By Billy House
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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TAMPA – Democrats are already flexing to challenge John McCain’s self-described courageous opposition to the Bush Administration’s early flawed strategy in Iraq.
It’s a topic that McCain’s GOP primary opponents have stayed away from, even as McCain continues this week to try to score points in Florida with military voters, veterans and others with that theme.
But Democrats say they won’t be so shy if the Arizona senator become the Republican nominee for president.
Already, they’ve produced at least one potential ad that uses McCain's own TV appearances to remind viewers McCain wasn’t necessarily such a critic of the war -- or of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld -- at least early on.
That ad, sarcastically titled “The Greatest Critic of The Iraq War,” was put together early this month and can be seen here.
The Democratic video presents a striking contrast to a TV ad the McCain team began to air on Monday in Florida, as his campaign entered its final week before the state’s Tuesday primary.
That ad describes McCain, among other things, as the "one man opposed to a flawed strategy in Iraq" and that only "one man had the courage to call for change." It is referring to McCain’s leading role in pushing for a U.S. troop surge in Iraq, before Rumsfeld did.
Here’s that ad:
The aim is to depict McCain in a way that may be unacceptable to many independent voters, who are likely to be the key swing bloc come November’s general election.
Democrats want to “clarify the record,” says Mike Gehrke, research director for the Democratic National Committee.
Gehrke said McCain, at the very least, was initially sending mixed messages about his views on the war's handling by the Bush Administration.
Will this be one of the issues emphasized by Democrats if McCain gets the GOP nomination.
“Yeah, I think so,” said Gehrke.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@tampatrib.com or a 1 (202) 641-5080.
It’s a topic that McCain’s GOP primary opponents have stayed away from, even as McCain continues this week to try to score points in Florida with military voters, veterans and others with that theme.
But Democrats say they won’t be so shy if the Arizona senator become the Republican nominee for president.
Already, they’ve produced at least one potential ad that uses McCain's own TV appearances to remind viewers McCain wasn’t necessarily such a critic of the war -- or of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld -- at least early on.
That ad, sarcastically titled “The Greatest Critic of The Iraq War,” was put together early this month and can be seen here.
The Democratic video presents a striking contrast to a TV ad the McCain team began to air on Monday in Florida, as his campaign entered its final week before the state’s Tuesday primary.
That ad describes McCain, among other things, as the "one man opposed to a flawed strategy in Iraq" and that only "one man had the courage to call for change." It is referring to McCain’s leading role in pushing for a U.S. troop surge in Iraq, before Rumsfeld did.
Here’s that ad:
The aim is to depict McCain in a way that may be unacceptable to many independent voters, who are likely to be the key swing bloc come November’s general election.
Democrats want to “clarify the record,” says Mike Gehrke, research director for the Democratic National Committee.
Gehrke said McCain, at the very least, was initially sending mixed messages about his views on the war's handling by the Bush Administration.
Will this be one of the issues emphasized by Democrats if McCain gets the GOP nomination.
“Yeah, I think so,” said Gehrke.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@tampatrib.com or a 1 (202) 641-5080.