Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The campaign of pro-abortion presidential candidate Barack Obama is going after Senator John McCain on abortion in a new radio ad airing in key battleground states. The ad accuses McCain of wanting to make abortion “illegal” and claims that women’s lives and health will be at risk should Roe be overturned.

The ad comes at a time when McCain brought the abortion debate back into the campaign with the selection of pro-life Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

The radio ad is narrated by a nurse who makes the claim that McCain is against women.

“Let me tell you: If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, the lives and health of women will be put at risk. That's why this election is so important,” the Obama ad contends. “John McCain's out of touch with women today. McCain wants to take away our right to choose. That's what women need to understand. That's how high the stakes are.”

The narrator in the ad claims that, “as president, John McCain will make abortion illegal,” and the ad then includes an audio clip of an interview McCain gave on the television program “Meet the Press” in which he announces his support for a Constitutional amendment to offer legal protection for unborn children.

“We can't let John McCain take away our right to choose. We can't let him take us back,” the Obama attack ad concludes.

According to a Politico report, the ad will air in seven states considered to be toss-ups the and ones most likely to decide the election. Radio stations received the ad last Thursday, prior to Palin’s selection as the vice-presidential candidate.

The web site indicated the ad appears to be airing in Florida, Virginia, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Colorado.

“This is a straightforward ad about the very well-documented fact that he wants to overturn Roe v. Wade and supports a constitutional ban on abortions,” Obama representative Bill Burton told Politico.

Abortion has been a contentious issues in the 2008 presidential campaign, with McCain siding with the majority of Americans who are pro-life and want to know if their daughters are considering an abortion and don’t want their tax dollars used to pay for abortions.

Obama has been criticized for opposing a bill in the Illinois legislature that would have provided medical care for newborn children who are purposefully born prematurely or survive failed abortions. He also backs taxpayer funding of abortions and a bill that would overturn every pro-life law approved by state legislatures across the country.

In fact, Republican Party communications director Danny Diaz told Politico that it is Obama who has the extreme record on abortion.

“Barack Obama voted against a bill that would have protected infants born alive having survived an abortion attempt," said Diaz. "He has offered misleading statements on the issue and is now trying to confuse voters by attacking Senator McCain."

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