GOP memo: McCain hangs tough in adverse environment

A Republican memo on Friday says that, despite a political landscape that benefits Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, “very little separates” the Illinois senator and presumptive GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).

“Despite the most challenging environment for Republicans in years and an overwhelming advantage in attention paid by the media, Barack Obama remains unable to open the lead against John McCain that many pundits predicted,” the Republican National Committee (RNC) said in a memo distributed to its members.

{mosads}The RNC document also tries to soften the impact of Obama’s ongoing and highly publicized trip to Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Germany, France and England.

The memo describes the tour as a last-minute effort by Obama to “compensate for his relative inexperience in foreign affairs.”

However, the RNC believes that “the bump Obama may receive from increased exposure due to his trip abroad will be temporary as it becomes clear he still has no real solutions to solve America’s pressing energy and economic challenges.”

The document also criticizes “the national press” for seemingly viewing Obama “more favorably,” and says a lack of coverage has not hurt McCain in favorability polls.

The memo also points to a recent <em>Wall Street Journal</em>/NBC poll that shows that the Republican senator, by a wide margin, is viewed as a stronger leader, more in tune with the values of voters and as someone who would be a good commander in chief.

“In critical battleground states, leads that opened for Barack Obama after he became the presumptive nominee are evaporating, including several states that were ‘blue’ in 2004,” according to the document.

Lastly, the memo states that “Obama’s pandering and reversals on issues will continue to remind voters why they trust John McCain more to be our next leader. Voters will not take a risk on an unproven and untested candidate like Obama.”

The Obama campaign did not immediately comment.