Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) highlighted the stark contrast between himself and Barack Obama. Around a thousand people packed a suburban Milwaukee high school gymnasium to hear the GOP Presidential nominee to be. McCain targeted Senator Obama for being an outspoken naysayer of the Iraq War yet only visiting the country once in January of 2006.
The Arizona Senator also lashed out at the Democratic frontrunner for refusing to meet with the region's top US commander General Petraeus. He also reminded the crowd of Obama's opposition to the troop surge, a policy McCain says has proven successful.
"He said it wouldn't work. He said it couldn't succeed. He said it would be a greater disaster. He said it would trigger a greater civil war."
McCain equated Obama's plan of troop withdrawal to "surrender" saying it would lead to greater chaos in the region and a stronger influence from neighboring Iran.
"My friends I will never surrender, I will never surrender!"
The townhall meeting crowd cheered loudly in support.