A year ago, when Democrats were just beginning their long primary presidential campaign, the contest essentially boiled down to who could toss the best zingers or the harshest criticism at President Bush. For a party out of power, that wasn't so surprising — they defined themselves in opposition to the man in power.
Now, with a new face on the Republican party, the fire has turned to Sen. John McCain.
This morning Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton touted her 5 percentage-point lead in a head-to-head poll match-up with McCain over the "much tighter" 2 percentage-point lead Sen. Barack Obama holds in that same poll. Meanwhile, McCain and Obama have sparred back and forth over Iraq several times over the last month, each time helping Obama show he can go toe-to-toe with McCain despite the older senator's far longer experience and war service.
McCain's long record, and his frequent press appearances, give Democrats plenty of ammunition, particularly on Iraq.
For the Democratic National Committee, it's the best of both worlds: They get to tie McCain to Bush, which they do in a new Web ad to the soundtrack of marching feet, signifying the two men walking in lockstep on Iraq.
In clip after clip the ad shows McCain using the exact same catch-phrases as Bush administration officials Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and, of course, Bush himself. The most damning may be McCain's 2004 prediction that Americans would be "welcomed as liberators," just eight days after Cheney's similar prediction.
— Stephen Dinan, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (3)
DO NOT UNDER ESTIMATE JOHN McCAIN
Posted by RUBIN | March 18, 2008 1:02 PM
Sen. McCain's policies mirror those of Pres. Bush in many areas, not just the Iraq war. From his free market, tax credit solution to health care to his change in stance on torture (more specifically on waterboarding), his courting of the religious right, time and time again he has made himself over so that his term in office, should he win, will be nothing but Bush III.
One of Bin Landen's goals is to ..."2-Exhaustion of the economic and financial resources...." of the satin US. If McCain is allowed to continue his 100 year war, he will most certainly be helping to fulfill this goal.
Posted by ShorelineMD | March 18, 2008 1:13 PM
Three times in the last two days "More War" McCain has confused the players in Iraq and Iran.
The first time can be excused as a slip of the tongue.
The second time leaves the impression that McCain might quite possibly be dissembling.
The third time causes one to suspect the initial stages of an old man's dementia.
All the more reason to vote for anyone but John McBush who is okay with a 100-year war in Iraq and who admits to knowing nothing about economics.
If you like the Shrub, you will love John McWar.
Posted by Susana de Montoya | March 20, 2008 12:18 PM