SCHotline Press Releases

JOHN MCCAIN 2008 LAUNCHES NEW TELEVISION AD, “NOT EASY”

ARLINGTON, VA — U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign today announced a new television ad to run in New Hampshire. The ad, entitled “Not Easy,” focuses on John McCain’s demonstrated record of leadership — putting America’s national security interests over politics to do what’s right, not only when it’s easy, but when it’s hard.

This week, Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said:

“John McCain has proven that we can trust him to do what is right for our country, not only when it is easy, but when it is hard; to do what is necessary, not only when it is popular, but when it is not; and to tell us the truth, not only when it is easy to hear, but when it is not. … When it comes to keeping America safe in this time of war, John has proven that he has the experience, the strength, and the character, to be our commander-in-chief from day one.”

“Not Easy” will run on New Hampshire and Boston television.

VIEW THE NEW AD HERE: http://www.johnmccain.com/tvads/

Script for “Not Easy” (:30-TV)

ANNCR: “One man warned us we were failing in Iraq,

“And told us how we could turn things around.

“More troops and a different strategy.

“He took a lot of heat, but he stood by what he knew was right.

“Today that strategy is working.”

JOHN MCCAIN: “I didn’t go to Washington to win Mr. Congeniality. I went there to serve my country.”

ANNCR: “One man does what’s best for America.

“Not what’s easy.”

JOHN MCCAIN: “I’m John McCain and I approve this message.”

JOHN MCCAIN: LEADERSHIP TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR AMERICA — NOT ONLY WHEN IT’S EASY, BUT WHEN IT’S HARD

John McCain: A Demonstrated Record Of Leadership, Putting Principle Over Politics To Do What’s Right For America — Not Only When It’s Easy, But When It’s Hard

Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT): “John McCain has proven that we can trust him to do what is right for our country, not only when it is easy, but when it is hard; to do what is necessary, not only when it is popular, but when it is not; and to tell us the truth, not only when it is easy to hear, but when it is not. … When it comes to keeping America safe in this time of war, John has proven that he has the experience, the strength, and the character, to be our commander-in-chief from day one. … When others were silent, and it was thought politically unpopular, John had the courage and common sense to sound the alarm about the mistakes we were making in Iraq and to call for more troops and a new strategy there. And when others wavered, when others wanted to retreat from the field of battle, John had the courage and the common sense to stand against the tide of public opinion and support the surge in Iraq, where we are at last winning. You may not agree with John McCain on every issue, but you can always count on him to be honest with you about where he stands, you can always count on him to stand for what he believes is right for our country — regardless of pressure from politicians or vested interests. And you can count on him to be restless in pursuit of progress. In that sense, John McCain is the real change candidate in this race for the Presidency.” (Sen. Joe Lieberman, Statement On Endorsing John McCain For President, 12/17/07)

·         Lieberman: “[John McCain] supported the war as I did against Saddam Hussein. It was the right thing to do. But when he saw the strategy going wrong, he didn’t yield to partisan loyalty and not criticize the president and Secretary Rumsfeld. He said we have got to change this, it’s not working. And when they finally did, it’s begun to work. That’s why I support John McCain …” (CNN’s “The Situation Room, 12/17/07)

New Hampshire Union Leader: “Sen. McCain is much more than just a war hero who chose to endure years of abuse at the hands of a sadistic enemy rather than abandon his comrades. In his political career he has demonstrated real wisdom on foreign policy, and never more impressively than after Sept. 11, 2001. Of all the candidates for President, it was John McCain and only John McCain who not only opposed Donald Rumsfeld’s Iraq strategy from the start but offered a viable alternative for winning that ill-fated war. When the Democrats cried ‘Retreat!’ and other Republicans shouted ‘Stay the course!’ McCain listened to the commanders on the ground. He discerned the path to victory early, and only after the President finally did what McCain had urged for years did the tide begin to turn in our favor. That is the kind of judgment America needs in the oval office.” (Editorial, “Commander In Chief: McCain Is The Best Choice,” New Hampshire Union Leader, 12/16/07)

·         Union Leader: “There is no greater issue in this election than keeping America safe from its enemies. Romney and other Republicans might have similar foreign policy agendas, but none has the proven judgment on foreign affairs that Sen. McCain has. America needs a leader whose own judgment in matters of war and peace can be trusted implicitly. John McCain is that leader.” (Editorial, “Commander In Chief: McCain Is The Best Choice,” New Hampshire Union Leader, 12/16/07)

Des Moines Register: “The leading candidates seeking the Republican nomination for president present an intriguing mix of priorities, personalities and life stories. … Yet, for all their accomplishments on smaller stages, none can offer the tested leadership, in matters foreign and domestic, of Sen. John McCain of Arizona. McCain is most ready to lead America in a complex and dangerous world and to rebuild trust at home and abroad by inspiring confidence in his leadership.” (Editorial, “Republican Endorsement Editorial: Why McCain,” Des Moines Register, 12/16/07)

Portsmouth Herald: “U.S. Sen. John McCain will tell you the truth, even if it costs him the election. He has a very clear-eyed view of the truth having spent his life fighting for our country and leading the U.S. Senate for the past 20 years on virtually every critical issue facing our nation. In our view, John McCain stands head and shoulders above the rest of the Republican field and deserves the support of those voting in the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary Jan. 8.” (Editorial, “Vote Sen. McCain In GOP Primary,” Portsmouth Herald, 12/16/07)

John McCain: The Judgment, Experience And Character To Lead As Commander In Chief >From Day One

Newsweek’s Michael Hirsch: “As We Now Know Nearly Four Years Later, McCain Was Dead On In His Analysis Of What Went Wrong In Iraq.” “In early November 2003, at a time when Fred Dalton Thompson was playing a tough D.A. on ‘Law and Order,’ John McCain was cross-examining Donald Rumsfeld for real on Capitol Hill. It was still very early into the U.S. occupation of Iraq, but the as-yet-unacknowledged (by Rummy, that is) insurgency was already out of control. Alone among his fellow GOP senators, McCain blasted Rumsfeld for not putting enough U.S. troops on the ground, and for resorting too soon to ‘Iraqification’ — that is, transferring security to ill-prepared Iraqi forces. In an extraordinarily blunt speech at the Council on Foreign Relations that grim autumn, McCain warned that ultimately Iraq could become another Vietnam ‘if we lose popular support in the United States.’ … As we now know nearly four years later, McCain was dead on in his analysis of what went wrong in Iraq. Right down to the need for Bush to get engaged and fire Rumsfeld. McCain was so right that, among military experts today, the emerging conventional wisdom about Bush’s current ’surge’ is that if it had occurred back then — when McCain wanted it and the political will existed in this country to support it for the necessary number of years — it might well have succeeded.” (Michael Hirsch, “Why McCain’s Collapse Matters,” Newsweek, 7/26/07)

·         August 2003: “McCain … Said After Visiting Baghdad Last Week That President Bush Needs To Level With The Public About The Need For More U.S. Troops …” “Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said after visiting Baghdad last week that President Bush needs to level with the public about the need for more U.S. troops as well as dramatically more spending to make postwar Iraq peaceful enough for democracy to unfold. … ‘We need to tell the American people directly, and I think they’ll support it,’ McCain said from Islamabad, Pakistan. ‘We must win this conflict. We need a lot more military, and I’m convinced we need to spend a lot more money.’” (Mike Allen, “McCain Says U.S. Needs More Money, Troops in Iraq,” The Washington Post, 8/24/03)

·         November 2003: “To Win In Iraq, We Should Increase The Number Of Forces In-Country, Including Marines And Special Forces, To Conduct Offensive Operations.” “To win in Iraq, we should increase the number of forces in-country, including Marines and Special Forces, to conduct offensive operations. I believe we must have in place another full division, giving us the necessary manpower to conduct a focused counterinsurgency campaign across the Sunni triangle that seals off enemy operating areas, conducts search and destroy operations and holds territory. Such a strategy would be the kind of new mission General Sanchez agreed would require additional forces. It’s a mystery to me why they are not forthcoming. We cannot achieve our political goals as long as a strategic region of Iraq is in a state of fundamental insecurity.” (Sen. John McCain, Remarks To Council On Foreign Relations, Washington, DC 11/5/03)

The Surge Is Working In Iraq

ABC News: “This has been a remarkable day in Iraq. Our Baghdad Bureau says there were no reports of major outbreaks of violence anywhere in the country today. This is the first time we can recall that happening since the insurgency began. The improving conditions are having visible effects. Communities that had been under siege are coming alive again.” (ABC World News, 12/14/07)

NBC News: “Today the US military said there has been a sharp drop in attacks against coalition forces in the last 21 weeks. So today’s holiday was almost a celebration. … Today we see traffic jams where al-Qaeda once saw targets.” (NBC Nightly News, 11/22/07)

ABC News: “American troops are spending their fifth Thanksgiving at war in Iraq. Last year on this day, Baghdad was in lockdown after one of that city’s deadliest suicide bombings. But the headlines in recent weeks have been different. And today, our Baghdad correspondent, Terry McCarthy, got an extraordinary look at the country, traveling with the number two US general there, Ray Odierno. … The message we get from US commanders in bases outside Baghdad is pretty much the same wherever we go, cautious optimism. Not only is there a huge increase in Iraqi citizens groups who are coming forward to help the Americans, but overall levels of violence have gone way down. When the surge started, three or four Americans were being killed every day in Iraq. Now that number’s gone down to about one a day. And for Iraqis, reasons to be thankful, as well. Civilian deaths in Baghdad are down 65% compared to six months ago. Car bombs are down 47%.” (ABC World News, 11/22/07)

The New York Times: “The security improvements in most neighborhoods are real. Days now pass without a car bomb, after a high of 44 in the city in February. The number of bodies appearing on Baghdad’s streets has plummeted to about 5 a day, from as many as 35 eight months ago, and suicide bombings across Iraq fell to 16 in October, half the number of last summer and down sharply from a recent peak of 59 in March, the American military says. As a result, for the first time in nearly two years, people are moving with freedom around much of this city. In more than 50 interviews across Baghdad, it became clear that while there were still no-go zones, more Iraqis now drive between Sunni and Shiite areas for work, shopping or school, a few even after dark.” (Damien Cave and Alissa J. Rubin, “Baghdad’s Weary Start To Exhale As Security Improves,” The New York Times, 11/20/07)

The Washington Post: “The evidence is now overwhelming that the ’surge’ of U.S. military forces in Iraq this year has been, in purely military terms, a remarkable success.” (Editorial, “Iraq’s Narrow Window,” The Washington Post, 11/18/07)

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