Barack Obama called John McCain’s accusations regarding a purported Hamas endorsement a “smear.”
Senator McCain (R-Ariz.), the putative Republican presidential nominee, has made an issue out of an interview with a Hamas spokesman who said the terrorist movement “likes” Senator Obama (D-Ill.), who is leading in the race to become the Democratic nominee.
“This is a smear,” Obama said Thursday on CNN. “For him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings.”
Obama and McCain share the view that the United States should not deal with Hamas until it renounces violence and recognizes Israel.
Unsolicited endorsements are a common feature of election campaigns. Some white supremacists have endorsed McCain.
McCain’s campaign replied that the issue was legitimate and accused Obama of making an issue of McCain’s age – 71 – with the phrase “losing his bearings.”
Obama’s campaign replied that “losing one’s bearings has no relation to age.”
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