John McCain 2008 Launches New Television Ad: "Trust"

February 4, 2008 -- ARLINGTON, VA -- In response to Governor Mitt Romney's attacks today, U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released a new television ad. The ad, entitled "Trust," highlights Romney's history of running against the Reagan record and asks, "If we can't trust Mitt Romney on Ronald Reagan, how can we trust him to lead America?"

As conservative columnist Debra Saunders recently wrote, "Don't tell me Romney is the true conservative in the race. His record reveals a solid conservative -- when it has been in his interest to be one. In 1994, when he was running to unseat Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, Romney supported abortion rights [and] distanced himself from Ronald Reagan ..."

"Trust" will run on national cable.

VIEW THE AD HERE:

Script For "Trust" (:30-TV)

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

ANNCR: Mitt Romney on Ronald Reagan

CHYRON: Mitt Romney on Ronald Reagan

MITT ROMNEY: Look, I was an Independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush.

CHYRON: In 1994 He Ran Against the Reagan Record

ANNCR: Mitt Romney was against Ronald Reagan before he was for him

CHYRON: Mitt Romney Was Against Ronald Reagan

CHYRON: Before He Was For Him

MITT ROMNEY: Yeah, I voted in the Democratic Primary. ... When I was running in 94, I wasn't trying to return to Reagan-Bush.

CHYRON: In 1992 He Voted for Liberal Democrat Paul Tsongas for President

ANNCR: If we can't trust Mitt Romney on Ronald Reagan, how can we trust him to lead America?

CHYRON: If We Can't Trust Mitt Romney on Ronald Reagan

CHYRON: How Can We Trust Him to Lead America?

MITT ROMNEY: I'm not running as the Republican view or a continuation of Republican values.

AD FACTS: JOHN MCCAIN 2008, "TRUST"

Romney Ran Against Reagan Record In 1994 Campaign

Romney: "I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush." (Mitt Romney, Romney-Kennedy Senate Debate, Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA, 10/25/94)

· San Francisco Chronicle's Deb Saunders: "But don't tell me Romney is the true conservative in the race. His record reveals a solid conservative -- when it has been in his interest to be one. In 1994, when he was running to unseat Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, Romney supported abortion rights, distanced himself from Ronald Reagan and courted the gay and lesbian vote. ... Yes, thinking people's positions evolve, but Romney's evolutions have been too fast and too convenient. Perhaps that's why New Hampshire voters did not turn out for the former governor next door." (Debra Saunders, Op-Ed, "The Real Conservative Republican?" San Francisco Chronicle, 1/22/08)

· Boston Herald's Howie Carr: "Why run away from Reagan? You were an independent during the 80s? You wouldn't be for Prop. 187 if you lived in California? And you had a relative who died of an illegal abortion -- please, Mitt, spare us the Kathleen Brown bathos." (Howie Carr, "Ted K. May Not Be Good, But He Certainly Is Lucky," Boston Herald, 10/26/94)

Romney Voted For Democrat Paul Tsongas In 1992 Presidential Primary, Changed Story This Year

Romney: "Yeah. I voted in the Democratic primary ... Well, when I was running in 94 I wasn't trying to return to Reagan-Bush ..." (CBS' "Face The Nation," 10/21/07)

In 1994, Romney Admitted Voting For Democrat Paul Tsongas In 1992 Presidential Primary, Saying He Did So Because Tsongas Was From Massachusetts And He Preferred His Ideas Over Bill Clinton's. "Romney confirmed he voted for former US Sen. Paul Tsongas in the state's 1992 Democratic presidential primary, saying he did so both because Tsongas was from Massachusetts and because he favored his ideas over those of Bill Clinton." (Scot Lehigh and Frank Phillips, "GOP's Romney Declares, Says Kennedy Out Of Date," The Boston Globe, 2/3/94)

But In 2007, Romney Offered "New Explanation" For Tsongas Vote, Saying He Was Trying To Vote For Weakest Opponent For Republican. "Republican presidential candididate Mitt Romney offered a new explanation today for why he supported a Democrat in 1992. That year, Romney, then a registered independent, voted for former Sen. Paul Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic presidential primary. He told ABC's George Stephanopoulos, in an interview that will air Sunday on "This Week," that his vote was meant as a tactical maneuver aimed at finding the weakest opponent for incumbent President George H.W. Bush. 'In Massachusetts, if you register as an independent, you can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary,' said Romney, who until he made an unsuccessful run for Senate in 1994 had spent his adult life as a registered independent. 'When there was no real contest in the Republican primary, I'd vote in the Democrat primary, vote for the person who I thought would be the weakest opponent for the Republican.'" (Jonathan Greenberger, "Romney Explains 92 Vote For Tsongas," ABC News, 2/16/07)

· Romney's Changed Story Called "Strange." "Romney's contention that his vote for Tsongas was a vote for the weakest opponent for Bush -- a phenomenon that political scientists refer to as 'raiding' -- surprised Professor William Mayer of Northeastern University in Boston. 'That would have been a strange election to have done that in, in the sense that Paul Tsongas was obviously going to carry his home state' of Massachusetts, said Mayer. Tsongas won the Massachusetts primary with 66 percent of the vote." (Jonathan Greenberger, "Romney Explains 92 Vote For Tsongas," ABC News, 2/16/07)

Romney: "I'm Not Running As The Republican View, Or A Continuation Of Republican Values"

Romney: "I'm not running as the Republican view, or a continuation of Republican values. That's not what brings me to the race." (Michael Luo, "Democrats Release Romney Video," The New York Times' Caucus Blog, 7/12/07; 2002 Video: www.youtube.com)

Source: John McCain campaign

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