Video Clash

Thu, July 17, 2008 - 3:24 PM

Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Republican colleagues unveiled a new anti-Obama documentary Thursday on behalf of Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign.

The nearly eight minute video, entitled “The Obama Iraq Documentary: Whatever the Politics Demand,” relies on archived news footage to show how Obama has shifted positions regarding U.S. troop levels in Iraq.

It starts with a 2007 clip showing Obama saying a surge of 20,000 troops in Iraq will not “solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse.” A year later, the video shows, Obama said the surge “reduced violence and provided breathing room.”

Cantor credited McCain with that success in Iraq.

“It was John McCain and his leadership and his vision when he came out and proposed the surge that made that happen,” Cantor said.

Immediately after Cantor’s news conference, Democrats responded by unveiling a video series of their own called “McCain on Iraq: Wrong from the Start.”

“Senator McCain is for a permanent presence,” said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash. “Obama is for a responsible withdrawal to better protect our national security interests.”

--Neil Simon