McCain Release on Obama's Comments

“Apparently Barack Obama now thinks that smear attacks on John McCain's military service are fair game. One day after earning praise for rejecting Gen. Clark's attacks, Sen. Obama clarified that his remarks had been written months before and were not even aimed at Gen. Clark. After repudiating his own repudiation, he went on to ask why an apology to Sen. McCain from Gen. Clark would even be a priority.

“All Barack Obama has to do is tell his campaign surrogates to stop criticizing John McCain's record of service and this discussion would be over. Apparently his campaign has no intention of doing so. The McCain campaign will not sit idly by and let these ongoing attacks go unanswered.” --McCain spokesman Brian Rogers

Today In Ohio, Barack Obama Said His Remarks Yesterday Were Not In Response To Gen. Wesley Clark's Attack On Sen. McCain On CBS' “Face The Nation,” Repudiating His Own Repudiation:

Barack Obama Says The Lines In His Independence, MO, Speech That Were Reported To Repudiate Gen. Clark Were Not Written In Response To General Clark's Comments. REPORTER: "I wonder what you what you think about General Clark's comments both Sunday and today and even further I'm wondering if you can say if you really think those kinds of comments are much different from the Swift Boat types of questions that Senator Kerry faced about his Vietnam experience?" BARACK OBAMA: "Well, I don't think that General Clark had the same intent as the Swift Boat ads that we saw four years ago. I reject that analogy. But, what I've also said repeatedly is that Senator McCain deserves the utmost honor and respect for his service to our country. I've said that repeatedly. I've said it all the time. I notice that I think in at least one publication it was reported that my comments yesterday about Senator McCain were in a response to General Clark. I think my staff will confirm that was in a draft of that speech that I had written two months ago. So, you know, I have repeatedly insisted that Senator McCain's service is heroic and that he deserves our respect for that. Now, I have differences with him on policy and I will vigorously debate a lot of the decisions that he's made when it comes to national security that I think have weakened our capacity to meet the threats and challenges of the 21st century, but that certainly doesn't' detract from his past service to America." (Barack Obama, Media Availability, Zanesville, OH, 7/1/08)

Barack Obama On Whether He Feels Gen. Clark Owes Sen. McCain An Apology: “Why, Given All The Vast Numbers Of Things That We Got To Work On, That That Would Be A Top Priority Of Mine?” REPORTER: "Do you not feel that General Clark owes John McCain an apology?" BARACK OBAMA: "I guess my question is why, given all the vast numbers of things that we got to work on, that that would be a top priority of mine? I think that right now we're here to talk about how we can make sure the kids in Zanesville and across Ohio get the kind of support that they need in communities that are impoverished can start to rebuild. I'm happy to have all sorts of conversations about how we deal with Iraq and what happens with Iran, but the fact that somebody on a cable or on a news show like General Clark said something that was inartful about senator McCain, I don't think is probably the thing that is keeping Ohioans up at night." (Barack Obama, Media Availability, Zanesville, OH, 7/1/08