This is the nuts-and-bolts campaign story of the day. The $3 million first wave of GOP attack ads against Obama is to be launched this weekend in four key battleground states. They are: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Energy security is to be the first target of the ads, which are being done by independent units outside of the RNC’s direct control and will mainly be contrast-compare pieces. No outright assaults on Obama yet.

NBC’s Mark Murray has the rest of the story… (Check out our recent podcast with Mark)

This first ad will be on the topic on energy security, and it will contrast McCain’s and Obama’s positions on the issue. The actual content of the ad, however, has yet to be released.

The vendor of this new ad against Obama – GOP ad-maker Brad Todd – has issued this statement: “Following Barack Obama’s decision to become the only major party presidential candidate in history to not adhere to campaign spending caps, the Republican National Committee has begun an independent expenditure campaign in accordance with FEC regulations. The RNC will first advertise this weekend in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, highlighting the issue of energy security, which is emerging as a defining difference in the race for president.”

In response to this ad, the Obama campaign issued this press release: “It has been reported that the Republican National Committee will begin running television ads in a number of battleground states this weekend. As John McCain’s own advisors have noted, the RNC and the McCain campaign operate as one unit. And since these ads will likely be attack ads that contradict McCain’s pledge to run a respectful campaign, he can, and should, immediately reverse his plan to air them. In fact, a few months ago, McCain urged GOP state party committees to run a respectful campaign, stating, ‘I have pledged to conduct a respectful campaign. And I have urged, time after time, various entities within the Republican Party to also do that.’ Clearly, the RNC should adhere to the same standard.”

An important (yet inside-baseball) note: While the RNC is paying for this advertising blitz, it is coming from its independent expenditure unit. What that means is that the RNC has nothing to do with the ad’s message or content; a vendor — in this case, Brad Todd — is responsible for that.