McCain in Colo. today

He'll deal with veterans issues, meet Dalai Lama

By M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 25, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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John McCain also made gains in other key swing states.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain will answer his Democratic rival's globe-trotting with a trip to - where else - Colorado.

While Sen. Barack Obama wraps up a trip to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel and Germany, McCain has added international significance to his visit today to Colorado by scheduling a meeting in Aspen with Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

After meeting this morning with a veterans group in Denver, McCain flies to Aspen for a private meeting with the Dalai Lama, who is attending a conference on Tibetan culture and its impact on global issues.

Spokesman Tom Kise said McCain considers the Dalai Lama a "personal hero," and that the senator plans to express support for the spiritual leader's efforts to win freedom for the Tibetan people.

Earlier in the day, McCain is scheduled to appear at the national convention of the American GI Forum of the United States at the Grand Hyatt hotel downtown.

A few dozen critics of McCain's voting record on veterans issues staged a low-key event Thursday on the sidewalk outside the hotel, accusing the senator of "betraying" veterans.

"I don't think Sen. McCain really knows the trials and tribulations of having to wait in line at the VA to see a doctor," Artie Guerrero, a wheelchair-bound Vietnam War veteran, told reporters.

Veterans advocate Jim Hudson accused McCain of siding with President Bush and supporting only "low-ball" budget figures when it comes to veterans health care and other veterans programs. The critics released lists of votes they said showed that McCain tried to "gut" veterans health care.

Kise rejected the charge and pointed to a recent analysis by the group factcheck.org that found McCain actually supported increased spending for veterans Â? just not by as much as Democrats had proposed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

• July 25, 2008

  7:05 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  tunaman65 writes:

  Froward,

  If you really want to FREE Tibet, you would stop living in your mom's basement, get a AK47 and go to Tibet and kill some Chicoms. Then, maybe girls will talk to you.

• July 25, 2008

  7:39 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  LingLingfor_prez writes:

  Maybe they should have both conventions in the same location at the same time. They could make it a reality T.V. show and have the stations bid and it would pay for the whole thing.

• July 25, 2008

  9:10 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  DenverDan writes:

  McCain actually supported increased spending for veterans Â? just not by as much as Democrats had proposed.

  Wait, I thought the Republicans are the ones who support the armed forces.

• July 25, 2008

  9:30 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  danirobi writes:

  http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comm...

• July 25, 2008

  9:51 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  M2 writes:

  McCain is older than dirt. When you're that old you are set in your ways and have a stubborn view of how things should be... just like my grandfather (may he rest in peace). The U.S. needs someone with vision, who inspires hope, and who will not have a heart attack in the next few months. Republicans... face it... you don't stand a chance.

• July 25, 2008

  9:52 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Cowboy63 writes:

  People saying that McCain is doing this for a photo-op after Obama's week-long love affair with the press?? C'mon.

  Obama can have the press fawning over him... McCain will take the rising numbers... and ultimate Victory.

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