RNC ad attacks Obama on war spending

by Katie Fretland

John McCain will reach out to the residents of the mini Berlins today -- the cities named Berlin in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New Hampshire -- with a new radio advertisement to coincide with opponent Barack Obama's speech in Berlin, Germany.

McCain has worked to attract some of the spotlight during Obama's highly-publicized trip overseas. The new ad will also air in the towns named Paris in Maine, Michigan and Missouri, when Obama travels to Paris, France.

The ad attacks Obama for his May 2007 vote against a $120 billion appropriation bill, mostly for war spending in Iraq and Afghanistan. The legislation passed 80-14.

"But when our military needed necessary resources, Barack Obama failed to stand up," the ad states. "Obama said that nobody wanted to play chicken with our troops on the ground. But when it came time to act, he voted against critical resources: no to individual body armor, no to helicopters, no to ammunition, no to aircraft."

Obama previously supported a similar bill that was vetoed by the president. That bill contained language to begin a troop withdrawal by October 2007.

Obama issued a statement at that time criticizing Bush's veto.

"After he vetoed a plan that would have funded the troops and begun to bring them home, this bill represents more of his stubborn refusal to address his failed policy," Obama said. "We should not give the president a blank check to continue down this same, disastrous path."

Our colleague Andrew Malcolm at Top of the Ticket has more on the RNC ad.

Continue reading for a transcript of the advertisement paid for by the Republican National Committee:

"There are few votes as important as funding our men and women in uniform.

But when our military needed necessary resources, Barack Obama failed to stand up.

Obama said that nobody wanted to play chicken with our troops on the ground.

But when it came time to act, he voted against critical resources: no to individual body armor, no to helicopters, no to ammunition, no to aircraft.

The bill Obama opposed even had funding for veterans' medical facilities and rehabilitation programs.

And why did he say no?

Obama chose Washington politics over the needs of our military.

And Senator McCain?

As a veteran and someone who has always put the public interest first, John McCain stood by our troops.

If Obama can't rise above politics to support our soldiers in a time of war, then how can he claim to have the strength to change the way Washington works?

John McCain is ready to lead. Barack Obama is not.

I'm John McCain and I approved this message."