My Friends,  I have long said that this election will present the American people with a clear choice in electing our next president. The differences between my vision for national security leadership and that of Senator Obama’s could not be greater, and this is why I am writing to you today.
I think you all know that this war has been long, hard and tough. And it has meant enormous sacrifice on the part of Americans in blood and treasure. But after four years of a badly mismanaged war, our new strategy is succeeding and we are now winning in Iraq thanks to the service and sacrifice of the brave Americans who are serving.
I have visited Iraq on many occasions because I think the most vital decision that any President of the United States can make has got to be about the security of this nation and the lives of the young Americans who are serving.
But I cannot say the same of one of my opponents, Senator Barack Obama. He has only been to Iraq once, on a trip two years ago. Senator Obama speaks openly about his willingness to sit down with our enemies and engage in open talks, but he hasn’t gone to Iraq in over two years to meet with our leaders and see that progress is being made on the ground. Something is wrong with your judgment when you want to sit down unconditionally with Raul Castro and Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but you don’t take the opportunity to sit down with General Petraeus and learn about the situation in Iraq firsthand. My friends, this is not the “change” we need in our next president.
Our next president cannot just talk about leadership; they must demonstrate it. Senator Obama is the chairman of an important subcommittee that has oversight of our efforts in Afghanistan. Yet he has not held one hearing on Afghanistan, a place where young Americans are in harm’s way every day. When a chairman of a subcommittee can’t lead, it’s bad; when a president doesn’t lead, it’s unacceptable.
I am convinced that my experience, knowledge and every challenge I have confronted during my years of service to our country and its ideals make me better able to lead and ready to serve as our Commander in Chief on day one. That is why I am asking you to make a financial contribution of $50, $100, $250, $500, or any amount up to the limit of $2,300 right away. Our national security is too important to hand over to someone who does not have the knowledge or experience to make judgment calls on Iraq. Thank you.
Sincerely,
John McCain
P.S. My friends, it’s clear Senator Obama was driven to his position on the War in Iraq by his ideology and not by the facts on the ground. He does not have the knowledge or experience to make the judgments necessary to keep our Nation safe, prosperous and strong. Presidents have to listen and learn. Presidents have to make judgments no matter how popular or unpopular they may be. I believe I am better prepared to make these judgments, leading our country as your next president, and I ask that you make a financial contribution right away to my campaign so that I am able to take my message of experience to the American people. Thank you.
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May 29th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
If McCain is going to “come out swinging” for cash, that certainly won’t help him among the Religious Right.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
If he wants cash, he can put Mitt on the ticket. Money will flow as if it were growing on trees.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
haha, true.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I just gave a bit of my cash to a Senate candidate in New Mexico. I would rather give what little cash I have further down the ticket.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
to #1.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Ohio Joe, I hope you gave it to Steve Pierce?
May 29th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
*Pearce
May 29th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Sorry Senator, I think I’ll take the money and invest it in a big corporation so they can report even more obscene profits!
May 29th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Yes I did Billy.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Awesome. I hope he wins. I do not like Heather Wilson.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Pres. Bush has been to Iraq 3 times.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Just to update everyone on the candidates finances that i saw on Fox News and CNN last night.
McCain cash on hand $21 Milion
Obama cash on hand $ 37 Million
But look at the eye popping number’s from the National Committee’s!!
RNC $40 Million cash on hand
DNC $4 Million cash on hand
Which brings the total to McCain $61 Million, Obama $41 Million, and McCain’s fundraising is just getting better and better by the day. Just the other day he raised $3 Million in one day with President Bush and the RNC is getting in record numbers so i think McCain will be just fine in that department, plus he’s taking the $85 Million in the fall in matching funds.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Bryan,
I’ve been reading that too. Ever since those numbers became widely circulated the Democrats have shut up about having a huge money advantage.
That bodes well for us in VA and FL.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Bryan,
“plus (McCain) is taking the $85 Million in the fall in matching funds.”
I don’t think they are matching funds for the General. I think it is cash in lieu of any fundraising, meaning (if I understand correctly), McCain will have a budget of exactly $85 million. I also think it carries restrictions on spending by state.
Obama will raise $85 million in 1-2 months.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
MWS,
But when do those restrictions come into play? September? October? I really don’t know. Do you?
May 29th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Adam,
I think the clock starts after the convention.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
In order to secure victory, McCain should take all his $85 million and on Nov. 1 pay Obama $85 million to drop out of the race.
That would be the most effective use of the money.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Hmm. Well then McCain is just going to have to find a work around. Funnel the money into 527′s or something.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Adam,
Yeah. According to FEC rules, the actual “general election” doesn’t begin until the day after the convention. So McCain would be getting $85 million to spend during September and October along with the spending limits as well. I’m a little fuzzy here, but my understanding is that the $85 million is essentially a government grant directly to the McCain campaign. As far as I know though, taking the money will just prohibit McCain from raising any GE money himself, but it doesn’t stop the RNC from raising separately. Currently an individual could donate up to $28,500 to the RNC compared to only $2,300 to a campaign. That means that it’s possible that by the time the Convention rolls around, McCain could actually have a significant advantage over Obama in funds.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
The RNC can continue raising money, but the law limits the amount the parties can spend on the presidential candidate. In 2004 the limit was about $16 million.
It sounds like enough money to wage an effective campaign, but it depends on just how many states are in play.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Yea i thought that the RNC could raise as much money as it wanted to and spend as much as it wanted to against Barack Obama until the election, but i guess i could be wrong on that, but it’s still not looking as bad for McCain as everyone was thinking a couple of months ago, he is making great progress in difficult times.
May 29th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
McCain needs a message other than “Obama sucks on National Security.”
May 29th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I believe most of the Democratic cash has gone to the presidential candidates, and to the DNC Senate and Congressional coffers. I believe the Senate and Congressional coffers have a 5 or 10 to 1 advantage over the Republican funds.
May 29th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
On the topic of Petraeus, does anyone know if there’s anything to these comments attributed to Admiral Fallon about Petraeus?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/09/12/report-fallon-derided-pe_n_64169.html
May 29th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Obama is in trouble on cash. Matching funds will average out to over $1 million per day for McCain, up front after the convention. At best, Obama was averaging $1 million per day, but it has been sliding as of late. If you take in to account what Obama raised last month, in those two months, he will raise under $65 million for Sept. and Oct. The DNC has nothing to contribute.
The RNC chairman might have saved the McCain campaign by moving the convention to September. This is amazing luck. All that Obama fundraising, much of which was spent against Hilary. McCain’s fundraising is underestimated, because almost all the cash at his events go to the RNC.
I guess it helps, when the father of Campaign finance, knows how to legally use the rules to his advantage.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:53 am
If Obama thought he couldn’t raise $85 million he would just take the federal funds and direct individual contributors to the DNC. But I suspect he will not do that because after the nomination fight is over many of Hillary’s supporters will start giving him money.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:24 am
not one red cent though I do support the war effort
my $$$ goes to conservatives only
May 30th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
27. If McCain takes a grant it is your money….It came from somewhere…it didn’t grow on trees and I assume that the tax payer gets the bill..$85 million for both parties, $170 million doesn’t sound like alot BUT its the idea of expecting goverment to pay for it…I bet that $$ could be used for better use somewhere else…Let them raise their own money from their own party for their own campaign…Leave the tax payers money alone….
May 31st, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Yeah I know I guess I mean not one cent voluntarily. If they force it out of me tax-wise, I cannot be held responsible for who it goes to.