By Sun Staff

Sat, Aug 9, 2008 (7:57 p.m.)

Sen. John McCain spoke to disabled veterans Saturday in Las Vegas, attacking his Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, for his foreign policy record. He also proposed a program that would allow veterans to acquire health care at private hospitals, bypassing Veterans Affairs Department.

McCain used the opportunity to criticize Obama on his opposition to the surge of U.S. troops in Iraq.

McCain said Obama “can’t quite bring himself to admit his own failure in judgment. Instead, he commits the greater error of insisting that even in hindsight, he would oppose the surge. Even in retrospect, he would choose the path of retreat and failure for America over the path of success and victory.

“Behind all of these claims and positions by Senator Obama lies the ambition to be president,” McCain said. “What’s missing is the judgment to be commander in chief.”

McCain also said he would veto veterans legislation that contains unrelated pork barrel spending, saying money saved could be used for veterans benefits.

Find additional coverage of McCain's speech in Sunday's edition of the Las Vegas Sun.