Ad raises Obama's ties to leftist leader

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A conservative political group planning a general election ad buy attacking Sen. Barack Obama is linked to Republican John McCain, Obama's campaign says.

The group, American Issues Project, is plunking down $2.8 million to air an ad questioning the likely Democratic presidential nominee's relationship with Bill Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground, a 1960s radical group, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

American Issues Project is a nonprofit political organization and is required to operate independently of the McCain campaign. However, Edward Failor Jr., an American Issues board member, worked for McCain's presidential campaign in the Iowa, the Times said.

"The fact that John McCain dispatched his paid consultant to launch this despicable ad from a so-called independent committee shows how desperate he is to change the subject from his shocking disconnect with the economic struggles of the American people," Obama's campaign said in a statement.

A McCain spokesman denied any involvement, saying Failor hasn't worked for the Arizona Republican's campaign in months.

William Ayers, involved in leftist radical politics three decades ago, and Obama have known one another for more than 10 years, the Times said. As a state senator, Obama represented the area that encompassed Ayers' residence and the University of Chicago, where Ayers taught.