TITLE: "True Conservative"

LENGTH: 30 seconds

AIRING: Nationally on CNN and Fox; states including Missouri.

SCRIPT: Announcer: "As a prisoner of war, John McCain was inspired by Ronald Reagan."

McCain: "I enlisted as a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution."

Announcer: "Guided by strong conservative principles, he'll cut wasteful spending and keep taxes low. A proud social conservative who will never waver. The leadership and experience to call for the surge strategy in Iraq that is working. John McCain: The true conservative. Ready to be commander-in-chief on day one."

McCain: "I'm John McCain and I approve this message."

KEY IMAGES: Grainy black-and-white footage of McCain as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, video of McCain sitting down with Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office, McCain speaking in front of American flags, still footage of soldiers.

ANALYSIS: By promising he is ready to be commander-in-chief, McCain plays to ! his national security credentials, an important strength for the Arizona senator and former POW. McCain was considered the most qualified to serve as commander-in-chief by Republicans who voted Tuesday in Florida, according to exit polls for The Associated Press and the television network.

And McCain points out he called for the surge strategy that was adopted by President Bush last year and is credited with turning around the unpopular war in Iraq.

By calling himself a true conservative, McCain seeks to reassure those in the conservative GOP base who have mistrusted him for years. It's important for him to reach out to establishment Republicans because most of the 21 states that hold GOP contests Tuesday do not allow independents or crossover Democrats to participate, so McCain won't have the benefit of his strong backing among independent voters.

While McCain is widely recognized for his efforts to cut wasteful spending, he gave conservatives heartburn w! hen he voted against President Bush's broad-based tax cuts in ! 2001 and 2003. And conservatives dislike his more forgiving attitude toward illegal immigrants and his efforts to limit money in politics.

Thus McCain uses this ad to focus on areas of agreement, emphasizing his national security credentials as well as his stand on social issues, such as his opposition to abortion, on which he is in sync with the conservative wing of his party.

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On the Net:

http://www.johnmccain.com/tvads/

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