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Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.

Independent Group Running TV Ad in Colorado Accusing Obama of Attacking McCain's War Wounds
September 24, 2008 12:36 PM

A new independent group called Citizens for Open and Responsive Government says it's running a TV ad on cable in Colorado that goes after Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for knowingly attacking Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for not being able to use a computer because of his war wounds.

This is in response to Obama running a TV ad hitting McCain for being out of touch because he doesn't email or use a computer, which as we discussed a few days ago actually has less to do with him being an anachronism and more to do with the wounds he sustained in Vietnam. Small tasks make his shoulders ache, so he tries to avoid any repetitive exercise.

Other than running mate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. -- who condemned this ad, then seemed to kinda, sorta retract his condemnation -- the Obama campaign's response when asked about this has been to ignore the notion that McCain doesn't type because of his war wounds.

So, the opening thus provided by Mr. Obama's hope-mongers, CORG's ad features Lt. Colonel Mike Fairhead (ret.) of Rogers, AR, a disabled Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient.

In the ad, after Fairhead introduces himself, the script is as follows:

Narrator: What do Mike Fairhead and John McCain have in common? They are both wounded veterans and neither of them are able use a computer or type an email because of war injuries. Apparently, Barack Obama's believes John McCain's war injuries disqualify him from being commander-in-chief. This attack is so shameful that even Obama's own running-mate, Joe Biden, described the attack as "terrible". Saying, "... [I'd] never have done it."

Fairhead: Mr. Obama, why do you attack Sen. McCain because of his disability?

- jpt

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