Obama continues to take the low road

Despite ordering his minions to take a higher road than presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama continued his trip along the low road, today, by commenting on Clinton strategist Mark Penn’s meeting with Columbian officials concerning free trade.

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (CNN) — Barack Obama told reporters Friday that had top Clinton strategist Mark Penn been on his staff, he would have removed him for having met with the Colombian government to discuss passing a proposed free trade agreement with the nation.
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“Let me put it this way,” the Illinois senator said. “I’m not surprised that Sen. Clinton found herself in an uncomfortable position as a consequence, and I know that if staff of mine were putting me in that kind of position I would get rid of them.”
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Obama also added, “I think it was surprising to me that a high ranking, if not the highest ranking, member of Sen. Clinton’s team would be engaged in business activities and lobbying that was directly contrary to a position that Sen. Clinton had taken.”

Obama should worry more about his own campaign people and less about his opponent’s campaign people. (H/T: Cadillac Tight)

“Barack Obama promises a new brand of politics, but today refused to directly denounce Ed Schultz and his vicious smear attack on John McCain. John McCain is committed to a civil debate worthy of the American people and has a record of standing by that commitment,” said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds. “Senator Obama must personally and publicly repudiate his campaign supporter’s attacks — rather than give tacit approval to this blatant smear — or his rhetoric of change will be exposed as nothing but words.”
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On Friday, however, Obama thanked Schultz and called him the “voice of progressive radio.” Obama also appeared as a guest on his radio show earlier in the week.

As Joe Tobacco points out in his comments section, Obama has no intention of repudiating the statement:

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) declined twice Saturday to personally repudiate a liberal radio host’s declaration that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is a “warmonger.”

Joe explains why:

The explanation for this is pretty simple, really. Obama doesn’t dare repudiate statements from the likes of Jeremiah Wright or Ed Schultz, because he hasn’t sewn this primary up yet. For all his bluster, he’s perfectly aware that if Hillary Clinton wins Pennsylvania, then a majority of the remaining states through June, she has a persuasive argument to take to the super delegates, and to the party.

“Change?” Show me.