Conservative vets group goes after Barack Obama in California
California hasn't been in play in a presidential election for 20 years. Barack Obama almost surely will capture the trove of 55 electoral votes Nov. 4.
But that's not stopping the conservative Vets for Freedom, which claims to be the largest group representing Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, from stirring things up. Bolstered by $2.2 million, the group plans to air television ads starting today across California -- the Bay Area excluded -- denouncing Obama on national security issues.
Former Gov. Pete Wilson, who is involved in the effort, said the ad is not specifically aimed at helping Republican John McCain. But "if people are persuaded by the ads, it can only help -- not just Sen. McCain but anyone else who shares this view," he said.
The so-called issue advocacy commercial, which doesn't mention McCain, opens with Obama smiling and reclining in an office chair. A voice intones:
"Barack Obama skipped 45% of Senate votes but did manage to show up to vote against emergency funding for our troops. . . .
"Obama was chairman of the committee overseeing the fight against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan but never held a single hearing. . . .
"Obama found time to make 45 trips to Iowa but only two trips to Iraq."
The ad urges viewers to tell Obama to support a Senate resolution commending the U.S. and its troops for undertaking the surge in Iraq, saying the gains are significant but not yet permanent. Lawmakers who favor a more rapid withdrawal from Iraq oppose the resolution.
Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt called the ad "a despicable distortion" of Obama’s record, adding that the Democratic nominee "has been a forceful advocate for our service members, passing legislation that ensured our wounded warriors receive the care and treatment they deserve."
Vets for Freedom refuses to identify those who gave the $2.2 million for the ad buy. Because it is a nonprofit corporation, Vets for Freedom is not required to disclose its donors. Nor is it required to disclose its 2008 spending until it files its tax returns next year, long after the Nov. 4 election.
-- Dan Morain
Don't forget to register at Twitter here to get instant alerts of all new Ticket items flashed straight to your cell.
Photo credit: Alex Brandon/AP
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
Subscribe to this Blog
It took Obama 20 years to find our Rev. Wrights true colors!
Posted by: steve rodriguez | September 30, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Obama's true colors are finally coming out for us all to see!
He has been much more protected than Gov. Palin! All those soft ball questions, this guy can't stand the heat!
Posted by: steve rodriguez | September 30, 2008 at 09:35 PM
Barak Obama is the candidate who did NOT make an anti-American propoganda film for our enemy in time of war.
Posted by: True Facts | October 01, 2008 at 08:14 AM
Anyone who actually cares about this country will take the time to do their research and not believe everything that they read. If you look at Obama's record, this is nothing but a smear and distortion of a good man, and one of the best prospects for a leader of our time.
Posted by: Lizette | October 01, 2008 at 09:10 AM
Aren't you dizzy from spinning the truth?
Posted by: Gal Vet | October 01, 2008 at 01:33 PM
...As Michelle Obama picks out the drapes...
Posted by: Independent Voter | October 01, 2008 at 06:27 PM
Lizette you really drank the Obama cool aid!
Obama is nothing but a fraud!
Posted by: steve rodriguez | October 01, 2008 at 08:03 PM