Political novices producing attack videos

LOS ANGELES, June 29 (UPI) -- Some of the most effective Internet political attacks in the current U.S. campaign have come from political amateurs, The New York Times said Sunday,

Robert Greenwald is a professional film director whose work has included the movie musical "Xanadu" and the TV movie "The Burning Bed." This year, Greenwald has produced several unflattering videos on presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, including one that showed evangelical minister Rod Parsley blasting Muslims, the newspaper said.

Greenwald, who works out of a former motel in Los Angeles, said he has no ties to either the Democratic Party or its presumptive nominee, Barack Obama. He told the Times he is surprised by how many people have seen his McCain videos.

On the right, Jason Mitchell, working in Durham, N.C., has put out a video that reminds viewers that Obama's father was a Muslim and the candidate has two Muslim names -- although it stops short of saying Obama is Muslim. Obama is a Christian.

"Four years ago I would just be a 'political activist,'" Mitchell said. "Now, they call me a 'communications political strategist,' and that's only because of the Internet."