McCain: At Wednesday's Debate I Plan To Bring Up Ayers

Taegan Goddard reports that John McCain confirmed this morning he would try to bring up William Ayers at Wednesday's debate. McCain appeared to blame Obama for the move:

In an interview on a St. Louis radio station, McCain said Obama's comments that "I didn't have the guts" to talk about William Ayers in the last presidential debate have "probably ensured" that the former 1960s radical will come up in Wednesday's debate.

The Huffington Post's Seth Colter Walls wrote Monday that Ayers was "expected" to come up at the debate.

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

[neuron]

I'm betting he won't.

[thestargazer]

Remember when McCain first suspended his campaign, right before the Republican Convention so that he could go down to Louisiana to (attend a photo op) "help" with Hurricane relief? I remember seeing some video of McCain in a packing line where he and others were filling care packages for hurricane victims. McCain was responsible for adding some sort of spray bottle/cleaner to the package.

I remember it odd that every time he picked up a bottle of this cleaner he stared at it oddly as if he'd never seen anything like it. Then it hit me, the reason the cleaner was so odd to him is that neither John nor Cindy have ever had to clean or disinfect anything their lives.

In fact, according to their 2007 tax returns, The McCain's spent more than $217,000 on domestic help alone. Now, I don't know what the median family income is in the U.S. but it seems that the McCain's spend multiples of the Median Family Income just keeping their houses clean and well-manicured.

Is this someone that can identify with the common person or a poser?

[valleygent]

Hey McCain...REMEMBER CHARLES KEATING AND GENERAL SINGLAUB?

[TurkerB]

And let's not forget G. Gordon Liddy too. I read he instructed his listeners on how to shoot federal agents.

Seems like a perfect 'head-case' for McCain to have on his team.....

[Srkdqltr]

Why doesn't someone say.... So he knew Ayers?? What exactly does that mean?
If he knew Ayers and worked an a board with him or even socialized what does that mean? Does it mean Obama will throw bombs? Ayers, as I remember from the times, was an anti-war protester. Protesting the VietNam war was a good thing. Anyone with a brain knows he and his followers could not overthrow the government. I'm sure they knew that and most folks knew that. At the time bombing the Pentagon was shocking but it made some type of sense as that is where the military was. As it was people like him probably caused the end of that hideous war. So what does that mean for Obama??
So Obama should say to McCain. I know Ayers. So what? See what type of answer will come of it.

[terragazelle60]

You are right...they were not terrorists, did not want to over throw the government, they wanted to end the war and bring the men home. They never killed anyone...and Ayers and his wife turned themselves in and were not convicted of anything. So I wish people would stop useing them as boogymen.

[Weasie16]

Obama needs to stand up to McCain and say that as President of the US he's going to have sit beside many people, some of which may have done or said things he disagrees with....but as a leader he needs to set his personal feelings aside to accomplish what is best for the American people.

[realistic2008]

Obama should bring on "Bush the greatest terrorist of them all" and the Republicans, the greatest liers and hipocrites.

[booker52]

Do any of you get the feelling Sen McCain is like Junior the mean little kid?? Gee he even looks like him as well.

[carljr]

Saying it to his face doesn't make it any more true. Your point, Senator?

[RAFord24]

I'm sick of this dude! Do McCain believe Americans are stupid? The MSM prove time and time again that these attacks on Obama are false and McCain-Palin/ Republicans still put out this...this garbage...this hate... Then they have the nerve to say it's not their fault when a hateful outbursts is exclaimed at their rallies. Are you Sh*tt*ng me with this B*llSh*t!

McCain-Palin is too RISKY! If they treat American citizen with such hateful distaste. How will they treat are friends or foes, will they rush into a new wars just because they don't like their tone? Sorry, America already leaves a bad taste in the mouth of other countries, we need a different way to look at issues and a mature adult way of solving problems. Obama-Biden/08

[proudloudlib]

One question. Is the Viet Nam war ever going to be over?

[theLeftPaw]

Did you know that McCain was a POW???

[leftbehind2000]

Did you know McCain renounced his country?

[proudloudlib]

Plus the Bill Ayers thing, and don't forget the swiftboating of John Kerry. Didn't that war end in like 1973? 35 years and we are still fighting it.

[magen]

Keating 5 and McSame's questionable relationships should be brought up then.

[CTtransplant]

Like this questionable relationship:

"The Washington lobbyist John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime.

The two lobbyists who McCain aide William Timmons worked closely with over a five year period on the lobbying campaign later either pleaded guilty to or were convicted of federal criminal charges that they had acted as unregistered agents of Saddam Hussein's government.

During the same period beginning in 1992, Timmons worked closely with the two lobbyists, Samir Vincent and Tongsun Park, on a previously unreported prospective deal with the Iraqis in which they hoped to be awarded a contract to purchase and resell Iraqi oil. Timmons, Vincent, and Park stood to share at least $45 million if the business deal went through."

[R1Rider]

Why is our government allowing a man with terrorist ties sit in our Senate?

[R1Rider]

Why is the Bushie government allowing a man with terrorist ties sit in our Senate?

[truthmachine]

I'll bet you have never read the constitution and have no idea what it says.

[missmuffette]

DO IT MCCAIN, I DOUBLE DOG DARE YA!!!

I WANNA SEE OBAMA CREAM YOU IN THE POLLS! WOOO-HOOO!

[SeriousBlack]

Let him bring it up. He'll just be sticking a fork in himself.

He's done.