McCain Ad Accusing Obama of Not Supporting Troops Features Obama (With the Troops)

As Illinois Senator and presumptive Democratic Nominee for president Barack Obama concluded his world tour last week, the presumptive Republican Nominee John McCain (R-AZ) unleashed a blistering attack accusing his opponent of making time to go to the gym and give big speeches but not time to visit wounded soldiers in Landstuhl.

Here is the ad:

The most amusing yet not obvious part of the ad is that the clip of Obama playing basketball is actually footage from an earlier troop visit in Kuwait by the Illinois Senator, who played basketball with the servicemen and women.

Notice the same Khaki pants, dark shirt, and adoring servicemen and women in both clips.

Watch the one-minute video of Obama playing basketball with troops here:

The attack originated with the decision of the Obama campaign to cancel a visit to the military hospital after reportedly being told from the Pentagon that the trip was seen as a political one. The Obama campaign decided that, since this part of the trip was being paid for by the campaign, it would be inappropriate to visit the soldiers and run the risk of putting them in the middle of a political campaign. Senator Obama did visit troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, as part of a congressional delegation that included Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed and Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel.

Many of the charges in the ad were so absurd that the Washington Post, NBC Correspondent Andrea Mitchell, long-time friend and fellow Vietnam War Veteran Chuck Hagel, and Delaware Democrat and Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joe Biden have all debunked the ad as untrue and inappropriate.

The Washington Post devoted three pages in its print edition today to invalidating claims in the ad.

MSNBC Correspondent Andrea Mitchell was actually part of the press delegation that reported on Senator Obama's week long tour of the Middle East and Europe. Having actually witnessed the trip first hand, Mitchell pressed North Carolina Republican and McCain supporter Senator Richard Burr on the specific charge that Senator Obama wanted to bring his entourage and cameras with him to see the soldiers. She said that was not true, and that in other visits during the trip Senator Obama visited troops without cameras and fanfare. The difference between the earlier visits and the one in Berlin was that he was operating in campaign mode. Mr. Burr said that he's never encountered a problem when he was visiting the troops. Apparently, it must have slipped his mind that he has never been nominated and therefore has never campaigned as his party's nominee for president.

Here is the video.




On last Sunday's episode of Face the Nation, Chuck Hagel defended Senator Obama from Senator McCain's attacks.

Senator Hagel: "I think it would have been inappropriate for him and certainly he would have been criticized by the McCain people and the press and probably should have been if on a political trip in Europe paid for by political funds-not the taxpayers-to go, essentially, then and be accused of using our wounded men and women as props for his campaign."

See transcript here.

Chairman of the full Foreign Relatioins Committee Senator Biden responded to the charge that Senator Obama didn't hold a hearing on Afghanistan. Under Biden's Chairmanship, large issues like those concerning the War in Afghanistan are held if full committee for the benefit of all members. See news report here.

The last and most ironic aspect about Senator McCain's attempt to paint Senator Obama as someone who does not support the troops is the Arizona Senator's own poor grade ( a 'D') on Veterans Issues by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans America. Senator Obama received a B+ by the group.

See full ratings here.