On The Record: Obama On Charlie Black

(CBS)

(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.