Is McCain Still Battling Obama?

Arizona Sen. John McCain and his GOP primary challenger former Rep. J.D. Hayworth took some hard shots at each other over the weekend in a set of debates -- but they also took aim at President Obama, according to reports.

Hayworth attacked McCain on a series of issues during the two debates in Phoenix and Tuscon, but McCain repeatedly turned the criticism on the Obama administration, Politico reports.

While Hayworth criticized McCain for supporting the 2008 bank bailouts, McCain reportedly accused the Obama administration of "committing generational theft." He also called Mr. Obama an "uncertain trumpet" when it comes to the war in Afghanistan. While Hayworth blasted McCain for supporting "amnesty," McCain said the administration has failed to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I am proud of the leadership position I have taken fighting this administration," McCain said at the Phoenix debate Friday, according to Politico.

Hayworth also attacked the Obama administration as he lobbed criticisms against his opponent.

"John was sparing in his criticism of Barack Obama," Hayworth said in reference to the 2008 presidential election, Talking Points Memo reports. "If John had told the truth about President Obama the way he's spreading falsehoods about me, he would be president right now - and maybe he would do a better job on the border."

McCain also on Friday brought his campaign against the president to the airwaves with a new ad that features a group of sheriffs.

"President Obama has made protecting our border incredibly difficult," Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County says in the ad, "but Arizona has a senator who has the courage and the character to stand up to a president who is wrong -- John McCain. A president versus a senator -- doesn't seem like a fair fight, unless that senator is John McCain."

Hayworth's primary challenge has driven McCain to the right on a number of issues, like immigration. Arizona's Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, who is up for re-election, also seems to have politically benefited from taking an adversarial position against the Obama administration. A recent poll shows her numbers up 22 percent since April, when she signed the state's controversial immigration measure into law.

While the president was on numerous occasions the subject of criticism during the GOP Senate debates, McCain certainly did not hold back from attacking Hayworth directly.

"After he was rejected by the voters of his district he came back and was a paid lobbyist, then was a talk show host, and of course was a late night star doing infomercials," McCain said about his rival, TPM reports. He also blasted Hayworth for porkbarrel spending: "They brought Congressman Hayworth in in 1994 and they pushed him out in 2006 because the spending got out of control," he said.

So far, McCain holds avery strong lead over Hayworth in polls. The primary is Aug. 24.