McCain points to independence, Obama likens him to Bush

[bigtree]

(CNN) -- After a string of ads attacking Barack Obama, John McCain has hit the airwaves with a television spot that looks to show his independence from the current administration:


"Washington's broken. John McCain knows it. We're worse off than we were four years ago," the announcer says in the 30-second spot.

"Only McCain has taken on big tobacco, drug companies, fought corruption in both parties. He'll reform Wall Street, battle Big Oil, make America prosper again. "

"He's the original maverick. One is ready to lead -- McCain."



Obama's campaign slammed the new ad and reiterated its charge that McCain and Bush are one in the same.

"The truth is, being a maverick isn't practicing the same kind of politics we have seen from Washington for decades, it isn't having a campaign run by Washington lobbyists and it's certainly not promoting the same policies that have led America down the wrong path these past eight years," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

At a campaign stop in Youngstown, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, Obama furthered his criticism of McCain and told voters the senator from Arizona offers "four years more of the same failed policies that have gotten us where we are."

"In this election, Sen. McCain has proposed an energy plan that's nothing but four years more of the same," Obama said.


McCain Voted With Bush 100 Percent Of The Time In 2008
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/27/mccain-voted-with-bush-10_n_103718.html

According to Congressional Quarterly's Voting Studies, in 2007 McCain voted in line with the president's position 95 percent of the time – the highest percentage rate for McCain since Bush took office – and voted in line with his party 90 percent of the time.
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/is_it_true_john_mccain_voted_with.html

[mazzarro]

1. Obama Define McCain Or Get Defined By Him!

Obama has to get on with the task of defining McCain rather than responding to him all or most of the time. He - Obama - runs the risk of becoming too defensive in the eyes of voters.

[bigtree]

2. Barack took it to him today

. . . in his speeches and his ads