Obama Trying To Keep Swiftboat Response Low-Key

Here's a development that really bears watching: In stark contrast to John Kerry's 2004 campaign, the Obama team has developed a very aggressive response to the growing Swift-Boating apparatus that is targeting the Illinois Senator -- but crucially, the Obama camp is striving to keep the counterattack as low key as possible.

The approach, which is taking shape daily in response to the attacks, contrasts most obviously with Kerry's in its aggressiveness. But it's also different from Kerry's approach in another, equally important way. The Obama campaign is doing whatever it can to keep the return fire from spilling into the national media, whereas Kerry, when he did finally respond, did try to win the argument with the Swift-Boaters on a national level.

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