Senator Barack Obama defended mailers sent out to Ohio voters last week on Hillary Clinton’s NAFTA and health care records, after Hillary Clinton scolded him for distributing them.

At an impromptu media availability in Columbus, Ohio, today, Mr. Obama called the mailers “accurate” and questioned Clinton’s tactics for her animated display this morning, since, he pointed out, the mailers were days if not weeks old. The frontrunner had not seen his rival’s fiery charges (capped off with a, “Shame on you, Barack Obama.”), but did laugh and say, “I hear it’s exciting.”

Here is what Obama said about the mailers and his response to Clinton’s claim that he pulled a page out of the Karl Rove playbook.

Obama’s media availability was scheduled shortly after a reporter shouted out a question on the issue as the candidate finished up a roundtable forum on healthcare. Walking out of the room, Obama said that the event was not a press conference. While the press filed and grumbled that the last press conference was 5 days before, Senator Obama did a series of interviews, including two with Entertainment Tonight and The Insider.

Moments later, staffers announced there would be an avail after all. Obama first recognized the reporter who regularly covers the candidate, with a smile. “I don’t know if I should be rewarding you for shouting out to me,” he said. “I’m just doing my job,” the reporter responded.

Let the questions begin.

Seattle, WA – Maintaining that he does not hold any grudges from the 2000 GOP nomination fight, John McCain says that Karl Rove’s help and advice is welcome aboard the Straight Talk Express.

One day after Rove, a former senior aide to President Bush and architect of the 2000 and 2004 victories, donated $2,300 to McCain’s campaign, the presumptive nominee said Friday aboard his campaign plane that he is open Rove’s support in this year’s election.

“Nobody denies that he is one of the smartest political minds in America. I’d be glad to have him give us advice,” McCain said, joking that “saw the moths fly out” of Rove’s wallet upon receiving the donation.

“They beat me (in 2000). I would certainly be happy to have them give us advice….. he has a very good, great political mind and any information or advice and counsel e could give us I would be glad to have,” he added.