McCain Resumes Ads With Palin Defense

By Ira Teinowitz

After suspending its advertising during Hurricane Gustav, Senator John McCain’s campaign is returning to the air to defend the choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for VP on the Republican ticket.

The campaign today announced plans for the advertising as part of an outreach effort to counter “smears” against Ms. Palin.

The McCain ad will compare Ms. Palin’s executive experience as a governor who oversees 24,000 state employees, 14 statewide cabinet agencies and a $10 billion budget to Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama’s single term as a senator from Illinois, the campaign said in a statement.

Neither the ad itself nor plans for the media buy were immediately available.

The effort comes as the surprise choice of Ms. Palin, who is scheduled to speak tonight to the Republican National Convention here, continues to generate controversy.

(Editor: Baumann)