On The Record: Obama On Charlie Black

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(LOS ANGELES) Barack Obama denounced McCain senior adviser Charlie Black after Black told a magazine that a terrorist attack would "be a big advantage" to McCain politically. Black later said he "deeply regrets" making the comment.

Obama told reporters the issue of potential attacks on U.S. soil should not be politicized. "The broader point, which has been made not just by Democrats but by Republicans, is there are certain things that should transcend politics," Obama said. "And the prospect of a terrorist attack on American soil is one of them."

Obama also said that Black's assertion that a terrorist attack could help McCain's campaign was factually incorrect, arguing that Republican foreign policy blunders have made the U.S. less safe.

"We've got a situation backsliding in Afghanistan, and homeland security issues that are still being unattended to here in the United States," Obama said, "So I'm happy to have that debate about who's actually going to be stronger on terrorism."

Today was the first time Obama addressed Charlie Black's comments on the record; however senior campaign aides and surrogates have tackled the issue since Black's comment to Fortune Magazine was made known on Monday.

On a conference call earlier today, Congresswoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-D) called Black's comments "disgusting."

Neither Obama nor his supporters have called on McCain to fire Black. "You know, I leave it up to John McCain to decide who he wants to run his campaign," Obama said.

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by mattcat25 June 25, 2008 4:03 PM EDT: The Republicans have used the threat of Terrorism to use and abused our military. And, they have refused to pay benefits and supply our Troops with the proper equipment to conduct a successful mission. If in fact the mission was to alleviate Terrorists and Terrorism they have failed to conduct themselves in the manner to succeed. $Money, Power, and Oil are the real objectives coveted by the Republican Party. The American People and Military Personnel are being used as indispensable pawns in their quest to maintain power and to reap huge profits.; Reply to this comment


by formlessness-2009 June 25, 2008 2:17 PM EDT: confused25... good name from your comment i see it is spot on. you are clearly confused.

TruUSA... it may not be impossible, then again neither is time travel. The probability that either of those two things would happen is slimmmer than a nanowire. My money would be on time travel happening before Hillary Clinton winning the presidency. She lost, deal with it you sore loser.; Reply to this comment


by waynepj3-2009 June 25, 2008 1:56 PM EDT: I agree with Obama. American lives should not be pawns in the political process. Sadly, this has been precisely the Republican strategy for the last decade. Tell people if you dont vote GOP you will die when the truth is quite the opposite. 3000 dead on 9/11, 2000 dead during Hurricane Katrina, 4000 dead in Iraq. The GOP has killed more Americans than any Democrat has. The truth is any president is charged with protecting the American people. The military experts wont change.; Reply to this comment


by confused25 June 25, 2008 11:34 AM EDT: Crowned himself king already???

Just go to:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question
/index?qid=20080504124922AAIqnkq

See that Obama and his cousin Odingo are very close. Google Obama and Odingo and see the truth.

No vote here. Hello McCain.; Reply to this comment


by jsilver2th June 25, 2008 8:11 AM EDT: I can''t see how if team mc bush lets another attack happen it would build credibility = it would seem like proof that bush policy is failing... you know they will stage some phony media event like holding back on the bin laden tape against kerry; Reply to this comment


by jnes4 June 25, 2008 3:09 AM EDT: There are times when Obama should counter with a statement, and there are times when he should remain silent. This was one of those times where he didn''t need to say anything on the topic, and instead let the public to make its own judgment.

Typically, most candidates for president become their own worst enemy during the election process, and do themselves in with their own misstatements or remarks on one topic or another. If a campaign decides to shoot itself in the foot, you don''t need to be there to cheer it on.; Reply to this comment