While there are strategists in both parties who are eager to make the candidates’ wives a political issue this fall, both Sens. McCain and Obama have declared that they will run clean campaigns and keep the focus on one another.

Obama set the bar high last month when he said, “I would never consider making Cindy McCain a campaign issue and if I saw people doing that–I would speak out against it.”

So do accusations made by a Democratic strategist last night about Mrs. McCain’s go too far?

Democratic National Committee Adviser Jamal Simmons told CNN Tuesday night that Mrs. McCain’s financial transactions raise “red flags,” and there are questions about “whats going to happen to…Cindy McCain if he goes into the White House,” noting that she is an heiress to a beer distribution company estimated to be worth upwards of $100 million.

Simmons also alleged that the presumptive GOP nominee was only able to keep his once cash-starved campaign afloat partly because his wife incurred $750,000 in personal credit card debt during the primary season.

“They would not have been able to keep the John McCain campaign alive had he not had this personal wealth,” Simmons added, alluding to what would be an FEC violation given that McCain has said– and federal filings show– that he never borrowed from his personal wealth to keep his campaign in the black.

While the DNC and some outside observers have taken issue with the campaign’s reimbursement–or lackthereof –for the use of Cindy McCain’s private jet and releasing her tax return summaries instead of the full filings, Democrats have yet to solely target her wealth.

And though it can be argued that the use of the private jet saved the campaign some dough, citing her personal credit card debt to allege impropriety looks to be taking up the criticism a notch.

When asked about Simmons’ assertion, DNC spokesman Damien LaVera would only say that Democrats will continue to highlight what he called the McCain campaign’s “potentially illegal” use of her jet and “insufficient” financial disclosure.

“This isn’t about Cindy McCain. This is about John McCain and his promise to run a new kind of campaign with a new level of transparency,” LaVera said, noting McCain’s oft-repeated commitment to run the most “transparent” campaign in history. “We are going to hold John McCain accountable to his own campaign promises and we are going to make sure that when he doesn’t, the voters know about it.”

Obetz, OH–

After the Republicans suffered another stunning loss in a traditional GOP stronghold—this time in Mississippi, Senator John McCain admits he is worried that the rejection of Republican candidates will spill into the general election. He maintained that he is confident that his vision will bring him victory in November:

“We have to re-energize our base. We have to commit to being careful stewards of their tax dollars. We need to be committed to our environment and to make sure that we take the necessary steps to protect our nation and the globe. But, most of all as I said earlier stop the out of control spending. We committed again to be careful stewards of American people’s tax dollars and do it right and we’ve got a lot of work to do and I have a lot of work to do,” McCain told reporters, “But I have no delusions that this campaign will be a very difficult challenge.”

Republican candidate Greg Davis’ loss in Mississippi to Democrat Travis Childers in a special election yesterday sent shock waves throughout the GOP.

At the impromptu press conference, McCain also had to answer about his campaign’s connections with staffers that also happen to be lobbyists and their work with foreign governments. Last weekend two advisors left because of past work they did with the government of Myanmar and today the Wall Street Journal reported that campaign manager, Rick Davis’ lobbying firm hired a public-relations company to help improve the image of a Ukrainian political party. Former Russian president Vladimir Putin endorses the party—someone McCain is not shy at railing against on the campaign trail. McCain did not comment directly on Davis, but stressed that any new hires will be closely examined:

“People will be more thoroughly vetted. And we will make sure that is the case. We found out that these two individuals had represented that country and so they left and we will vet everyone very seriously and make sure that it’s not a repetition.”

(more…)

Baton Rouge, LA — McCain’s Thursday was chock-full of news given that he conducted three 20 minute-plus media legs aboard his Straight Talk bus, a nearly 30-minute media availability in New Orleans, a walking tour of the Lower Ninth Ward, a nearly 90-minute town hall meeting at Xavier University and delivered a speech Thursday evening in Baton Rouge

Some McCain news that I didn’t have time to blog about earlier today: (I will try to do this on a regular basis when necessary)

—Terrorism at the pump? McCain said he agreed with a questioner at the Xavier University town hall who said the high price of gas is a kind of “terrorism.” “You’re right, terrorism of gas prices,” McCain responded.

—On why Bill Ayers is a legitimate political issue against Obama but Jeremiah Wright not: McCain told reporters on the third leg of his bus tour today that while Wright has said that his more controversial, well-publicized comments don’t reflect his overall views, Ayers is a “unrepentant terrorist.”

“Reverend Wright has said that those were snippets and those aren’t his views and he repudiates those kind of views. Mr. Ayers said right after 9/11, 2001 that he wished he bombed more, that he had destroyed more…that’s unbelievable to me,” McCain said, repeating his demand that Obama call on Ayers to repudiate his past. “And someone who launches your political career in their home–I think that’s more than a casual relationship.”

—McCain under fire: Speaking to a largely black, liberal audience at his Xavier University town hall, McCain was grilled about his views on tax cuts, the war in Iraq and education, among other issues. ” At one point, about one hour in, a questioner saw fit to tell McCain that “everybody in the camp here is not a Republican.” McCain quipped, “I got that impression.”

—A realistic Mac: During the town hall, he repeated his understanding that campaigning in largely impoverished and black areas this week may have little benefit at the polls–but he said he has a larger goal. “I don’t know how many votes I am going to get in Selma, Alabama. I don’t know how many votes that I will get here in the city of New Orleans. But I want to assure every American..that I will be President of all the people–every single one of them.”

—Cindy hits late night: Cindy McCain is scheduled to appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno next Wednesday night, McCain noted during his Baton Rouge speech.

Brookfield, WI — During her introduction of Sen. John McCain at a rally Tuesday, his wife Cindy took a shot at controversial comments recently made by another 2008 spouse.

“I am proud of my country. I don’t know about you? If you heard those words earlier, I am very proud of my country,” Mrs. McCain said while revving up the crowd and introducing her husband.

When asked at a media availability afterward if they were responding to Michelle Obama’s comments Monday that this election is the “first time” she was “really proud” of her country, Sen. McCain deferred to his wife–who reiterated her previous words.

“I just wanted to make the statement that I have and always will be proud of my country,” McCain said.

Speaking in Wisconsin Monday, Michelle Obama caused a stir when she said, “for the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change.”

*** 4pm ET Update*** Cindy McCain was asked to expound upon her thoughts about Obama’s remarks at an availability in Columbus, OH this afternoon but again resisted—instead repeating her earlier comments.

“I always have been and will always be extremely proud of my country. I have led an extremely fortunate life. It was nothing more than that. I am just extremely proud to be an American,” she said.