Aide: McCain Likely To Confront Obama Over Ayers At Next Debate

On Monday afternoon, John McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds offered a quick preview of the third and final presidential debate this Wednesday at Hofstra University.

After being asked by a Fox News host whether the lack of any mention of William Ayers during today's speeches from McCain and Palin meant that "the gloves [are] going back on" after a week of tough attacks, Bounds rejected the idea.

"I don't think so at all... If you see some of the advertising coming from the RNC today, which we stand behind, and some of advertising that we'll see going forward," Bounds said, hinting at another onslaught of Ayers material still to come.

When asked if McCain plans to "go after" Obama on these topics this Wednesday, Bounds added: "So much of a debate is determined by the moderator and the questions that are posed to the candidates. I expect it could come up and I expect John McCain will ask Barack Obama to speak truthfully about his relationship with friend and unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers. I think that voters deserve to know, deserve to vet these candidates to the fullest extent... Certainly, Bill Ayers raises questions. Certainly, Tony Rezko raises questions."

If it is McCain's intention to raise the issue of Ayers -- with or without moderator Bob Schieffer's prompting -- it would serve as something of an answered prayer to many of the Arizonan's town hall attendees, one of whom even begged McCain to bring on the character attacks in the last presidential debate of the season.

Comments

[Leon72]

Everybody be aware of the upcoming debate. Bob Schaiffer is a known republicans who frequently makes guest appearance on right-wing radio talk shows. Look for him to do McCain a favor and push him into a debate about Ayers. I have feeling that Schaiffer will do his friend a favor and make this non-issue a memorable part of the debate. Look for McCain's false indignation at Obama's supposed frienship with Ayers. Look for him to be aggressive and confrontational with Obama to give the impression that he is passionate about this issue on behalf of the American people. McCain will attempt to do this without appearing mean. At this point it will be a good strategy considering he has nothing to lose. I have bad feeling that Schaiffer (friends with neo -cons) will try to give advantages to McCain. However I am very confident Obama camp will anticipate all types of strategies by McCain, and thus have answers. Obama/Biden "08

[rinpochet]

I think that Obama is like a cat waiting to pounce. All in his own time. He wants the Ayers issue to come up here so that in front of 60+-million viewers he can shove it right back. Four Republicans on that board, put in place by Annenberg, a McCain supporter. So is McCain calling all these people terrorirst sympathizers? I CAN'T WAIT!!!

[jurr]

I thought Obama put that to bed with his 'something that happened when I was eight' remarks- Guess McCain didn't get the email yet.

[lefty74]

LOL... McCain doesn't 'get' email...

[TotobiAyokoh23]

If John John brings the Ayers issue out, he will be a very congenial bait to a trap already set by Obama. Mark MY WORDS. It is time to settle that menacing lie of a stupidity once and for all. The American people have no time to waste on misrepresentation of irrelevant rigmaroles.

[PKSSK]

A question assoicated with Ayre's will be a big mistake for the moderator, who supports M c C a i n or M c C a i n himself, to bring up. The American peolpe are sick of the dirty attacks based on guilt by association. The American people want to know how the candidates are going to help them get their lives back on track, economically. If CBS allows the attacks to become part of the debate they risk the blowback that ABC (Steph/Gibson) received when they participated in attacks on behalf of the status quo candidate, C l i n t o n, and now the status quo candidate is M c C a i n.

[dwmulenex]

my friends, and I wish I could wink like like the Governor of Alaska so you would know who you are, I think the American people need candor. That One ought to tell you what I l know. While I was a POW, and That One was already eight years old, his future friend Bill Ayers was playing Bob Dylan, protesting to end a war, and making bombs. By the time That One was 13 years old, all charges against Bill Ayers and his wife had been dropped because the FBI used illegal wiretaps,and the case had no standing. But That One continued to grow up in the shadow of the radical mentor he had never met, absorbing his lessons while at Columbia, a community organizer in Chicago, and the president of the terrorist defending Harvard Law Review. My friends, all this came to fruition in 1995, when That one finally met the terrorist he never knew he idolized, and agreed at another person's invitation to chair an education foundation established by a Ronald Reagan Ambassador. My friends, That One is not what he seems. He's no politician, he's an left wing educator!

[loax]

Hey Tucker, you little creep. I do hope McCain is ready to answer questions on his friend the felon, G. Gordon Liddy! You are such a little twerp!

[VeroucaSalt]

And Charles Keating...­. of "Keating Five" fame. Apparently Cindy's still mighty close to the guy!

[lefty74]

Hopefully Obama's mentioning of that name will bring a 'chill up her spine'! Yuk yuk!

[Speakchic]

Bring it! It's like all the McCain campaign has are these idle threats as if Obama should be fearful of this from association or something. McCain's campaign is so pathetic!

[Countdown09]

Good I hope he does, that way O bama can explain what Keating 5 means.

[Whinger]

Glad you brought that up John, now, can you explain what that's got to do with the nations economy?

[PghDemocrat]

A part of me would like to see McCain do this because A - when Obama slams him it would be entertaining and B - it would settle this dead dead horse once and for all.

I haven't quite decided how I would like Obama to answer this though. He has a few options here. He could chastise McCain for negative campaigning. He could simply say it is a a dead issue and the country has bigger problems to deal with. He could throw about 10 different scandals of McCain's and Palin's right back in his face, or he could do some combination. Politically, I don't know which would gain him even more ground.

[FLA1]

What is more pertinent to our current economic situation, the Keating 5 Scandal where McCain was determined to have used poor judgment or Rezko or Ayers? Obama and Ayers were on the same board of organizations doing positive things. There is no evidence that they ever did anything together unethical. With regard to Rezko, there are just as many Republicans attached to him as Democrats, and again, this man is under intense pressure from Federal prosecutors and has not connected Obama to any wrongdoing. Palin has just been found by a bipartisan legislative board to be guilty of an ethics violation. Obama no ethics violations, whatsoever. Who is standing on firmer ground with regard to character? I frankly believe for John McCain to attempt to bring these matters up, he would do nothing more than run into a buzzsaw of his own making. Keating Scandal = "It's the economy, stupid"

[mercuryguy]

In return Mr O. can say, "Sen McCain, How do you spell Keating 5?

[MarkieBee]

or, "which one were you Senator...­Keating 1, Keating 2, Keating 3, Keating 4 or Keating 5? Since you were the only one who took vacations with the man and the only one with a personalized letter from Keating that reads, ' til death do us part.' I'd suggest that you were Keating 1."

[Kindheart]

I hope Johnny brings it up since all the bulls**t about Ayers has been debunked. I can only hope that Obama can bring up G. Gordon Liddy with whom Johnny associates. Oh and by the way, at least Ayers has gone on to do good things for our country.

[SheriChardonnay]

ha they r floating on floatin now....the­y said this crap last week and hyped everyone up....all i have to say is O better be on his game and slam granpy on wed with words of wisdom!

[Concerned1]

Hey Tuck, get your candidate ready. Talking about palling around, check out McCain's bud G. Gordon Liddy.

BTW, you can kick yourself now.