Brave New PAC, Democracy for America make issue of John McCain's skin cancer
WASHINGTON — Two liberal political action committees are making an issue of John McCain’s past bouts with skin cancer in a television commercial that features his facial scar and demands that the Republican presidential nominee release his medical records to the public.
The 30-second ad, so far airing for $50,000 only on MSNBC, is paid for by Brave New PAC and Democracy for America, a political group headed by James Dean, the brother of Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean.
‘‘John McCain is 72 years old and had cancer 4 times,’’ the ad’s text says over a black-and-white image of McCain with the left side of his face bandaged after surgery in 2000. ‘‘Why won’t McCain release his medical records?’’
The ad is the most public and unflinching effort to turn McCain’s health into a political issue. It is part of a broader effort by the two groups for McCain to make his health records public.
About 2,500 doctors have signed a Brave New PAC petition calling for the documents to be released, according to group spokesman Leighton Woodhouse.
In May, McCain made 1,173 pages of medical documents available to a small group of reporters to examine for a several hours. His campaign did not release the documents and reporters were not allowed to make copies.
The records, which covered McCain’s health history from 2000-2008, showed that he had his last episode of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, six years ago. The records described him as having a strong heart and generally good health. He gets an in-depth skin cancer check every few months.
Obama has not released his medical records. His campaign instead released a one-page letter in May from his longtime physician, Chicago internist Dr. David L. Scheiner, that summarized 21 years of medical records and described Obama’s health as excellent.
In the ad, two doctors express concern about McCain’s ability to deal with a new cancer episode. ‘‘Another bout of cancer for John McCain while he’s president of the United States would profoundly affect his ability to lead,’’ one of the doctors, Michael D. Fratkin, says.
The ad is the second anti-McCain commercial by Democracy for America and Brave New PAC. Last week they placed an ad on MSNBC and CNN featuring a former fellow prisoner of war criticizing the Arizona senator’s temperament.
Democracy for America spokesman Daniel I. Medress said CNN had declined to run the cancer spot. CNN did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Medress said the groups were seeking to expand the spot to some battleground states.
Democracy for America was founded by Howard Dean and now is run by his brother James. Medress said Howard Dean has no role in the organization.
Brave New PAC is a political group connected to film producer and political activist Robert Greenwald. A spokesman for the Republican National Committee pointed out that Greenwald is president of Brave New Foundation, a nonprofit group whose chairman is Stanford Law professor Lawrence Lessig, who has advised Obama’s campaign on Internet technology matters.
‘‘The fact that Howard Dean’s brother and an adviser to the Obama campaign are behind despicable and cheap smear ads against Sen. McCain is deeply disappointing, but in no way surprising,’’ said RNC spokesman Danny Diaz. ‘‘Barack Obama has promised Americans an elevated debate offering nothing but gutter, Chicago-style politics.’’
Woodhouse said Lessig has no connection to Brave New PAC, which operates separately from the foundation. Obama’s campaign said it had nothing to do with the spot, and declined comment about its content.
Medress defended the ad. ‘‘John McCain won’t let anyone look at his records in a full and open fashion...Who knows if there is going to be a recurrence of cancer,’’ Medress said.