Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain spent the last few days exchanging fighting words — notably “Ayers,” “Keating” and “liar.”

But while both sides arrived in here in a brawling mood — with McCain, in particular, under growing pressure to bloody Obama — aides and advisers to both candidates say that tonight’s town-hall-style debate is no place to throw a punch.

“There’s a lot of talk about nastiness and personal attacks, but in this type of format, that is a huge mistake,” said Bob Barnett, a Democratic lawyer who negotiated the debate’s ground rules on Obama’s behalf. “You have to be respectful to the audience questioners, you have to be respectful of the Internet questioners, and you have to have the viewers who are watching feel that you are responding to the voters and the citizens who are asking the questions.”

McCain’s top strategists also acknowledge the format doesn’t lend itself to sharp-edged attacks.

“You have to strike a balance between responding to the questions asked and being responsive to people in a town hall but also and contrasting your record with your opponent,” said Matt McDonald, a senior McCain adviser. McCain aides said they didn’t expect McCain to raise Obama’s relationship with the former Weatherman bomber William Ayers, unless it came up.

More details available via Politico.com…

Subscribe to The News Junkie podcast - Laughs, News and MORE

Share and Enjoy: