McCain and Obama to silence 9/11 ads
US presidential contenders Barack Obama and John McCain plan to pull TV ads that criticise each other to mark the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The campaigns made their decision known on the same day that a group backing community service on that day called on the candidates to refrain from partisan campaigning.
The group, MyGoodDeed.org, wants September 11 to become a national day of voluntary service and asked that Mr Obama and Mr McCain perform acts of community service instead.
McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said Mr McCain did not plan to advertise at all on the anniversary. “Nine-eleven is not a day for politics,” he said.
The Obama campaign said it planned to stop airing anti-McCain commercials on September 11.
“We hope September 11th is a day when Americans come together and reaffirm our resolve to address the common challenges we face together,” Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan said.
Both campaigns have been running tough ads against each other, with negative commercials outnumbering their positive spots.
MyGoodDeed.org is also among a number of organisations and families of September 11 victims who plan to hold a ServiceNation Summit on September 11 and 12 in New York. Sponsors invited Mr Obama and Mr McCain to attend a presidential candidates forum on September 11.
Mr McCain has agreed to appear and Mr Obama’s campaign said it was talking with event sponsors about the possibility of an appearance.
