Obama presidency poses national risk, McCain says

John McCain after a rally yesterday in Miami. He warned of the dangers of a Democratic takeover of both the White House and Congress, predicting deep cuts in defense spending. (Stephan Savoia/ Associated Press)

TAMPA - John McCain said yesterday that the country's economic problems will pass but that threats against the nation will not - and that Democratic rival Barack Obama is not up to the task of protecting the United States.

In returning to the issue of national security, seen as McCain's strongest argument for his candidacy before the financial crisis overwhelmed the campaign, McCain stood with former military officers and national security advisers to ask rhetorically whether Obama had the wisdom and judgment to be commander in chief.

"The question is whether this is a man who has what it takes to protect America from Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and the other great threats in the world," McCain said.

"He has given no reason to answer in the affirmative."

Obama's most consequential action on foreign policy was a 2002 speech opposing the Iraq war when he was an Illinois state senator and had "no vote" and "no responsibility," the Republican said.

McCain said that since Obama has been in the US Senate - two years of it spent running for president, McCain chided - he wrongly opposed the troop surge in Iraq and now wants to withdraw prematurely. "He hopes that in the cloud of crisis at home you will forget the stakes in Iraq," McCain said.

He also warned of the danger to national security from a Democratic takeover of both the White House and Congress, predicting deep cuts in defense spending and the abandonment of America's role in the world.

"Our national security is dependent on our economic security, and the plans of a Democrat-dominated Washington would harm them both," he said.

"We're getting only a glimpse of what one-party rule will look like."

The Obama campaign responded with a statement from retired Air Force Major General J. Scott Gration.

"As usual, John McCain made his stale case for continuing the Bush-Cheney-McCain foreign policy that has completely failed to defeat Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, while Barack Obama will turn the page to restore our security and standing in the world," Gration said. "When the next President is tested, the American people can have John McCain's judgment of siding with George Bush and Dick Cheney on every major national security decision, or they can have the steady leadership and sound judgment of Barack Obama that has earned the support of Americans like [retired] General Colin Powell."