In town hall meetings, John McCain often tells this story about one Christmas he spent as a POW in Vietnam.  His campaign has also released a shorter version of this story as a TV ad, now running in New Hamsphire and South Carolina.

My Christmas Story

As a POW, my captors would tie my arms behind my back and then loop the rope around my neck and ankles so that my head was pulled down between my knees. I was often left like that throughout the night.

One night a guard came into my cell. He put his finger to his lips signaling for me to be quiet, and then loosened my ropes to relieve my pain. The next morning, when his shift ended, the guard returned and retightened the ropes, never saying a word to me.

A month or so later, on Christmas Day, I was standing in the dirt courtyard when I saw that same guard approach me. He walked up and stood silently next to me, not looking or smiling at me.

After a few moments had passed, he rather nonchalantly used his sandaled foot to draw a cross in the dirt. We stood wordlessly looking at the cross, remembering the true light of Christmas, even in the darkness of a Vietnamese prison camp. After a minute or two, he rubbed it out and walked away.

That guard was my Good Samaritan. I will never forget that man and I will never forget that moment. And I will never forget that, no matter where you are, no matter how difficult the circumstances, there will always be someone who will pick you up and carry you.

May you and your family have a blessed Christmas and Happy Holidays,

John McCain

Senator Obama stopped by a ‘Toys for Tots’ staging area today in Londonderry, New Hampshire, to drop off toys the campaign purchased for local needy kids. The senator strode into the warehouse at the Armed Forces Reserve Center carrying two large blue bags, brimming with toys. “Ho, ho, ho!” he said heartily as he walked through the door. Staffers followed behind him lugging bags from Toys ‘R Us.

The senator’s job was to sort through the toys and put them into different bins designated by gender and age, all while fielding questions from the press, which was held behind a yellow rope. This was a photo-op to be sure - prior to Obama’s delayed arrival, local volunteers pulled toys that had already been sorted and put them into a cardboard box to ensure the senator would have plenty of gifts to distribute. And at one point, the senator showed a doll to the press and asked, “What do you think? Three to five?”

The campaign tried to squelch the interaction between the press and the notoriously press-shy candidate — at one point, an exasperated New Hampshire staffer muttered, “Let’s stop with the questions!” And Obama himself refused to answer an overtly political question.

When a reporter asked if the candidate had a holiday message for the troops, Obama obliged. But when the diligent reporter followed up by asking if it would be harder to motivate voters as the war goes better, Obama chastised him. “That wasn’t a question about Christmas.” He walked away and a few seconds later turned and smiled, “But it was a good try.”

So here’s what we did learn:

He’s relying on Santa to help with getting his wife’s present and he has yet to do his holiday shopping - “That’s what Christmas Eve is for.” His 9-year-old daughter Malia asked for an ipod this year and his favorite gift as a child was a ten speed bicycle. All Obama wants for Christmas (aside from the presidency) is to have a day off to watch his girls open presents. The girls, by the way, may or may not believe in Santa. “You know, they are still writing to Santa. Whether that means they still believe or it’s a good way to get in with their parents, I don’t know.” Oh, and the campaign “checked” to make sure the presents they brought were not from (lead toy-exporting) China.

And his Christmas greeting to you, the American people:

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The Romney campaign launched a new ad today, Searched, in time for Christmas. Instead of the Holiday greetings that other candidates are putting out, the ad focuses on the story of Governor Romney’s former business partner, Bob Gay and his daughter who went missing in New York City in 1996.

The ad explains that Romney closed down Bain Capital to send the entire company to New York to aid the searchers, the girl was found alive.

Bob Gay gets emotional while telling the story:

“He set up a command center and searched through the night. The man who helped save my daughter was Mitt Romney.

Mitt’s done a lot of things that people say are nearly impossible. But for me, the most important thing he’s ever done is to help save my daughter.”

It is still unclear whether the campaign will take down the negative ads currently running against Mike Huckabee before Christmas.

**UPDATE**

As of Saturday, December 22nd “Searched” will be the only Romney ad running nationally.

Many members of the press have wondered just how the campaigns will deal with the holidays falling so close to the Iowa caucuses. Judging by the sheer volume of new Christmas-themed TV ads, it looks like at least part of the strategy is advertise, advertise, advertise. Sen Clinton is the latest to release a TV spot, to air in Iowa and New Hampshire over the holidays - when she and the other candidates will be giving both states a break from the constant campaigning. Let’s just say she’s putting a lot under the tree.

His latest TV ad is part stump/part holiday spirit….

In Mason City, Iowa, Senator Barack Obama addressed the congregation of United Church of Christ Sunday. “I see that we have with us, and I’m sure it’s a shock for everyone, that we have Senator Barack Obama,” Pastor Patty Aurand said to her small, mostly caucasion congregation.

Obama spoke from the pulpit for just over five minutes, where told the church goers that he found religion, not because he was raised in a religious family, but through his work in Chicago communities. “The values of honesty and hard work and empathy and compassion were values that were spoken about in church, and that I wanted to connect with a larger community than myself, and realized that scripture and the words of God fit into the values that I had been raised in,” he said.

He also acknowledged that, just two weeks from the Christmas holiday, Iowans are being “bombarded” with politics. He assured them that he has not forgotten what this holiday is really about.

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After watching the church’s children put on a Christmas performance, Obama, candidate for president and former basketball player, used his skills to participate in the church’s annual mitten toss.

Members of the congregation invited Obama to throw a pair of mittens on a Christmas tree in the corner of the church - the goal being to throw the mittens at the tree and have them stick, the higher up the better (the congregation rewarded good tosses with “oohs and ahs”). The mittens - and scarves and hats - will be donated to local charities.

Pastor Patty gave the ground rules: “You cannot toss them repeatedly. It’s a one chance shot.”

Obama confidently told the group, “I used to play basketball; I’m confident in my skills and think I’m gonna do just fine.”

Here’s how that went for him.

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Just a quick note - as the Obama press bus slowly made its way down Main Street in Maquoketa, Iowa, on its way to an evening town hall, it rambled past several homes decorated up for the holidays.

One house along the side of the road was donned with white Christmas lights and on its lawn was a lighted nativity scene with nearby angels heralding…one  of those Obama “Hope” signs. I tried to capture an image, but couldn’t find my camera in time.