Dean: RNC Legal Allegations Are ‘Nonsense’

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean responded today to accusations by the Republican National Committee (RNC) that the DNC’s new anti-John McCain TV ad misrepresents McCain and breaks election laws.

Dean called the accusation “nonsense,” saying there is “no proof whatsoever” justifying the RNC’s claims.

“There’s nothing false about this ad at all,” Dean said in a conference call this afternoon. “This is John McCain’s own words and we’ve been very up front about everything.”

The RNC today called on TV stations not to air the ad, and it alleged that the DNC had misrepresented McCain’s statement about a U.S. presence in Iraq lasting “100 years.” At a January town hall meeting in New Hampshire, McCain said it would be “fine” with him if the U.S. stayed in Iraq for 100 years, citing post-war occupations in Japan and South Korea.

The RNC also reportedly alleged earlier today that the ad signifies illegal coordination with the Clinton and Obama campaigns.

“We have not coordinated this,” Dean said. “I know of no conversations whatsoever with the Obama or Clinton campaigns about this ad.”

“Clearly, this ad is just another attempt by the DNC to mischaracterize and distort Senator McCain