Denish leads Democratic attack against McCain

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish led a Democratic charge against Republican GOP Presidential candidate John McCain today that was timed to coincide with Republican activity in New Mexico.

She and others met at the Barelas Community Center in Albuquerque today and accused McCain of having a voting record “that shows the GOP’s presidential nominee has repeatedly voted to harm New Mexico and New Mexicans,” according to a news release from Denish about the event.

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee is holding its annual state chairmen’s meeting at the nearby Santa Ana Pueblo. McCain’s campaign manager is scheduled to speak to the group tomorrow. McCain is traveling the country this week to give positive speeches about his past to introduce himself to voters. And McCain has been airing a television ad in New Mexico for several days.

“Voting records don’t lie,” Denish said in the news release. “While continuing his support for a costly war, John McCain has voted against White Sands Missile Range and the Holloman, Kirtland and Cannon Air Force bases. Those installations represent security and jobs for New Mexicans – jobs that I’ve worked hard to preserve as chair of the Military Base Planning Commission.”

“Even worse, with his president’s economy reeling, (McCain) voted against critically needed jobs training and business recruitment efforts for New Mexicans,” Denish said. “… If that’s ‘the American president Americans have been waiting for,’ we should get ready for a less prosperous America and Americans who are ill-equipped for the jobs of tomorrow.”

The ‘American president’ quote comes from McCain’s TV ad.

Denish’s release states that McCain voted against more than $1 million in funding for community projects in the Albuquerque area, and against almost $140 million in funding for New Mexico’s military bases. And the release attacked him for voting against the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

“John McCain has claimed Americans are better off economically than they were eight years ago,” Denish said. “Not only does that strain credibility, but even if it were true, it would be no thanks to the stances he took on matters vital to the economic health of New Mexico.”

Joining Denish at the event were state Auditor Hector Balderas, State Rep. Al Park and New Mexico Federation of Labor President Christine Trujillo.

Update, 5:25 p.m.

State Republican Party spokesman Scott Darnell had this to say in response to the attack from Democrats:

“It takes a lot of nerve for Democrats to grandstand in front of the very people who would be harmed most by the devastating tax increases that have been supported by Senators Clinton and Obama in the past and proposed by them for the future,” Darnell said. “No publicity stunt will change the fact that Senator McCain has a proven record of working across party lines to create jobs and ensure that we all have an opportunity to achieve the American dream.”

Update, 9:15 p.m.

RNC spokeswoman Liz Mair had this to say:

“Lt. Gov. Denish speaks of a ‘less prosperous America,’ which unfortunately is exactly what would result from the unsound economic policies being espoused by Barack Obama and Senator Clinton,” she said. “Unlike both Democrats, who favor increasing spending by hundreds of billions of dollars over one four-year term alone and vastly hiking taxes in an effort to pay for such large-scale government expansion, John McCain is proposing commonsense economic policies that will result in more jobs and more opportunity, two items that John McCain has a proven track record of working across party lines to deliver.”