Axelrod Says Obama Will Counterpunch if McCain Raises Ayres

[bigtree]

October 7, 2008, 2:25 pm

NASHVILLE — Senator Barack Obama is prepared to hit back, including with Keating Five scandal if necessary, if Senator John McCain uses tonight’s presidential debate to attack him over his associations with controversial figures like former William C. Ayers, the former Weather Underground leader, Mr. Obama’s chief strategist said this afternoon.

“I know that Senator McCain may not know this, but the Internet – you can get on it anywhere in the world,” Mr. Axelrod said, referring to Mr. McCain’s past statement that he was not savvy about computers.


Asked if Mr. Obama would respond to any discussion of Mr. Ayers by touching upon Mr. McCain’s role in the 1980s savings-and-loan scandal involving a political patron, Charles Keating, Mr. Axelrod was circumspect.

“I’m not going to predict whether he will or he won’t,” he said. “I don’t think he’ll shy away from the discussion if it comes up.”

Mr. Axelrod added that the Keating Five scandal – involving four other senators and Mr. McCain – resonated far more in the campaign than Mr. Obama’s past associates, because Mr. McCain met with federal regulators who were investigating his friend, Mr. Keating. The ongoing economic crisis stems partly from shoddy regulation of Wall Street firms, Mr. Obama and many Democrats and Republicans have said.

“The Keating case is pretty germane to the discussion we’re having right now,” Mr. Axelrod said. “Many people lost their homes and savings and so on, so it is a germane issue, it’s not an abstraction. Now, are there broader issues to be discussed? Yes, and we’re discussing them.”

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/axelrod-says-obama-will-counterpunch-if-mccain-raises-ayres/

[54anickel]

1. I'm wondering if Obama doesn't have a couple of other McCain skeletons to fall

back on. Sort of a bait and switch, McCain's all prepared to defend himself against the Keating Five.

[RelativelyJones]

2. AIP AIP AIP

[WI_DEM]

3. McCain won't bring it up--he will leave it to Palin and surrogates and TV ads.

[Virginia Dare]

5. Brokaw might though...n/t

[bigtree]

7. that's a good point he raised it twice in his Sunday show

. . . out of context and as his own personal point of privilege. Stunning display from someone who claims to respect history.

[speedoo]

4. Obama and his team remind me of Muhammed Ali toying with a lesser opponent.

The fight is over, Ali is way ahead on points in the eighth round, and he's just waiting for his weary and dazed opponent to present an opening for the knockout combination. Those fights were like pieces of art, an so is this campaign.

[coalition_unwilling]

6. Obama's best defense, imho, would be to turn to McBush and say

words to this effect: "Senator, you really will say just about anything to get elected, won't you?" Those 13 words would put McBush away for good and innoculate Obama against any further smears.

[bigtree]

8. I like the idea of Barack directly confronting McCain on his conduct in the campaign

[Howardx]

9. good idea!

i hope thats just what happens

[last1standing]

10. The funniest part of this is that when mcsame says "I was exonerated"...

Obama can just say "Well, John, I was eight years old when the Weather Underground was active. Do you think I was guilty?"

Mcsame will look like a malicious fool and it will defuse any traction the Ayers thing might have had.