Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill took a political shot at John McCain during a conference call Friday with reporters on the Obama campaign's efforts in the state.

   "John McCain just frankly is not telling the truth," she said. "There is nothing honorable about lying. There are lies being told and Missourians can sniff that stuff out."

    Asked for evidence of alleged "lies" by the Republican nominee, McCaskill cited his recent ad that claimed that when Barack Obama served in the Illinois state Senate, he supported legislation to teach "comprehensive sex education" to children.

   During an appearance Friday on "The View," McCain denied that his attacks were lies.    

   But his ad distorts the purpose of the bill. It was "comprehensive" because the legislation was directed at kids from kindergarten through high school. It was not, as the ad implied, that children would get a full dose of sex education instruction. It focused on ways to warn young children about predators and inappropriate advances by adults.

     McCaskill, a co-chairman of the Obama campaign, said that it was also untrue for McCain to call running mate Sarah Palin a "reformer" when she has been a strong backer of federal earmarks.

   Palin, the governor of Alaska, requested $197 million in federal earmarks this year, "more, per person, than any other state," according to The Seattle Times.

    Of Palin, McCaskill said she was "uncomfortable with anyone, regardless of gender, that is going to be vice president to one of the oldest presidents we've ever had that has never met a world leader."

   During the call, Obama campaign officials said they were optimistic about their chances in Missouri and lauded their efforts to establish a political ground game.

     They said they has set up 40 Obama offices, including 27 in rural areas. They said they are borrowing tactics from the successful campaigns in the state of both President Bush in 2004 and McCaskill in 2006.