Barack Obama flew back to Washington, DC, this morning to vote on the GI Bill authored by Virginia Senator Jim Webb - a bill which Mr. Obama references often on the campaign trail.

On the Senate floor this morning, Senator Obama praised his potential fall rival as a war hero before attacking Senator McCain’s position on the bill. “I can’t understand why he would line up behind the President in opposition to this GI Bill. I can’t believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans. I could not disagree with him more on this issue. There are many issues that lend themselves to partisan posturing, but giving our veterans the chance to go to college should not be one of them,” Obama said.

The White House is against the bill, as is John McCain because of its $52 billion price tag and because the Department of Defense believes it will negatively affect retention rates.

Senator McCain, who was not on hand for the morning vote, responded to Obama with a brutal statement. “It is typical, but no less offensive that Senator Obama uses the Senate floor to take cheap shots at an opponent and easy advantage of an issue he has less than zero understanding of…Unlike Senator Obama, my admiration, respect and deep gratitude for America’s veterans is something more than a convenient campaign pledge. I think I have earned the right to make that claim,” the statement read.

McCain along with Senators Graham and Burr have introduced alternative legislation “that would provide veterans with a substantial increase in educational benefits,” which is less money than proposed in the Webb bill, which overwhelmingly passed in the Senate 75-22.

The Arizona senator acknowledged Webb’s own service to the country and his affection for the troops and then didn’t mince words as he chided Obama. “I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did.”

The scolding continued as McCain accused Obama of playing politics with the issue. “Perhaps, if Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully. But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent, and exploiting a thoughtful difference of opinion to advance his own ambitions. If that is how he would behave as President, the country would regret his election.”

The Obama campaign is expected to respond with a statement of their own. Read the full McCain statement below the jump.

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