McCain touts war hero image as Clinton and Obama bicker

With Democrats locked in a bloody primary battle, John McCain set his sights on the general election Friday, releasing his first ad since sewing up the GOP nomination.

"The American President Americans have been waiting for," proclaimed the 60-second spot, which transposes footage of the 71-year-old Arizona senator with clips of himself imprisoned in Vietnam.

Coming seven months before the election, and as Obama and Clinton continue to fight for their party's nod, the ad is a clear attempt by McCain to define himself before Democrats do it for him.

It also comes as McCain kicks off a "Service to America" tour next week that is intended to highlight places that have shaped his life, from the Naval Academy in Maryland - where he famously graduated near the bottom of his class - to a military base in Mississippi.

Experts said both the ad and the tour underscore the luxury McCain now has in not having a primary opponent.

"If the nomination weren't settled, he'd be spending this month running negative ads against Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney," said Dan Schnur, a former McCain adviser who is no longer aligned with any campaign. "But he can now leave the fighting to the Democrats."

In the ad, images of McCain then and now are overlayed with newspaper headlines that call him a hero.

"What must a President believe about us? About America? That she is worth protecting? That liberty is priceless?" asks the narrator. "And, what must we believe about that President? What does he think? Where has he been? Has he walked the walk?"

The ad concludes with footage of McCain as a young Naval aviator being interviewed as he lays in a hospital bed after being shot down and tortured in Vietnam.

"What is your rank?"

"Lt. commander in the Navy," McCain responds in the grainy footage.
McCain touts war hero image as Clinton and Obama bicker

Have to admit.....he is in a SWEET position right now. :thumbsup:

Have a good one!:s4:

That's weird, I was just talking to my wife about this last night. I was saying that McCain, so far, has gone into this with little opposition and very few personal attacks. He can focus on putting his past experiences into his campaign, devoting actual time and thought to what he wants to say to voters... where the dynamic Dems can only tear each other apart and gnash teeth at each other constantly. I'm also hearing about a lot of liberal voters who are vowing to break ranks and vote for McCain if 'their candidate' doesn't get the nomination.

I'm still not going to vote for his sorry ass...We don't have the money to wage war against the entire world. I registered republican for one reason and one reason only...to vote for Ron Paul, a true American. One who realizes the constitution is something more than a document, it is what once made this country great.

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Originally Posted by Markass

I'm still not going to vote for his sorry ass...We don't have the money to wage war against the entire world. I registered republican for one reason and one reason only...to vote for Ron Paul, a true American. One who realizes the constitution is something more than a document, it is what once made this country great.

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I don't think McCain is an ideal candidate for the highest office in this country, but he's damn sure a better pick than either of the Democrats. Hand America over to them, and watch how bold the terrorists around the world will become. Once they declare victory against us, the proverbial shit is going to hit the proverbial fan real quick. They don't care about our security, because they're convinced there is no real threat. I'd hate to have to see another 9/11 happen on a Democrats watch just so they'll realize that this war isn't going away any time soon.