John McCain emphasized his independent streak and reformer credentials in a new TV commercial Tuesday as he sought to counter Democratic charges that he's the same as President Bush.
"Washington's broken. John McCain knows it. We're worse off than we were four years ago," says the ad. "He's the original maverick."
Although the commercial, set to run in battleground states, does not mention Democratic rival Barack Obama, it suggests the first-term Illinois senator is unprepared to be president by saying McCain is the one "ready to lead."
It also tries to seize Obama's message of change and cast McCain, a four-term Arizona senator, as a change agent at a time the public is craving a direction different from the status quo.
"Only McCain has taken on big tobacco, drug companies, fought corruption in both parties," the ad says. "He'll reform Wall Street, battle big oil, make America prosper again."
It does not mention areas where McCain and Bush agree, like tax cuts, the Iraq war and free-market economics, a point the Obama campaign highlighted in its response to the ad.
"Being a maverick isn't practicing the same kind of politics we have seen from Washington for decades," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton, "it isn't having a campaign run by Washington lobbyists, and it's certainly not promoting the same policies that have led America down the wrong path these past eight years."
McCain aides unveiled the ad as the candidate was set to tour a nuclear power plant, the first such visit in recent history by a presidential candidate. The visit highlights the promise and peril of a technology that is a key component of his plan to help the country overcome its energy crisis.
"Washington's broken. John McCain knows it. We're worse off than we were four years ago," says the ad. "He's the original maverick."
Although the commercial, set to run in battleground states, does not mention Democratic rival Barack Obama, it suggests the first-term Illinois senator is unprepared to be president by saying McCain is the one "ready to lead."
It also tries to seize Obama's message of change and cast McCain, a four-term Arizona senator, as a change agent at a time the public is craving a direction different from the status quo.
"Only McCain has taken on big tobacco, drug companies, fought corruption in both parties," the ad says. "He'll reform Wall Street, battle big oil, make America prosper again."
It does not mention areas where McCain and Bush agree, like tax cuts, the Iraq war and free-market economics, a point the Obama campaign highlighted in its response to the ad.
"Being a maverick isn't practicing the same kind of politics we have seen from Washington for decades," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton, "it isn't having a campaign run by Washington lobbyists, and it's certainly not promoting the same policies that have led America down the wrong path these past eight years."
McCain aides unveiled the ad as the candidate was set to tour a nuclear power plant, the first such visit in recent history by a presidential candidate. The visit highlights the promise and peril of a technology that is a key component of his plan to help the country overcome its energy crisis.
No comments:
Post a Comment