McCain combats negative SC mailer
Posted: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 6:43 PM by Domenico Montanaro
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From NBC's Bethany Thomas
CHARLESTON, SC -- In a conference call with reporters, members of John McCain’s South Carolina “Truth Squad” squashed accusations that went out in a South Carolina mailer earlier today. A group called the “Vietnam Veterans Against McCain” sent out a negative mailer to South Carolina depicting a cartoon of McCain sitting in a prison cell with writings on the wall that say, “Elect Me, Elect Me, POW for President” and “An Enormous Crime, The POWs I Helped Leave Behind."
Former POW Orson Swindle said, “This is not news. These (conspiracy) groups exist around the country.” He went on to say that the mailer is not only destructive to John McCain and his campaign, but also to the families of soldiers that are still missing in action. Swindle, who lived in prison with McCain for two years, said, “This has been going on since we came home in 1973. We’ve encountered this before…It’s very inappropriate during an election -- and a bit crazy, too.”
Another member of the “Truth Squad” and speaker of the South Carolina House, Bobby Harrell, told reporters, “When I heard about this, I was appauled…We know the man, we know what he stands for.”
Swindle also told reporters, “These two papers (from the mailer) are a collection of half-truths and misinformation.”
The “Truth Squad” was announced last week in an attempt for the campaign to try to stop negative attacks as they occur. McCain is doing everything he can to make sure that negative ads do not overwhelm the race, like they did in the 2000 election.
