Obama salutes McCain patriotism

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MANHEIM, Pa. — Sen. Barack Obama said yesterday that he would never question Sen. John McCain's patriotism even as he excoriated the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's position on Iraq.

"The guy is a war hero," Mr. Obama told reporters. He praised Mr. McCain for enduring "horrendous treatment" as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

"I would never challenge him on his patriotism," Mr. Obama said. "He has earned the honor and respect of the American people."

The presidential campaigns are considering how to address Mr. McCain's military service, which is likely to be a major boon for the senator from Arizona in the November election.

The McCain campaign last week began airing the first commercial for the general election. The ad emphasizes his war service and includes footage of him as a prisoner of war in a North Vietnamese hospital bed.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called Mr. McCain "a blatant opportunist" for changing positions to embrace President Bush.

The Republican National Committee demanded an apology from Mr. Dean and denouncement of the remarks from Mr. Obama and his Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. Neither Democratic candidate has denounced Mr. Dean's comment.

The Washington Times asked Mr. Obama whether he agreed with Mr. Dean's characterization, but the senator from Illinois said he had not seen the ad nor heard the DNC chairman's remark.

Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain have been exchanging rhetoric on the Iraq war for a month, even though the Democrat has not clinched his party's nomination.

Mr. Obama said it is "entirely fair" to say on the campaign trail that Mr. McCain would continue the war for 100 years because the Republican has not clearly defined success in Iraq and has given no criteria for troop withdrawal.

"For him to argue, which he has repeatedly, that any suggestion that we withdraw troops is surrendering, that implies that we will be there as long as he thinks it's necessary for us to be there," Mr. Obama said.

Mr. McCain told an audience in New Hampshire this year to "make it a hundred" years that U.S. forces would be involved in Iraq if needed for stabilization.

"We've been in Japan for 60 years. We've been in South Korea 50 years or so. That would be fine with me," he said. "As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. That's fine with me; I hope that would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al Qaeda is training and equipping and recruiting and motivating people every single day."

Democrats have hammered the point that Mr. McCain is arguing for a 100-year war, but Republicans call the rhetoric disingenuous. Republicans said Democrats are hurting Mr. Obama's credibility as a candidate for change by attacking Mr. McCain's words and not distancing themselves from Mr. Dean's.

Mr. McCain yesterday began a weeklong tour of places that have been formative in his life. He started in Mississippi, where his family has roots, many running deep in the U.S. military.

"A distant ancestor served on General Washington's staff, and it seems my ancestors fought in most wars in our nation's history," he said.

He noted that his father and grandfather served in the Navy and two other relatives were in the Army. All four are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Mr. McCain also said his upbringing taught him the value of low taxes, the family's primary role in education and the need for the government to make health care affordable for the poor.

He is scheduled to speak at his alma maters, Episcopal High School in Alexandria today and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis tomorrow.

• Stephen Dinan, reporting from Washington, contributed to this article.