Obama Says He Needs Money To Fight Smear Campaign

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) Barack Obama today defended his decision to opt out of public financing, arguing that the system cannot control outside lobbyist groups who will launch personal attacks against him and his wife.

"We've already seen attacks on my wife from the Tennessee Republican party," Obama told reporters, "I don't think that I am off the wall here to see that a lot of outside groups that are potentially going to be going after us hard."

He said his commitment to overhaul campaign financing stands; however, he argued that he is in a better position to withstand Republican attacks if he doesn't partake in it.

Obama said he will have to campaign harder in states like Florida in order to change misconceptions about him.

"McCain's a fine man and somebody who's been in the public eye for a long time and I am still relatively new on the national scene and so I've said before when your name is Barack Obama you're like AVIS, you've got to work twice as hard."

At a low-dollar fundraiser after the press conference, Obama had a similar message for supporters. He told donors that the Republicans will launch personal attack, "They're going to try to make you afraid. They're going to try to make you afraid of me. He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. And did I mention he's black?"

Earlier in the day, New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg asked Jewish voters in Boca Raton, Florida to dismiss false internet rumors that Obama is a Muslim.

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by anappleadae June 23, 2008 5:08 PM EDT: Unfortunately for the Obama campaign there is no sexism card to play. Seems the excitement has all but disappeared from their campaign. Oh... Wait... How about the ageist card? Those stupid old people don''t know what their doing. Maybe Obama can convince them he can do their thinking for them.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 June 23, 2008 1:14 PM EDT: The Republicans have plenty of revenues donated from our $12 Billion Dollars each and every month going to Private Contractors dependent on Bush%u2019s War on Iraq, and further Military Conflicts. The Republican Conservative Agenda has taken from the American People and will only continue to force the standard of living down if re-elected. The dismal result of the Conservative Agenda leaves the Republican Party to resort to Smear Campaigning and Swift Boating of the opposing candidates.; Reply to this comment


by alicerea1 June 23, 2008 10:56 AM EDT: Clinton supporters don''t want a candidate like Obama because:
They don%u2019t want a candidate that feels sorry to leave a church that is anti American and that preaches hatred and racial views that are cruel and nasty.

They don''t want a candidate that is inexperienced.

They don%u2019t want a candidate that considers it a loss to not to be able to attend his anti American, racist Church.

They don%u2019t want a candidate that has a %u201Cnon practicing%u201D Muslim father, but avoids the entire discussion of his father.

They don%u2019t%u2019 want a candidate that can%u2019t win a debate

They don%u2019t%u2019 want a candidate that misleads the youth with an %u2018Obama girl and her behind in their face%u201D

They don%u2019t want a candidate that says he%u2019s an African American and missed the MLK Remembrance Day and the Louisiana Black Caucus meeting

They don%u2019t want a candidate that has done nothing for humanity except talk about it.

They don%u2019t'' want a candidate named; Barack Hussein Obama

He scares them to death.
He is embarrassing.
He is unelectable.; Reply to this comment


by alicerea1 June 23, 2008 10:56 AM EDT: Clinton supporters don''t want Obama because:
They don%u2019t want a candidate that Hamas supports.

They don%u2019t want a candidate that Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam support

They don%u2019t want a candidate that has a wife that has just now realized she was proud of our country.

They don%u2019t want a candidate that denies Florida and Michigan their voices

They don%u2019t want a candidate that mentions 57 states in his speeches. 50 states in the USA and 57 states in the Nation of Islam (IOC website)

They don%u2019t want a candidate that fights unfair and steals Michigan delegate votes from his opponent.; Reply to this comment


by alicerea1 June 23, 2008 10:55 AM EDT: The reason Clinton supporters will not vote for Obama is because they are embarrassed of him, his life, his unfair tactics and his beliefs. And they still don''t know all about him.

They don''t want a candidate that has been in a twenty year relationship with Reverend Wright and the Trinity United Church of Christ.

They don%u2019t%u2019 want a candidate that has a twenty year relationship with Father Pflaeger as his compass in life

They don%u2019t want a candidate that went to a church that supports Louis Farrakhan, an anti Semitic racist.

They don''t want to defend Black Liberation theology.

They don%u2019t want a candidate that lies about his relationship with Tony Rezko, the Syrian Criminal that sold his property to Obama and supported his campaign.

They don''t want a candidate that could work with a domestic terrorist, William Ayers.; Reply to this comment


by alicerea1 June 23, 2008 10:53 AM EDT: Would someone find out why Obama never discusses his father being a Muslim. Obama has noted in his two books, "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope," that he spent two years in a Muslim school and another two years in a Catholic school while living in Indonesia from age 6 to 10.

Why doesn''''t someone ask him why Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan had a rally with over 20000 worshipers support Obama.
Obama needs a heck of lot of explaining to do or are we going to let this man keep lying to the American people because we''''re afraid to ask.
Obama ihas many evil friends.
He''''s scary.; Reply to this comment


by jack3213 June 23, 2008 10:37 AM EDT: A vote for Obama is a vote for higher taxes in an economy that can''t afford it. Wake up. His plans are all wrong- and people are just so stupid & blind- SO many walk around thinking they will get a change in government- with a Democrat- you will get NOTHING, and I feel sorry for those who are just plain naive.; Reply to this comment


by blitzder June 23, 2008 9:21 AM EDT: Swift boating the Kerry campaign in 2004, will look like childs play in comparison to whats gonna come Obama''s way in this election. The KKK, Neo-Nazi''s, Conservatves crazies etc are all sharpening their political knives. Get ready for the fireworks folks....; Reply to this comment


by whitepicks2 June 23, 2008 1:42 AM EDT: Good God, man. President John Doe....sheesh. Think of it this way: Getting past his name is a test.

If his name, instead of policy, determines whether or not you vote for him, you failed.; Reply to this comment


by jghutto June 23, 2008 12:36 AM EDT: This is my "legal" opinion. Barack could have kept his name "Barry" or, better still, why didn''t he take his mother''s maiden name "to appear more American". He could have just changed his name to "John Doe." Why should we help pay to defend his name when it is so easy to change one''s name? A further point, he could have taken is Mother''s maiden name and married into the "white" race to further his appeal as an American. Everything he did has appealed to his biological father.; Reply to this comment