McCain 2008 Launches New TV Ad: Troop Funding

Note: We will be including information from all Presidential candidates when it involves issues of interest to our Military Matters readers.

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released its newest television ad entitled "Troop Funding." The ad highlights Barack Obama's record of failing to call a single oversight hearing on NATO's mission in Afghanistan, failing to visit our troops on the ground in Iraq for over 900 days and failing to support our troops when he voted against critical funding in 2007. The ad will air on national cable and in key states.

VIEW THE AD HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm9IUfPZsX8
Script For "Troop Funding" (TV :30)
ANNCR: Barack Obama never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan.
He hasn't been to Iraq in years.
He voted against funding our troops.
Positions that helped him win his nomination. Now Obama is changing to help himself become president.
John McCain has always supported our troops and the surge that's working.
McCain. Country first.
JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

AD FACTS: Script For "Troop Funding" (TV :30)

ANNCR: Barack Obama never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan.

· Barack Obama: "I became Chairman of this committee at the beginning of this campaign, at the beginning of 2007. So it is true that we haven't had oversight hearings on Afghanistan." (MSNBC Democratic Presidential Debate, 2/26/08)

ANNCR: He hasn't been to Iraq in years.

· Barack Obama Has Not Been To Iraq Since January 2006. "The fact that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama hasn't visited Iraq since January 2006 well before the troop surge has become a spirited campaign issue. On the home page of the Republican National Committee a live streamer lists the days, hours, minutes and seconds since Obama's only trip to Iraq. His lack of a recent firsthand view means he "has no credibility discussing the future of Iraq," says Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan." (Philip Dine, "Obama Takes Heat On Lack Of Iraq Trips," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 6/15/08)

· Barack Obama Has Been To Iraq Once -- In January 2006. "Obama, the nation's only black senator, met with U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Saturday. He said before his two-day trip to Iraq that he wanted to ask U.S. Commanders for a realistic time frame on bringing troops home." (Jason Straziuso, "U.S. Senate's Only Black Member Says Minorities Must Be More Involved In Iraq's Government," The Associated Press, 1/7/06)

ANNCR: He voted against funding our troops.
· Barack Obama Voted Against Providing $94.4 Billion In Critical Funding For The Troops In Iraq And Afghanistan. (H.R. 2206, CQ Vote #181: Passed 80-14: R 42-3; D 37-10; I 1-1, 5/24/07, Obama Voted Nay)

ANNCR: Positions that helped him win his nomination. Now Obama is changing to help himself become president. John McCain has always supported our troops and the surge that's working. McCain. Country first. JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.