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After two weeks spent visiting the Middle East and attempting to narrow the fundraising lead of his Democratic rivals, John McCain returns to the trail in earnest today with what his campaign is billing as a biographical tour showcasing his service to the country. And as part of its efforts to focus attention on McCain's résumé, his campaign also released the first general election ad of the campaign season, a biographical spot calling him "the American president Americans have been waiting for."

The new TV spot  (subscription), which debuted in New Mexico on Friday, features shots of the Arizona senator striking determined poses as a voice-over by actor Powers Boothe introduces him as a candidate who believes "that liberty is priceless" and has "walked the walk." Like previous McCain ads  (subscription), this one makes use of footage of a young McCain being questioned by his North Vietnamese captors to remind viewers of his time as a prisoner of war.

As the first media buy from the Republican nominee-to-be in nearly two months, the ad sheds light on McCain's strategy for the general election and, more specifically, how his camp plans to capitalize on the ongoing Democratic stalemate. Between the ad and his biography-focused campaign swing, McCain is setting out to define himself (as an experienced, patriotic war hero) before his opponent has the chance to. With McCain's political celebrity -- particularly in the Southwest -- there isn't really another reason for him to invest in a traditional bio spot.

By running the ad in New Mexico, a likely swing state in the general, the campaign is also backing up its talk of expanding the playing field for Republican candidates beyond President Bush's safe red states. What's more, debuting a spot aimed at the general election in New Mexico's less expensive TV markets allows the campaign to conserve its war chest by counting on national press outlets to generate earned media as they pick up the story.

While some commentators have suggested that focusing on the Arizona senator's biography could backfire, McCain's camp seems unfazed by such concerns. Earlier this morning, it released a new Web-only ad called "Character Forged By Family," highlighting the McCain family's tradition of military service.