The Democratic National Convention started yesterday in Denver with Michelle Obama, Senator Obama's wife, the keynote speaker.

While the news coverage is heavy this week on the Democrats, Republicans and independent groups supporting John McCain, aren't sitting idle.

One group is already airing a controversial ad about Obama that has a Dallas connection.

The Dallas billionaire, who helped finance the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads that were so critical and highly effective against Democratic nominee John Kerry in 2004, is behind this anti-Obama ad.

The ad questions the relationship between Obama and William Ayers who belonged to the Weather Underground in the 1960s.

The group bombed government buildings to protest the Vietnam war.

The ad links Obama with controversial anti-Vietnam activist William Ayers.

Ayers is now a college professor in Chicago, hosted an Obama fundraiser in 1995 and Ayers and Obama send their children to the same school.

Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons donated almost $3 million to the conservative non-profit group, American Issues Project, to produce the ad that's aired in four battleground states.

Simmons also helped finance the Swift Boat Veterans ads attacking Democrat Kerry in 2004.

Simmons won't comment.

But, Merrie Spaeth, the Dallas communications consultant who handled strategy for the Swift Boat Veterans group, recalls what clicked with Simmons.

“It was the fact that these were real people telling real stories and obviously he's a very smart man and he knew that those stories would have an impact on the political discourse and probably on the election.”

Spaeth, who says she's not involved with the new ad, says without testimonials from real people it falls flat.

“I think it's just going to be one more thing in the clutter that pings around.”

Ayers was indicted but not convicted.

An Obama campaign spokesman told News 8: “It's not surprising that the smear peddlers that bankrolled the Swift Boat lies four years ago on behalf of George Bush are once again using old-fashioned Washington tactics to lie about Barack Obama on behalf of John McCain."

The Obama campaign said it will respond with its own 30 second ad.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com.