Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain's campaign accused rival Barack Obama of placing his own "self-interest" above what is best for the country. In the latest attempt to call out the presumptive Democratic nominee, the McCain campaign cited Obama's voting record and decision to not accept public financing.
The Illinois Senator "has never put his career on the line for a cause greater than himself," Senior McCain advisor Steve Schmidt said. "We have seen Barack Obama forced to choose between principle and the interests of himself and his party. He has always chosen the latter."
In an effort to distinguish John McCain, Schmidt referenced the Arizona Senator's days as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
"When John McCain was offered early release as a prisoner of war, he refused," Schmidt said. "Subjecting himself to torture rather than give a propaganda victory to his captors."
The McCain campaign then went onto accuse Obama of politics as usual.
"While Senator Obama is certainly a fresh face, his campaign offers more of the same old typical politics that have broken Washington," Schmidt said.
However, Obama has worked on some bi-partisan legislation. He worked with Indiana Republican Senator Richard Lugar on a non-proliferation measure, as well as Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith on upping gas mileage requirements.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.