Tom Baldwin, Washington | June 25, 2008
JOHN McCain yesterday delivered a sharp rebuke to one of his most senior advisers, who had suggested that another terrorist attack on the US could propel the Republican nominee into the White House.
Charlie Black, a veteran Republican strategist who has already come under fire for his past ties to lobbyists, told Fortune magazine that a terror incident on US soil "certainly would be a big advantage" to Senator McCain.
He also cited the "unfortunate event" of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan in December, shortly before Senator McCain staged his comeback in the Republican primary contest. "His knowledge and ability to talk about it re-emphasised that this is the guy who's ready to be commander-in-chief. And it helped us."
The sudden row over his adviser embarrassed Senator McCain and his campaign officials yesterday, when he had hoped to focus on energy issues and a headline-catching initiative to offer $US300million ($315million) to anyone who developed a revolutionary car battery.
Asked about Mr Black's comments during a press conference in Fresno, California, Senator McCain said he wished to "strenuously disagree" with them.
"I cannot imagine why he would say it. It's not true," he said. "I've worked tirelessly since 9/11 to prevent another attack on the United States of America. My record is very clear."
Mr Black, confronted by reporters outside a fundraising event, read from handwritten notes. "I deeply regret the comments. They were inappropriate," he said.
"I recognise that John McCain has devoted his entire adult life to protecting his country and placing its security before every other consideration."
Campaign officials said Mr Black did not explicitly remember the comment, but did not dispute it. According to one source, he was trying to emphasise that Senator McCain was favoured by most voters on national security issues.
The campaign of the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, seized on the comments as further evidence of the type of politics practised by the Republican in previous elections.
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said: "Barack Obama welcomes a debate about terrorism with John McCain, who has fully supported the Bush policies that have taken our eye off of al-Qa'ida, failed to bring Osama binLaden to justice, and made us less safe. The fact that John McCain's top adviser says that a terrorist attack on American soil would be a 'big advantage' for their political campaign is a complete disgrace.
"Barack Obama will turn the page on these failed policies and this cynical and divisive brand ofpolitics so that we can unite this nation around a common purpose to finish the fight against al-Qa'ida."
Four years ago, President George W. Bush and other Republicans argued that his then opponent, John Kerry, was soft on terrorism and questioned the record of the Democratic Party on national security after the attacks of September 11, 2001.
A tape from Osama bin Laden days before that election suggesting he wanted Senator Kerry to win was widely regarded as having benefited Mr Bush.
Many measures taken by the Bush administration to protect the US, including the Guantanamo Bay camp for terror suspects and domestic wiretapping - as well as the war in Iraq - have become increasingly the focus of national or international controversy.
Senator Obama and former rival Hillary Clinton plan to campaign together on Friday in the small New Hampshire town of Unity - their first joint appearance, meant to ease tensions over the closely fought Democratic primary.
The location, announced yesterday, was chosen not only for the symbolism of its name, but because each candidate received exactly 107 votes there in the January 8 primary, which Senator Clinton won. New Hampshire is a critical battleground state in the November election.
Senator McCain won the state's primary in his unsuccessful 2000 presidential bid and prevailed again this year.
The former first lady will introduce Senator Obama to her financial backers, who have been slow to embrace her one-time opponent.
The Times, AP
