McCain Steps Up Attacks on His Opponent's Foreign Policy Credentials

McCain, in a speech before the American Legion's convention in Phoenix, disputed what he said was Obama's conclusion. "The Cold War ended not because the world stood 'as one' but because the great democracies came together, bound together by sustained and decisive American leadership," McCain said.

Supporters of McCain said he was raising a fair point. "For a lot of people who lived through the '80s, Obama's version does not ring quite right, and I do think it says something about his view of the world," said Robert Kagan, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and informal adviser to the McCain campaign. "It does fit into a certain way of looking at the world that takes the view that all you ever need to do is get everyone in the same room and have a nice, pleasant chat and work everything out."

But Obama backers bristled at the criticism, saying McCain was caricaturing his rival's explanation for the end of the Cold War. "I don't understand the McCain criticism," Rosner said. "He's saying we prevailed because we had allies working together. Barack Obama is saying the same thing. . . . Obviously, the whole world didn't stand as one. It's obviously figurative."

Reginald Dale of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said the debate touches on a larger theme of recent years.

"Historically . . . the Democrats as a whole, including Obama, have tended to look at the world more like Europeans. They think that things can be settled by negotiation and signing new treaties," Dale said. "Republicans tend to be more skeptical of the influence of a united Europe and [want to] protect American sovereignty against the encroachment of treaties, multinational organizations and international agreements."

Staff writer Jonathan Weisman in Denver and staff researcher Madonna Lebling in Washington contributed to this report.