Obama strategist Axelrod warns John McCain on tonight's debate

NASHVILLE –- According to Barack Obama's chief political strategist, the freshman Illinois senator is prepared for his GOP rival to “take the gloves off” at tonight’s debate here, continuing the Republican's assault of recent days.

But David Axelrod says Obama will try to stay focused on the global economic crisis, not just any attacks by Sen. John McCain.

“We’re prepared for a very aggressive debate,” Axelrod told reporters aboard Obama’s plane today en route to Nashville from North Carolina.

Should the need arise, Axelrod said, taking off one glove as a preemptory warning himself, Obama will remind Americans during the debate here at Belmont University of the Arizona senator’s role in the “Keating 5” thrift scandal of the 1980s.

“The Keating case is pretty germane to the discussion we’re having right now,” Axelrod said. “The Keating issue was one....

...in which Sen. McCain intervened with regulators on behalf of a financial institution that ultimately collapsed, and taxpayers were left holding the bill.”

Axelrod also alleged that McCain was running virtually all negative TV advertising as the campaign enters its last four weeks.

“The American people know who’s running a positive campaign about the future of this country, about the change that we need, and who’s desperately throwing lefts and rights hoping to score a knockout, because he thinks he’s behind in the game,” the Chicago strategist said.

Axelrod also responded to McCain’s attacks on Obama for his relationship with William Ayers, a University of Illinois professor who in 1969 cofounded the radical Weathermen group that planted bombs in public buildings.

When Obama arrived on the Chicago political scene, “Ayers was advising Mayor Daley on school reform issues, and that was his profile, was that he was an expert on education issues,” Axelrod said.

During his 1995 state Senate run, Obama was unaware of Ayers’ background in terrorism when the professor and his wife, Weathermen cofounder Bernardine Dohrn, hosted a house party to introduce Obama to Democrats, Axelrod said.

“No one’s suggesting that he never knew,” but it was later that he found out about their history with the group, Axelrod said.

On the prospect for more back-and-forth on subjects like Ayers and Keating, Axelrod said it was inevitable.

“Listen, we’re running for president of the United States,” he said. “It’s a rough, tough pursuit, and there are lots of challenges associated with it. This is one of them.”

--Michael Finnegan

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Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[RRG]

He`s behind in the game all right, every day, every hour, every sound bite is 4th and long. Keep your patience and maintain the high road for the sake of our country.

[DadR]

It's about time Obama's close association with Ayers, Frank Marshall Davis, Wright and a the host of other ultra-left wing threats to America get some attention. Obama's associations and his current staff reveal his true intent for America. Comrade Obama won't be invisible any longer. His record - a blank piece of paper - is convenient for the Democrats, but is becoming more apparent as time goes on. Axelrod will be firing blanks before sunset

[Robert Campbell]

The attacks by Palin of accusing Obama of palling around with a known terrorist is about the greatest use of the "politics of personal destruction" I have ever seen. It is reminiscent of Hitler's use of propaganda during the 1920's and 1930's in Germany. He once told his generals that when everything is said and done, no one will ask the victor whether or not he lied. This tactic on the part of the McCain-Palin ticket is designed to create fear and hate in the minds of voters and this is exactly what Hitler and the Nazis were masters of. Sadly it can work in a democracy and people can be pulled into it. Eventually what happens people give up resonsiblity for themselves, their thinking and actions so that we can rely on some leader that will promise to solve our all our problems,. I would hope that in the United States today that we will not be fooled or influenced by this form of politcs of lying. We have had enough of it for eight years.

[John Johnson]

I went to grammar school and high school with a kid named Billy Ayers and, until McCain started flinging this mud, I thought he was the domestic bomber. But he wasn't. Unless somebody tells you, or you were previously aware of the name, there is no way to know who someone might be when you first meet them. Ayers has been a citizen in good standing in Chicago for years and an educator. How was Obama supposed to know about him BEFORE he even met him? This is why good people stay out of politics. They don't want to be exposed to what McCain is doing.

[Santiago]

The fact everything McCain says is rooted in fact is good enough of a reason to not buy wholly into all the media and hollywood hype of getting behind Obama 100% without question. It's kind of scary how people don't know anything about Obama beyond what they see on The Daily Show and yet vehemently defend him and praise him. Ignorance is always troubling. I think I'm going to vote Nader.

[Mary Porter]

I am trying to decipher the subtext of this Republican "charge". It is clear that, as a Chicago activist, Obama would have associated casually with graying sixties radicals who had gravitated into academic careers and charity boards. The connection is so weak that one has to look for some further "identity" message in Palin's general harping on Obama's Chicago-flavored associations.

Do we really want to magnify this supposed regional hostility the McCain campaign is seeking to harvest? I don't believe Palin's charge that urban or coastal Americans harbor contempt for the people of the "heartland" states. Nor is Chicago anti-American, and Alaska doesn't own patriotism. This is an evil fabrication that damages our national identity. I am a politically progressive Obama supporter, and I hail from many of those places Palin supposedly "defends" against me(Georgia, the Florida Panhandle, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas), as well as from California and Massachusetts. I have family everywhere. Palin doesn't know or love any of those places or people, and I do. This careless venom is hurting us all.

[Jazzgasm]

Okay... I like Obama. I'm voting for Obama. But can we please stop saying that he's running a "positive campaign"? It's certainly MORE positive than McCain's campaign but he's still going negative quite often. I'm not even arguing that Obama shouldn't release negative ads, so long as they're truthful. Part of beating any opponent is exploiting his weaknesses. But let's call it what it is. It's the same smash-mouth political game in which John Kerry failed so miserably in 2004. Barack knows that if he doesn't want to suffer the same outcome, he has to play it... and do so without apology.

[Alexander Scheirer]

Well, Messr. Axelrod is one of the group of neo-socialists
(I'm being polite by not saying neo-trotskyites) pushing Obama onward and forward. I do not agree with McCain. But, Obama must realize he is being manipulated by the ultra left wing branch of Democratic party. I have been a life long Democrat, but what I have seen of DNC reminds me of the
Communist Central Comm. of old in Moscow Central. Obama is cotton candy. All style and no substance. McCain
harks back to another era. Is this really the best that we can do? Bottom line: Everyone needs to realize that neither candidate will b able to do much of anything if elected to office. The national debt is staggering and the institutions comprising Washington..all of the GS-12s and above, will be there before and after the next president comes into office. Not to mention the intra mural back biting and back stabbing which will prevail in both houses of Congress. So, what else is new? We are voting for style and not substance. God help us all.

[RAES]

The fact is McCain has been a sweetheart of all lobbyists and still is today. Look as his campaign managers and contributors.

When McCain eventually retires there is little doubt he will go to work at a $ million + job a year for one of the lobbying firms he supported.

Our country is in bankruptcy and is in it lowest position as a world leader. Busch has had his 3rd job failure and will go down in history as the worst President we ever had and as the only President elected by our Supreme Court . The dirty politics used by Bush and Karl Rove in 2004 are now going to be used by McCain and an extreme right wing of the GOP,

What a shame.

[Socrates Six-Pack]

Let me get this right. We have a choice between an old, crotchety opportunist politician and his empty headed pretty puppet end-times religious cult vp on one ticket or a bright, vibrant, thoughtful, wise and compassionate rising leader with his wise as well, savvy, smart, compassionate vp running mate. I'll take the later.

American's who choose the sick old man and the lunatic chic from Wasilla deserve a one way ticket, along with putrid Sean Hannity to somewhere-east of Europe.

[Socrates Six-Pack]

Has anyone noticed how McCain/Palin have no answers on even basic questions like "can you tell me which newspaper you read" or "isnt it hypocritical to accuse your oponent of being a terrorist when you and your husband have been part of domestic terrorist entitny in your own state of Alaska?" What about the sarah palin witchdoctor visits? What about her speaking in tongues? That's probably a good one for her next debate. They also never talk about how Iran sponsored their Alaska Independece Party's participation in a UN event where they were proposing to have Alaska drop its star from the flag. Cool. Country First?

[dan]

Isn't this the same Axelrod that claimed Ayers was just a guy in neighborhood and that Obama and his children went to school together?

Problem is...Ayers children are full grown and was more to Obama then someone in the neighborhood.

That's the thing I noticed about Obama...is that his first instinct is to deny and lie.

He said he never heard Rev Wright say the hateful things in the 20 years he was attending the church...then later he says he did hear him say hateful things.

When asked about a particular gun bill he had previous endorsed being at odds with his current position...he claimed he never took such a position...later his own campaign admits that he did.

When asked about a bill that would provide health care to baby that survived an abortion attempt....he repeatedly denied voting against it....actually to the point of claiming he accusers were liars. We now know he did vote against all versions of the bill.

If we know nothing else... we know Obama is at least, an accomplished liar.

[Gary]

Don't you love political strategist, sometimes its dead on, next time you're hitting a reef. Your spin on this sure supports a strong argument for experience. McCain has admitted this mistake and said he has learned from. What past experience in the last 4 years has Obama learned from to prepare him for being the Presidency Of The United States? NONE!!

[Grey Roger]

I see a pattern here.

Sen. Obama attends Trinity for 20 years, Rev. Wright is his spiritual mentor, and he "never knew" that Rev. Wright preached black liberation theology with anti-white, anti-American sermons (even though sermons were included in newsletters, DVD's etc.).

Now he "never knew" William Ayers background even though Obama's first fundraiser was held at Ayers' home, they served together on the Woods Foundation and Annenberg Project, and Obama originally excused Ayer's past activities.

I would say I need to get my waders out but they don't make waders high enough.

[Loftboy]

McCain and crew have been playing the 'consorts with terrorists' card for far too long. I'm glad Obama's campaign is digging up the Keating 5 scandal, which has everything to do with the mess we are in today. While McCain has constantly been challenging Obama's foreign policy credentials and judgement, Obama has been quiet about this shameful period in McCain's career in which lack of judgement - frankly bordering on criminal - played a key role.

McCain can apologize and wring his hands about this episode all he wants (and God knows, he has), but the facts are clear. He protected a criminal in Charles Keating and people lost their life's savings because of it.

Does all of this sound familiar?

And yet McCain still beat the drum of deregulation after that. He apologized profusely, but somehow, the only lesson he carried with him from the Keating 5 scandal was that it was a horrible thing because it dragged John McCain's honor through the mud, not that total dergulation of the market gives criminals a free hand to plunder the economic system at will and at our expense. His thoughts about campaign reform were if the money wasn't offered in the political arena, then good people like him wouldn't be tempted to do bad things. The underlying fact is this: the money is there and will always be there precisely because when there are no rules, and people are profiting quite handsomely because there are no rules, they will do what it takes to make sure it stays that way. And they will come with money in hand. Lots of it.

So, the gloves should be off. If McCain and his attack dog Palin want to play the terrorist card, then Obama has every right to play the Keating card.

It's about time.

[M. Jones]

McCain's last hope is these desperate allegations. He has no strategy or facts or integrity left. It's sad to see a war veteran lower himself this much.

[CTC]

Axelrod....It's nice that you can live in denial by attributing your/obama's campaign as positive. Obama has contributed more money in negative campaigning than anyone in the history of Presidency. I realize that omission of personal background, voting records and denial are your parties fondest virtues.

The bottom line about this whole process in the end is "To thines own self be true"....Not to sacrafice integrity, honesty and truth for the sake of the parties goals and a presidential election...

CTC

[Joshua Gray]

Senator McCain has shown a bounceful act of arrogance in the debate and un-sightly very much un-professionalism in the act of verbal statement either out of context of the debate action or directed toward Tom B. It is very sad to see such in a presidential canidate. Not once did I see Senator Obama act in this manner.

[Joshua Gray]

Senator McCain does not elvove around the question enough, rather attack Senator Obama more so in the time allotted.

[Jill]

McCain refused to shake Obama's hand after the debate. He, instead, rammed it towards his wife, which I took to be a sign that he though Obama should have offered his hand first to Cindy. But then he abruptly turned away. I thought that exceedingly rude. It's a character thing again. An anger management. He couldn't budge him in the debate, where he referred to Obama as "that one". That's what we independents are sick and tired of. We can, and should, have an intelligent debate on important issues. That should never be allowed to degenerate into bizarre statements about one who disagrees being un-American, or other slanders we have been exposed to over the last 7 years.

[Dick Brandlon]

It's fascinating to me that many of the attackers of Barack Obama have as good a mastery of the English language as our current president. "To thine's own self be true" is an interesting variation of Shakespeare and the spelling of words like "sacrafice" shows a real flair for originality. Of course, flairs like this get you an "F" in most classes. It takes time, though. Ask George Bush.

[Grey Roger]

Loftboy -

Even the Democratic attorney for the Senate Ethics Committee investigating the Keating 5 stated that there was no evidence against Sen. McCain nor Sen. Glenn, but the Committee overruled his recommendation "for the first time in history".

So lets' compare Sen. McCain's association with the Keating 5 (for which no evidence existed to hold him accountable) against Sen. Obama's associations with Rev. Wright, Father Phleger, William Ayers, Bernadine Dorhn, Tony Rezco, Louis Farrakhan, Khalid Al Mansour, etc.

Everyone knows that if the MSM had done their job earlier in the primaries, Sen. Clinton would be the nominee. After March 1st, Sen. Clinton earned 510 pledged delegates and Sen. Obama earned 471 pledged delegates.

Matthew 24:11
Matthew 24:24
Mark 13:22