If you've been watching the Democratic Convention on CNN, Fox News or MSNBC, chances are you've seen a number of McCain ads urging erstwhile Hillary Clinton supporters to "my ass" with "party unity." Because these ads are completely saturating the networks' coverage of the convention, you might conclude that they are currently being broadcast in every swing state, at every NFL pre-season halftime and into the tooth fillings of 9/11 truthers.

In reality, the ads are airing everywhere and nowhere. But mostly nowhere.

In the press releases accompanying each new ad, the McCain team pledges to air them in "key states." But don’t expect to see many show up in battleground state living rooms. According to the Campaign Media Analysis Group, which monitors political advertising across the country, only one of the three Clinton-themed ads has been broadcast so far –- and that ad, featuring a Clinton delegate who now endorses McCain, is only airing in Toledo, Ohio.

Hm. Toledo, despite being home to conceptual artist Joseph Kosuth and five of the largest glass companies in America, is still on the podunk side of media markets. Doesn't this mean that these McCain ads won't be seen by voters?

That doesn’t mean these McCain ads won’t be seen by voters. The national media, which has its sensors tuned to any signs of Clinton-Obama drama in Denver, have readily amplified the messages. "These were basically video press releases," says CMAG’s Evan Tracey. McCain’s Hillary-related ads are "designed to get under Democrats’ skin in Denver and designed to get into the convention coverage."

None of this, of course, is for sure. But if I had to guess, the notion that John McCain, a former POW, would manipulate a bored and compliant media into giving him lots and lots of free airtime, manufacturing a false conflict narrative around the convention and generally acting like taintwads is soon to be deemed ridiculous.