Ahead of Second Debate, Presidential Candidates Sharpen Attacks

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• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  The race for the White House heated up even more over the weekend, with the campaigns in attack mode on the trail and over the air.

  On Saturday, Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin went after Barack Obama's character, raising his association with William Ayers, a founder of the radical Vietnam War-era group the Weather Underground.

  GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), Alaska: Our opponent is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who targeted their own country.

• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  Weather Underground members were blamed for bombings of several public buildings when Obama was a child. At a primary debate in April, Obama denounced Ayers' views and activities.

  And today in Asheville, North Carolina, where he's preparing for tomorrow's debate, Obama decried the McCain tactics.

  SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), Illinois: I was a little surprised over the last couple of days to hear Senator McCain say or Senator McCain's campaign say that we want to turn the page on discussions about the economy, and a campaign — a member of Senator McCain's campaign saying today that, if we keep on talking about the economic crisis, we lose.

  I've got news for the McCain campaign: The American people are losing right now. They're losing their jobs. They're losing their health care. They're losing their homes. They're losing their savings.

  I cannot imagine anything more important to talk about than the economic crisis. And the notion that we would want to brush that aside and engage in the usual political shenanigans and smear tactics that have come to characterize too many political campaigns I think is not what the American people are looking for.

• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  But Palin has shown no signs of dropping the Ayers issue, using the attack again at a rally this morning in Florida.

• GOV. SARAH PALIN:

  Barack Obama says that Ayers was just someone in the neighborhood, but that's less than truthful. His own top adviser said that they were, quote, "certainly friendly." In fact, Obama held one of his first meetings of his political career in Bill Ayers' living room.

• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  In Albuquerque, New Mexico, McCain himself went after Obama, accusing him of ducking questions about his past.

  SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), Arizona: Rather than answer his critics, Senator Obama will try to distract you from noticing that he never answers the serious and legitimate questions he's been asked.

  But let — let me reply in the plainest terms that I know. I don't need lessons about telling the truth to the American people. And were I ever to need any improvement in that regard, I probably wouldn't seek advice from a Chicago politician.