McCain airs first general election ad
More than seven months before Election Day, John McCain launched his first TV ad for the general election campaign, a heavily biographical spot that plays up his "American hero" biography.
The ad, which will air in the swing state of New Mexico, opens with McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, giving a campaign speech. "Keep that faith," he says. "Keep your courage. Stick together. Stay strong. Do not yield. Stand up. We're Americans. And we'll never surrender."
Then, the narrator talks about freedom and liberty as approving newspaper headlines scroll across the screen about McCain's tax relief plan, his readiness to be commander in chief, among other things. The announcer intones a series of questions:
"What must a president believe about us? About America? That she is worth protecting? That liberty is priceless? Our people, honorable?Our future, prosperous, remarkable and free? And, what must we believe about that president? What does he think? Where has he been? Has he walked the walk?"
The ad ends with the much-played grainy black-and-white footage of McCain, during his five-and-a-half years in the Hanoi Hilton as a prisoner of war, laying in bed and answering an interrogator's question.
"What is your rank?"
"Lieutenant commander in the Navy," McCain answers.
"And your official number?"
"624787," McCain replies.
"John McCain," the announcer says. "The American president Americans have been waiting for."
UPDATE: Democatic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued a statement about the ad: "The American people have been waiting for a president who understands the challenges they face, not another out-of-touch Bush Republican who promises four more years of the same failed leadership. John McCain can try to reintroduce himself to the country, but he can't change the fact that he cast aside his principles to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Bush for the last seven years. While we honor McCain's military service, the fact is Americans want a real leader who offers real solutions, not a blatant opportunist who doesn't understand the economy and is promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years."
Google "Mccain POW MIA" and find out what real American heroes think of this worthless P.O.S.
although the tradgedy of capture represents what all of us in the military fear most. I think he should be ashamed and disgraced by the ad he's running. It does nothing but piss me off . I'm a staff sergent in the army and to use your capture as a ploy to sway americans to vote for you is just utterly disgusting. I hope that nobody looks at this and thinks oh he was a prisoner ok I feel bad lets go vote for him. Think about all our troops coming home no legs, no arms, no face, and yet they soildier on. McBush you came out of that unscathed with all parts intact and your mind right. So stop trying to make america repay you for your time unfortunatly in-prisoned and stick to the issues at hand. GOOOOOOOOOOO OBAMAAAAAAAAAA
Re: McCain’s new ad
We need not be made to be sentimental about Senator McCain's military service while the sons and daughters of America are still giving their lives in a 100 Years War in Iraq which he supports. It is their lives and the lives of innocent civilians which are being lost, not his.
Americans have never been and should never be waiting for such a pompous, self-serving politician and hot-head as John McCain.
John McCain is a lucky guy to have gotten out of the Hanoi Hilton, I've saw that place -- before the Vietnamese ripped large portions of it down -- and it is truly terrifying...American Hero? Maybe, I'd sooner give that title to people like Warren Buffett. Lucky is more like it.
"The American president Americans have been waiting for"
The above line is from one of the "Barack Obama" speeches.
McCain is a man of courage and principle, and deserves the support of Americans of all backgrounds and political persuasions. I'm a left-winger, but I wholeheartedly support McCain as by far the best choice for president. He has repeatedly stood up for his beliefs even when it was politically disadvantageous for him to do so, and has been willing to work with democrats as well as Republicans to accomplish good things for our country. He has demonstrated the judgment and leadership we need in our next President.
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