The President Americans Have Been Waiting For

As Hillary and Obama continue their ever more negative fight to challenge Senator John McCain for the presidency, McCain launched the first TV ad of the fall campaign.

The ad highlights McCain's experience, character and optimistic vision for our future:

JOHN MCCAIN: Keep that faith. Keep your courage. Stick together. Stay strong. Do not yield. Stand up. We're Americans. And we'll never surrender.

ANNCR: What must a president believe about us? About America?

That she is worth protecting?

That liberty is priceless?

Our people, honorable?

Our future, prosperous, remarkable and free?

And, what must we believe about that president?

What does he think?

Where has he been?

Has he walked the walk?

You can watch the ad below:

You can tell the ad hit home by Howard Dean's reaction. Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, calls John McCain an opportunist for using images of his military service:

While we honor McCain's military service, the fact is Americans want a real leader who offers real solutions, not a blatant opportunist who doesn't understand the economy and is promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years."

Dean is so worried by the contrast of the Republican nominee to be, looking very presidential, while the Democratic presidential wannabees are engaging in nothing but senseless negativity, he told CBS News that the superdelegates need to decide whether Hillary or Obama gets the Democratic nomination before July. Dean wants to avoid the appearance that the Democratic nominee was chosen in a back room deal by party insiders even though that is exactly what they will do. And Dean has the nerve to call McCain an "opportunist."

UPDATE: Republican National Committee Deputy Chairman Frank Donatelli responded to the Democratic attack against Senator McCain's military service:

"It is beyond comprehension that Howard Dean would smear John McCain's character by stating he is a 'blatant opportunist.' John McCain served our nation heroically and valiantly and it is absolutely unacceptable that the chairman of the Democratic National Committee would attack Senator McCain for discussing his record with the American people. Dean's comments are the latest in what has become a troubling pattern where the chairman of the national party has questioned Senator McCain's character and integrity. Howard Dean owes John McCain an immediate apology and both Senators Clinton and Obama should unequivocally denounce this disgraceful attack."

Sounds about right to me.