Obama Campaign Begins Counterattack

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Obama, Biden Campaign In Run Up to Nov. 4

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and his running mate Joe Biden continue their separate campaign tours. The pair focused on the swing states of Missouri, Ohio, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, among other appearances to bolster support a mere eight weeks before the election.

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The ads from the Obama campaign took different approaches: One attacked McCain directly, the other tried to reinforce Obama's message of change with the candidate talking to the camera.

The attack was direct, accusing McCain of being out of touch after 26 years in Washington. Using jaunty, humorous music, a picture of a younger McCain with shaggy hair and the hint of sideburns, and images of massive, antiquated cellphones and a Rubik's Cube, the ad is the clearest evocation yet of McCain's age. The Republican turned 72 late last month.

"He admits he still doesn't know how to use a computer, can't send e-mail. Still doesn't understand the economy, and favors $200 billion in new tax cuts for corporations, but almost nothing for the middle class. . . . After one president who was out of touch," it concludes, "we just can't afford more of the same." The Obama campaign said the ad would be aired nationally on cable and on other outlets in swing states.

In a memo to supporters, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said: "In recent weeks, John McCain has shown that he is willing to go into the gutter to win this election. His campaign has become nothing but a series of smears, lies and cynical attempts to distract from the issues that matter to the American people."

Plouffe assured supporters that "we will respond with speed and ferocity to John McCain's attacks and we will take the fight to him, but we will do it on the big issues that matter to the American people."

Obama got something of an assist from the hosts of "The View," who challenged McCain on the integrity and honesty of his campaign. Joy Behar questioned two ads he is running against the Democrat -- one accusing him of supporting "comprehensive" sex education for kindergartners, the other saying he called Palin a pig when he used the saying "lipstick on a pig" in reference to McCain's claims to be an agent of change.

"We know that those two ads are untrue," Behar said. "They are lies."

When McCain defended them, Barbara Walters noted that McCain had made the same lipstick on a pig comment about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's health-care proposal.

"About health care," McCain said. Obama "chooses his words very carefully. He shouldn't have said it."

McCain has portrayed Palin as a reformer unwilling to accept pork from Washington, but Walters and Behar pressed. "She also took some earmarks," Walters said.

"No, not as governor she didn't," McCain responded, inaccurately.

The Obama campaign quickly produced newspaper articles about Palin seeking various earmarks as governor. In February, her office sent Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) a 70-page memo outlining almost $200 million worth of funding requests for her state.