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A senior Republican Party official demanded that Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean apologize late Friday afternoon for calling Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) “a blatant opportunist” who has “cast aside his principles.” Frank Donatelli, the deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), sought to drive a wedge between Dean and Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) over the comments. “Howard Dean owes John McCain an immediate apology and both Senators Clinton and Obama should unequivocally denounce this disgraceful attack,” said Donatelli. While the candidates have generally tried to stay above the fray, the parties and surrogates have not held back in their criticisms. Dean turned up the rhetorical heat Friday, blasting McCain over the war in Iraq and the faltering economy. “John McCain can try to reintroduce himself to the country, but he can’t change the fact that he cast aside his principles to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Bush the last seven years,” said Dean. “While we honor McCain’s military service, the fact is Americans want a real leader who offers real solutions, not a blatant opportunist who doesn’t understand the economy and is promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years.” Dean’s comments came in response to a new television ad McCain unveiled Friday touting his experience and military service. The DNC chairman also questioned McCain’s ethics. In an interview with National Journal last month, Dean said “McCain has done things that are legally questionable — the Keating Five business back in the ‘90s — but he doesn’t seem to really have an ethical compass,” in reference to a savings and loan scandal that ensnared McCain and four Senate Democrats. Last month, McCain tried to set a dignified tone for the general election when he pledged: “My entire campaign I have treated Senator Obama and Senator Clinton with respect. I will continue to do that throughout this campaign.” McCain made his pledge while disavowing the comments of a radio talk show host, Bill Cunningham, who called Obama a “hack, Chicago-style” politician. On Friday, Republican officials pressured Obama and Clinton to distance themselves from Dean in a similar way. DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney, however, accused the Republicans of making a fuss because Dean’s comments hit a vulnerable spot. "Clearly the RNC recognizes that the biggest threat to John McCain, as we heard loud and clear from voters in our recent focus groups, is the damage he inflicted on his ‘independent’ image and reputation for ‘straight talk’ by shifting his positions to make them more acceptable to the right wing of the Republican Party,” said Finney. Finney emphasized that Democrats respect McCain’s military service but disagree with his positions on the economy and the war. |
