What Obama Should Have Said

"Frankly, I'm surprised to discover that Robert Novak still has a column, after his role in the pointless destruction of valuable CIA assets. You'd have thought he'd have been fired or jailed for that. In view of his possibly traitorous record as a propaganda tool of Republican interests, I won't waste time on anything he claims to know about Democrats, or about anyone else who opposes the policies of the White House. Seriously, folks... Robert Novak! Come on, get real."

Sadly, this is what he did say:

"“During our debate in Las Vegas on Thursday, we heard Senator Clinton rail against the politics of ‘throwing mud.’

“At the very same time, in Washington, Robert Novak was publishing a column in which he reported the following: ‘Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama...’

“The item did not identify these ‘agents,’ nor did it reveal the nature of the charge. It was devoid of facts, but heavy on innuendo and insinuation of the sort to which we've become all too accustomed in our politics these past two decades. If the purpose of this shameless item was to daunt or discourage me or supporters of our campaign from challenging and changing the politics of Washington, it will fail. In fact, it will only serve to steel our resolve.

“But in the interest of our party, and her own reputation, Senator Clinton should either make public any and all information referred to in the item, or concede the truth: that there is none.

“She of all people, having complained so often about ‘the politics of personal destruction,’ should move quickly to either stand by or renounce these tactics.

“I am prepared to stand up to that kind of politics, whether it's deployed by candidates in our party, in the other party or by any third party.

“The cause of change in this country will not be deterred or sidetracked by the old ‘Swift boat’ politics. The cause of moving America forward demands that we defeat it.”