McCain makes play for Clinton backers; Obama attacks

John McCain and Barack Obama are out with competing television ads on the day the Democratic National Convention opens in Denver.

McCain’s ad, which is airing in New Mexico and other battleground states, is part of a larger attempt to snag Democrats and independents who supported Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary. Here it is:

The ad features Debra Bartoshevich, a lifelong Democrat and former Clinton delegate.

“I’m a proud Hillary Clinton Democrat. She had the experience and judgment to be president. Now, in a first for me, I’m supporting a Republican, John McCain,” Bartoshevich says in the ad. “I respect his maverick and independent streak, and now he’s the one with the experience and judgment. A lot of Democrats will vote McCain. It’s OK. Really.”

Meanwhile, Obama is out with a new ad airing in New Mexico and other battleground states attacking McCain on the economy. Here it is:

The ad displays McCain’s previous quote, “Economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” while a revised version of the Sam Cooke song, “Wonderful World (Don’t Know Much),” plays: “I’m not up on the economy. Don’t know much about industry. Really can’t explain the price of gas, or what is happening to the middle class.”

Then the ad shows images of Bush with McCain while these lyrics play: “But I know that one and one is two. And if I could be just like you, what a wonderful world this could be.”

“Do we really want four more years of the same tune?” the ad’s narrator asks.