Obama Says He'd Be Better Against McCain

LOS ANGELES -- Democratic Sen. Barack Obama sees one of the best arguments for his presidential candidacy in the rise of Republican Sen. John McCain. McCain has become Obama's favorite punching bag, an easier mark in front of partisan audiences than the rival Obama will have to beat first to get to the general election _ Hillary Rodham Clinton.

But he also likes to lump the two of them together as co-supporters of the war in Iraq.

"It is time for new leadership that understands the way to win a debate with John McCain or any Republican who is nominated is not by nominating someone who agreed with him on voting for the war in Iraq," Obama said during a speech in Denver Wednesday.

The pitch is a timely pivot back to the issue that helped fuel Obama's candidacy _ his early opposition to Iraq. Recently the war has become a secondary issue to the declining economy _ an issue on which Clinton outdistances Obama in the polls as the more experienced hand to guide the nation though financial turmoil.

Asked about Obama's criticism Friday, McCain said a debate with Obama over the war "will be the difference between victory and surrender."

"Without in any way denigrating or in any way being critical of Senator Obama, who I have great respect for, it's a product of his inexperience," McCain told reporters on his campaign plane. "And we'll be highlighting that. And, inexperience, a lack of knowledge of national security issues can only lead one to the conclusion, that you would have immediate withdrawal from Iraq."

McCain noted that Clinton had a similar position and said he eagerly awaits a one-on-one debate with either of them.

Obama advisers have said privately for months that McCain would be their preferred opponent among all those who sought the GOP nomination. They said a race between Obama, 46, and McCain, 71, would provide the starkest contrast between old vs. new, the future versus the past. It's an argument that Obama also has been using against Clinton, but his campaign feels it would be even stronger against McCain.

Clinton and McCain have worked closely together _ one source of their shared reputation for working across party lines on common interests. The two serve on the Armed Services Committee and were drinking buddies at least for a night. The New York Times reported that Clinton challenged McCain to a vodka drinking contest during a congressional trip to Estonia in 2004.

Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said Clinton has the strength and experience to take on McCain on national security. And he said it's the New York senator who provides the starker contrast with McCain _ because her health care plan would require coverage for everyone while Obama's would not.

"Hillary Clinton will be able to say to John McCain that her health care plan will cover every American while his will leave millions out," Wolfson said. "Because Senator Obama's plan leaves 15 million without health care, that's not a contrast he will be able to make."

Repeatedly during a debate with Clinton Thursday night, Obama brought up McCain as if he were the presumptive GOP nominee. McCain has yet to lock up the race, but a recent win in Florida has made him the front-runner.