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McCain uses Biden's own words against Obama in new ad

THE WASHINGTON POST

August 24, 2008

SEDONA, Ariz. - Sen. John McCain immediately began using Joe Biden's own words against him early yesterday morning, drawing on the Democratic vice-presidential nominee's criticism of Sen. Barack Obama during the Democratic primary.

"There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden," said McCain spokesman Ben Porritt. "Biden has denounced Barack Obama's poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing - that Barack Obama is not ready to be president."

Running against Obama for the presidency, Biden said nominating someone without national security credentials would be a "tragic mistake" and said the presidency "is not something that lends itself to on-the-job-training."

The first volley from McCain's staff arrived at 1:50 a.m., reflecting the new pace of presidential politics in the Internet era. And it foreshadowed what is certain to be a principal line of attack.

The McCain camp quickly produced a television ad featuring Biden's previous praise for McCain and his comments critical of Obama.

McCain aides are likely to go after Biden by arguing he does not represent the fundamental change Obama has been promising since beginning his presidential run.

Biden, a 36-year veteran of the U.S. Senate, is a creature of Capitol Hill, someone steeped in the nuances of the legislature and part of an institution that regularly gets terrible approval ratings by Americans. Obama has been running against Washington, saying the people there like McCain are the problem that needs to be fixed. McCain can argue that by choosing Biden, Obama abandons that case.

But McCain has to be careful. He has served in the Senate alongside Biden for more than two decades, a fact Democrats are certain to point out. And Biden's long experience with foreign policy issues is sure to blunt some of McCain's criticisms of Obama.

Biden and McCain are friends, part of the elite Senate club, and are likely to offer praise for each other as the campaign continues.

But that will not prevent McCain from aiming his fire at his colleague, starting with Biden's comments during the primary - which the new McCain ad out yesterday highlighted.

During one of the Democratic debates, Biden stood by comments about Obama that "I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training."

BIDEN SAID WHAT?

OF OBAMA, BIDEN MISSTEPS THEN BACKTRACKS:

"I mean, you've got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." (JAN. 2007)

"I deeply regret any offense my remark in the New York Observer might have caused anyone. That was not my intent and I expressed that to Senator Obama." (JAN. 2007)

"Barack Obama is probably the most exciting candidate that the Democratic or Republican Party has produced at least since I've been around," Biden said. "And he's fresh. He's new. He's smart. He's insightful. And I really regret that some have taken totally out of context my use of the word 'clean.'" (JAN. 2007)

ON OBAMA'S INEXPERIENCE

"I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training." (AUG. 2007)

"If the Democrats think we're going to be able to nominate someone who can win without that person being able to table unimpeachable credentials on national security and foreign policy, I think we're making a tragic mistake." (AUG. 2007)

'VOODOO ECONOMICS.' Biden's not the first VP pick who had to live down statements from a former rival who he would then champion for the White House. In 1980, then-contender George H.W. Bush called rival Ronald Reagan's economic plans "voodoo economics." Bush's description of Reagan's tax-cutting policies stuck as a critical description of Reagan's supply-side economics, but that didn't stop Reagan from picking Bush to be his running mate and serving two terms as vice president.

- KEITH HERBERT