In a possible preview of John McCain's general election campaign, the presumptive Republican nominee has moved to stop an attack that portrays his potential Democratic rival, Barack Obama, as "too extreme" for North Carolina.
The commercial, from GOP leaders in North Carolina, again raises the controversy surrounding Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. Mccain has asked that the ad be pulled.
"It's not the message of the Republican party. It's not the message of my campaign," McCain said.
Obama and his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, are looking ahead to future primaries in North Carolina and Indiana. After losing to Clinton in Pennsylvania, Obama said he has a strategy to secure the nomination.
"The way we're going to close the deal is by winning. We'll keep on campaigning in Oregon and North Carolina and Indiana, and at conclusion of these contests, people will go back and take a look and say who has won," Obama said.
Clinton, who has raised millions since her victory on Tuesday, is making her case to the super delegates that she is more electable than Obama in the fall.
"As of today, I have received more votes by the people who have voted than anybody else. If you count, as I count, the 2.3 million people who voted in Michigan and Florida, then we are going to build on that," Clinton said.
For now, GOP leaders in North Carolina say they will go ahead with plans to run the attack ad beginning Monday. It targets two Democrats running for governor who both have endorsed Obama.
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