Obama: "We Don't Throw the First Punch, But We'll Throw the Last"

In Asheville, NC, this afternoon, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., made a statement about today's bleak economic news, hammered Sen. John McCain's campaign tactics, and refused to answer questions about McCain's role in the Keating 5 Scandal -- which his campaign is discussing quite a bit -- before getting into his car and speeding off to get some barbecue at 12 Bones Smokehouse.

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Said Obama: "One of the things we've done during this campaign: we don't throw the first punch, but we'll throw the last. Because if the American people don't get the information that is relevant about these candidates and instead in the last four weeks all they are hearing about are smears and Swift Boat tactics that can have an impact on the election. We have seen it before, and this election is too important to be sitting on the sidelines. If Senator McCain wants to focus on the issues then that is what we focus on. But if Senator McCain wants to have a character debate that is one that we're willing to have."

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