flashed in conjunction with pictures of Mahatma Gandhi, John Lennon and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.

"The comparisons are outrageous, unacceptable and crudely divisive all at the same time," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds told reporters. "It clearly shows that when it comes to supporting Barack Obama, his fellow worldwide celebrities refuse to consider any smear or attack off limits."

The Times of London said the McCain campaign has adopted a campaign tactic of criticizing Obama's popularity with young people as a sign of lack of depth, producing an ad that juxtaposes an image of him addressing a huge rally in Germany with those of celebrities Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.