Obama ad hits McCain on Cheney support; two newspapers have McCain's back

Barack Obama launched a new TV ad today about Dick Cheney's backing of John McCain, while McCain highlighted endorsements from loyal newspapers in the battleground states of New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

"Barack Obama, endorsed by Warren Buffett and Colin Powell," the announcer says in the spot. "And John McCain's latest endorsement?"

The ad cuts to footage of the vice president on Saturday in Wyoming declaring, "I'm delighted to support John McCain and… I'm pleased that he's chosen a running mate with executive talent, toughness. and common sense, our next vice president Sarah Palin."

"And boy did McCain earn it," the announcer says over images of McCain with Cheney and President Bush. "He voted with Bush and Cheney 90 percent of the time."

"I'm delighted to support John McCain," Cheney is shown saying.

The announcer concludes, "And that's not the change we need."

Meanwhile, the New Hampshire Union Leader, which helped rescue McCain's presidential bid with front-page endorsements before the January primary, endorsed him today in strong terms.

"This presidential election comes down, as they often do, to trust," the endorsement said. "We must trust the person's competence, courage and ability to defend us from our enemies and to fight for the best economic conditions possible. In both areas, John McCain stands head and shoulders above his rival. McCain has been tested as few men ever have, and he has never been found wanting. Barack Obama has no experience -- none. He may be the most unprepared major-party candidate ever. His own vice presidential pick says our enemies will test him quickly and severely. There is no good reason to take that chance."

In Pennsylvania, a Democratic-leaning state that is essential to McCain's hopes, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review backed him by saying:

"John McCain is fiercely independent. And he makes no apologies for the principles he holds dear, even if they be at odds with the traditional party base. But he has never wavered in his core belief of what Republicanism (with a capital "R") and republicanism (with a lower-case "r") are all about: Small government. Fiscal discipline. Low taxes. A strong defense. And a judiciary that does not legislate from the bench.

"Compared with Barack Obama's long and dangerous statist laundry list of the ever more expansive role government should play in our lives, John McCain sums it up quite succinctly, quite effectively and quite nicely, thank you."