Obama Tells Allies He Is Ready to Hit Back (Nice photo!)

WP: Obama Tells Allies He Is Ready to Hit Back
As GOP Attacks Grow, He Links McCain, Bush


Returning from vacation, Barack Obama is greeted by a supporter at a town hall meeting at an Albuquerque high school. (Linda Davidson/WP)

ALBUQUERQUE, Aug. 18 -- Sen. Barack Obama returned to the presidential campaign trail on Monday after a week-long Hawaiian vacation and tried to assure anxious Democrats that he is ready to fight back against Republican character attacks that grew sharper in his absence.

At a town hall meeting here, Obama slammed Sen. John McCain for continuing the politics and policies of President Bush, part of an attempt to tether the presumptive Republican nominee to the unpopular president. In recent days, the campaign and its supporters have also begun portraying the wealthy McCain as too out of touch to represent the common man.

Late last week, the campaign dismissed the rising concerns of Democrats as arm-chair quarterbacking with little understanding of Obama's strategy. By Monday, not even the candidate could let such concerns slide. "Everywhere I go, people have told me, 'I'm getting nervous. The Republicans, they're so mean. They're going to Swift-boat you. They're doing things to you. What are you going to do?' " Obama said. "I have to just remind people that it is true that, just as John McCain has embraced George Bush's policies, he's embraced his politics. And the same people who brought you George Bush are now trying to package John McCain."

Concerns from Democrats are stoked by memories of 2004, when candidate John F. Kerry did not respond vigorously to misrepresentations of his military service on a Swift boat in Vietnam. Those attacks also came in the run-up to the Democratic National Convention, and the senator from Massachusetts struggled to recover from them for the rest of his campaign....

***

At four events Sunday and again here Monday, Obama delivered pep talks and said he is prepared for the worst that Republicans will throw at him. Democrats may be disappointed that he hasn't opened up a significant lead to match voter discontent with Bush, Obama acknowledged. But McCain is a formidable opponent, he said, and despite Bush's woes the GOP is experienced at winning national elections.

"You have a candidate who doesn't take any guff," the presumptive Democratic nominee assured donors in San Francisco on Sunday night....

***

Still, some strategists close to Obama say he needs to hit harder, be more specific in his attacks, and delve into McCain's character the way McCain has hit Obama's....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/18/AR2008081802177.html

Knock 'em out, Obama!

:scared:

2000 and 2004 are nightmarish memories. I hope Barack hits McCain hard.

If we must wrestle a pig, we're bound to get muddy. I'll be ready with
the hose, Senator. Just make sure the pork chops are in the freezer
come November 5. Do whatever it takes, we'll take it from there.

"President Barack Obama-coming to a White House near you"-Nance Greggs

edited for typo.

he'll be on the canvas in no time, Old McCain isn't a tough guy he just try to portray one on TV. He was like whipped dog when Rove finished with him in 2000.

Obama's a winner and this is his journey.

Ouch!