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Here's a transcript of the radio attack ad launched by the O'Malley campaign last week against Bob Ehrlich:

Tape of Ehrlich's voice: "Drill baby, drill."

Narrator: "As oil coats the Gulf Coast, that's the voice of Big Oil lobbyist Bob Ehrlich."

Ehrlich tape: "Drill, baby, drill."

Narrator: "Fifty thousand barrels a day, the worst environmental disaster in American history and still..."

Ehrlich tape: "Drill, baby, drill."

Narrator: "When Big Oil wanted to avoid paying millions in royalties for drilling rights, Bob Ehrlich voted ‘yes"."

Ehrlich tape: "Drill, baby, drill."

Narrator: "And when they wanted to open new parts of the Gulf for drilling, Ehrlich voted with Big Oil again."

Ehrlich tape: "Drill, baby, drill."

Narrator: "And when 80,000 gallons of oil spilled into South Baltimore Bob Ehrlich was the lobbyist representing the oil company."

Ehrlich tape: "Drill, baby, drill."

Narrator: "So why would Bob Ehrlich side with Big Oil before Maryland families?"

Ehrlich tape: "Life's good, we made a lot of money."

Narrator: "Ehrlich's lobbying firm represents Citgo, Exxon Mobil and Shell Co."

Ehrlich tape: "A lot of money."

Narrator: "So don't take our word for it ..."

Ehrlich tape: "Drill, baby, drill."

Narrator: "... listen to Bob Ehrlich in his own words"

Ehrlich tape: "We made a lot of money."

Maryland voters are used to a variety of low-level political dirty tricks: tearing down lawn signs, phony ballots, running a candidate with the same name as your opponent's and so on. But rarely do we witness a decision made at the very top to purposely deceive voters using a widespread media campaign based on complete falsehoods. But that's what Martin O'Malley just did. Virtually every facet of O'Malley's radio ad is either a gross misrepresentation or a lie.

Let me count the ways: Bob Ehrlich is not, and never has been, a lobbyist. Nor has he done any legal work for oil companies. "Drill, baby, drill" is not, and never has been, his policy. The sound bite was lifted from a 2008 radio show when Ehrlich used the phrase to describe Senate candidate Mike Steele's drilling policy. Likewise, "we made a lot of money" was lifted from a radio interview when Ehrlich described why he was torn about re-entering politics; the sound bite had nothing to do with oil companies.

Voting for greater gulf drilling? Yes, Ehrlich voted for House Bill 185 on June 21, 2001, a compromise measure that limited drilling to less than that sought by President Bush. The bill passed 376 to 32 with votes by Ehrlich, Nancy Pelosi, Barny Frank, Henry Waxman, Maxine Waters and the entire Maryland delegation, including Steny Hoyer, Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin. Compare this truth to what O'Malley's radio ad makes you believe.

So, why did O'Malley go into the gutter and why did he think he'd get away with it?

One, he's panicking. The three latest polls show Ehrlich drawing even, and an unpublished Democratic poll shows Ehrlich ahead.

Two, its consistent with the Dems' attack strategy of trying to distract voters from the real issues and to provoke Ehrlich into a "grudge match" mud fight.

Three, it's worked in the past. Sixty years ago, Maryland's Millard Tydings was considered a shoo-in for his fifth term in the U.S. Senate. There was even speculation that he would succeed President Harry Truman. But Sen. Tydings had battled Wisconsin's new senator, Joe McCarthy, and McCarthy forces came into Maryland with a phony publication, "From the Record," featuring a phony photograph of Tydings conferring with Earl Browder, head of the American Communist Party. The photo was fake, but it led to Tydings' upset defeat.

Likewise, in 1998, phony TV ads produced by Democratic consultant Bob Shrum grossly distorted an obscure vote by Ellen Sauerbrey casting her as a racist. The last-minute TV ads energized black voters, leading to Sauerbrey's defeat by Parris Glendening. (Look for O'Malley to try the same stunt in 2010).

Fourth, O'Malley assumed he'd get a free pass from the media just like in 2006. But O'Malley's "Big Oil Bob" ad is so disturbingly below-the-belt that some reporters couldn't look the other way.

For instance, The Washington Post's Aaron Davis criticized O'Malley for "taking liberties with (Ehrlich's) voting record" and "incorrectly labeling Ehrlich a "Big Oil" lobbyist." Too bad it was on the Post's Blog, not in the newspaper. Post reporter John Wagner, on the other hand, wasn't stirred by the smear. Instead, "Watchdog" Wagner wrote a truly bizarre story in Tuesday's Post warning readers that the infomercials appearing on Ehrlich's Facebook page and website are not real news productions. Duh?

But O'Malley made one big mistake: he gave away the moral high ground too soon. Most character assassinations take place at the last minute with no time for rebuttal. Now Ehrlich has four months to show fair-minded voters exactly what kind of person O'Malley really is.

The "Big Oil Bob" ad tells a lie about Ehrlich, but tells the truth about O'Malley.

Blair Lee is CEO of the Lee Development Group in Silver Spring and a regular commentator for WBAL radio. His column appears Fridays in The Gazette. His e-mail address is blair@leedg.com.