Snubbing Wounded Troops?
A McCain TV spot falsely insinuates that Obama canceled his visit because "the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras."
Summary
A new McCain ad says Obama "made time to go to the gym, but canceled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras."
McCain's facts are literally true, but his insinuation—that the visit was canceled because of the press ban or the desire for gym time—is false. In fact, Obama visited wounded troops earlier—without cameras or press—both in the U.S. and Iraq. And his gym workouts are a daily routine.
The Obama campaign canceled the visit with wounded troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, Obama says, when he learned that the Pentagon would not allow him to bring along a retired Air Force major general who is serving as a foreign policy adviser to the campaign. Obama says that "triggered then a concern that maybe our visit was going to be perceived as political."
Analysis
Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign released this ad July 26 and said it would run in "key states."
John McCain 2008 Ad: "Troops"
Announcer: Barack Obama never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan. He hadn't been to Iraq in years. He voted against funding our troops.
And now, he made time to go to the gym, but canceled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras.
John McCain is always there for our troops. McCain. Country first.
John McCain: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.
Trading the Troops for the Gym?
The ad says Obama "made time to go to the gym, but canceled a visit with wounded troops." The announcer then goes on to say that it "seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras," implying that's the reason Obama canceled the visit.
It's a fact that Obama canceled a visit to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at the last minute after planning it for weeks. And it's a fact that reporters and their cameras would not have been allowed to accompany him. Furthermore, Obama probably did go to the gym that day, as he does practically every day. So the bare facts stated in the ad are true, but they don't support McCain's insinuation.
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Member Comments
Posted By: repub4obama @ 08/19/2008 5:38:19 PM
Comment: Oh well look on the bright side you right wing conservative whack job if your boy McBush wins he'll have plenty of chances to visit dying soldiers in Iraq and soon Iran and probably a few more countries if your right wing conservative war machine has it's way.
Save America kill a conservative
Posted By: loriw @ 08/11/2008 9:09:16 PM
Comment: I rarely post anything negative about Sen. Obama but I have to say on this one I was very disappointed that he did not keep his "appointment" with the injured soldiers. Ok so he couldn't bring cameras and the person he had advising him. So what....go alone but go anyway! You know news like a big celeb or politician coming to visit the soldiers gets around quickly and I bet that more than a few of these soldiers very much wanted to meet Sen. Obama. Let's face it- they are injured and hospitalized an ocean away from home and probably would love to talk with someone from "home" besides their drs and nurses. Imagine the lift to their spirits that Obama's brief visit would have brought. Sen. Obama spent a very large part of this European visit talking to people that aren't Americans, so would it have been so bad to spend even an hour talking with a few of our injured military people. I'm sorry but I think Obama owed them at least that much, after all he is now telling us that he is not going to end the war quickly like he initially did so some of these injured may very well be going back to fight again before it's all said and done. Sen. Obama you blew it on this one. BTW I have a son-in-law in Iraq. So I am watching very carefully how you treat our soldiers and on this one you lost points in my personal opinion poll.
Posted By: howsoonisnow @ 08/08/2008 6:08:33 PM
Comment: Research this: what percatage of German students have studied English (hint- it's a lot higher than your IQ or the percetage of American students who have studied German). Also, please tell me that you're not serious when you "doubt sincerely that any of them were sober enough to care what he said." (The last portion of your remark might lead readers to question whether you yourself are not syntactically challenged by the English language). Finally, I can't help but wonder if you're not smoking or sniffing something Machiavellian when you state that McCain "continues to offer his support and well wishes to the TROOPS" while voting against any increase in troop benefits or improvement in vet care . I guess you're just another armchair WARRIOR/PATRIOT.....