McCain touts Democrats' praise

John McCain, trying to burnish his maverick credentials, has a new web video featuring Democrats -- including presidential rival Barack Obama -- saying nice things about him over the years.

"John McCain is a maverick. Just ask Democrats," it says on screen.

Obama is shown testifying in favor of about a bill championed by McCain on climate change.

Others vouching for McCain on tape include Senator John F. Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee and prominent Obama surrogate, calling him a "courageous, patriotic American who stands up for what he believes."

Also included are Howard Dean, now head of the Democratic National Committee; former Senator Tom Daschle, now Obama's campaign co-chairman; and Senator Joe Biden, believed to be on Obama's consider list for vice president.

The ad ends with Hillary Clinton, shown before the Ohio primary praising McCain's experience and belittling Obama's.

UPDATE: The Democratic National Committee responded this afternoon with a web video showing the very same Democrats more recently questioning his independence and saying he's tied to President Bush. It ends with Bush endorsing McCain at the White House.

McCain is trying to appeal to independents, while Democrats are arguing that he has turned his back on his independent streak and is now in cahoots with the Bush administration.

Dean responded to the ad in a statement this afternoon: "John McCain a maverick? The John McCain of 2000 wouldn't even consider voting for the John McCain of 2008. The American people are learning that the John McCain of 2008 represents more of the same failed policies we've gotten from George Bush for the past eight years. Senator McCain is clearly in the tank for Exxon and big oil, for keeping our troops stuck in Iraq for decades to come, and for an economic policy that puts tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations above relief for hardworking families. John McCain has changed: he's taken the low road, leveling false, negative and misleading attacks against Barack Obama. John McCain is no more a maverick within the Republican Party than Dick Cheney is. He's just more of the same."

UPDATE: Kerry also issued a statement in response today: "The McCain campaign is determined to give their Paris Hilton ad a run for its money in the desperation department, and they've succeeded only in shining a light on the fact that the John McCain of today is unrecognizable from the John McCain of just a couple years ago. The real question is what happened to the John McCain we used to know and why he changed overnight into a George Bush nominee with a Karl Rove campaign. The new John McCain supports the Bush tax giveaways for the wealthy he once denounced, opposes his own immigration bill, flip-flopped on torture, and runs negative ads after calling for an honorable campaign. Frankly, it tells you everything about this election that the McCain campaign spins its wheels recycling what we said about John McCain way back when while scrambling and sputtering to explain away Governor Pawlenty's praise of Barack Obama today."

McCain trumpeted his reputation in a town hall meeting today in Lima, Ohio.

"I have been called a maverick," he said. "Sometimes it is meant as a compliment and sometimes it is meant as a criticism. But what it really means is I understand who I work for. I don’t work for a party. I don’t work for a president. I don’t work for a special interest. I don’t work for myself. I work for you and for the country we love."

Then, McCain contrasted his political persona with what he described as Obama's profile

"For his part, Senator Obama is an impressive orator," McCain said. "I applaud his talent and success. All Americans should be proud of his accomplishment.… But Washington is full of talented talkers.

"The bottom line is that Senator Obama's words, for all their eloquence and passion, don’t mean all that much," McCain added. "And that’s the problem with Washington. It is not just the Bush Administration, and it’s not just the Democratic Congress. It's that everyone in Washington says whatever it takes to get elected or to score the political point of the day....We don't need another politician in Washington who puts self-interest and political expediency ahead of problem solving."