Obama Opens the Door for McCain on the Rev. Wright Issue

That evil Fox News finally got an interview with Barack Obama yesterday, and there wasn't much news to come out of it except that Obama acknowledge that Obama's pastor and spiritual mentor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright's preaching is a legitimate issue in the campaign. John McCain, who rebuked the North Carolina GOP for running an ad featuring the Rev. Wright, pounced on the opening:

Here's a new angle from McCain, at an avail today, at which he said, more or less, that he didn't plan to attack Obama on Wright, but that Obama — by calling the question "legitimate" — had legitimized it.

It's a move either clever, or too cute, depending on how you see it — but it'll serve to keep the story in the news, and to signal surrogates that it's more than fair game.

He's also showed a detailed knowledge of the story.

I've stated my position very clearly that I don't like the ad. I was interested that this morning Senator Obama said that it was a legitimate political issue. If he believes that, then it will probably be a political issue. I saw yesterday some additional comments that have been revealed by Pastor Wright, one of them comparing the United States Marine Corps with Roman legionnaires who were responsible for the death of our Savior. I mean being involved in that —it's beyond belief. And then of course saying that Al Qaeda and the American flag were the same flags.

So I can understand — I can understand why the American people are upset about this. I can understand that Americans viewing these kinds of comments are angry and upset, just like they viewed Senator Obama's statements about why people turn to their faith and their values. He believes that it's out of economic concerns, when we all know that it's out of fundamental belief, fundamental faith in this country and its values and its principles. Again, Senator Obama is out of touch. I can't control and will not in the future control. I will voice my opinion and I will continue to think and to say that I think that ad should not be run. But I won't continue to try to be the referee here.

He was asked whether he'd shifted to viewing the question as legitimate:

I have said that I will not have any comment on it and that because I thought and I believe that Senator Obama does not share those views. But Sen. Obama himself says it's a legitimate political issue, so I would imagine that many other people will share that view, and it will be in the arena. But my position that Senator Obama doesn't share those views remains the same.

The Obama camp was clearly taken aback by McCain's new tactic, and responded as you'd expect:

By sinking to a level that he specifically said he'd avoid, John McCain has broken his word to the American people and rendered hollow his promise of a respectful campaign. With each passing day, John McCain acts more and more like someone who's spent twenty-six years learning the divisive, distracting tactics of Washington. That's not the change that the American people are looking for.

McCain should immediately apologize to the North Carolina GOP for blasting them earlier in the week for what now is clearly a legitimate campaign issue.