Why prebuying Google sponsored ads might be a bad idea.

Google "lieberman mccain." Or, click here.

The result, at least as of this writing?

Sponsored Link
Lieberman & McCain
JohnMcCain.com/lieberman Senator Lieberman Joins McCain's Team. Learn Why You Should Join!

Clicking the link takes one to "Citizens for McCain," an area on the official McCain website dedicated to encouraging Democrats and Independents to vote for Republican John McCain for President.

It is not clear whether this is on purpose or is some sort of slip through unfamiliarity with Google ad buying, but it's very interesting.

In fact, one site reports seeing an actual ad with a photo of the two men.

Incidentally, there are not similar sponsored ad buys for Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, all of whom are said to be on McCain's short list.

Searching for the text "Joins McCain's Team. Learn Why You Should Join!" comes up with a couple of other possibilities: Tom Coburn, an anti-pork Senator from Oklahoma, and....actor Sylvester Stallone! The former results in a 404; he latter links to a McCain ad, focusing on McCain's military service and imprisonment by the Vietnamese.