Obama Dismisses Questions on Clark

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(ZANESVILLE, Ohio) Barack Obama dismissed questions about Gen. Wesley Clark today, arguing that although his comments about John McCain were “inartful,” they should not be an issue in the election.

“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 show or on a news show like Gen. Clark said something that was inartful about Sen. McCain, I don’t think is probably the thing that is keeping Ohioans up at night," Obama said at a press conference here.

In a response to a question whether Clark was “swiftboating” McCain, Obama argued that his comments did not have the same intent as the ads against Kerry in 2004. He went on to dismiss reports that his praise for McCain in yesterday’s speech on patriotism was a result of Clark’s comments.

“I think my staff will confirm that that was in a draft of that speech that I had written two months ago,” Obama said, “I have repeatedly insisted that Sen. McCain’s service is heroic and that he deserves our respect.”

Obama added that he has not spoken to Clark since his comments on "Face the Nation" Sunday when he suggested that McCain's military service was not the same as executive experience.

Obama also spoke about his telephone conversation with Bill Clinton yesterday, characterizing it as amicable. He said the two did not discuss the primary season, but Obama appeared to have forgiven Clinton for comments he made against him during the primaries.

“I think what we both acknowledged is is that when you’re in a tough primary battle, you say things that, you know, afterwards you may end up thinking, ‘ah, it might have been a little intemperate’,” Obama said and added, “But that’s the nature of political campaigns.”