Obama Bristles at GOP: 'Lay Off My Wife'

Barack Obama today responded with vigor to Tennessee Republicans' spotlighting wife Michelle’s “proud of my country” comments, saying, “these folks should lay off my wife.” Appearing on ABC, the Democratic front-runner tried to lay down some boundaries for the general election, Talking Points Memo reports, saying that while he’s fair game, it's “unacceptable” to “make Michelle an issue in this campaign.”

Obama also went after John McCain on the day a fifth adviser departed his campaign because of lobbying ties, Politico notes, saying the Republican “is very much a creature of Washington.” Obama said, “We can’t have special interests dictating what’s happening,” with McCain “having problems” with aides who lobby “for foreign governments or other big interests.” (More Barack Obama stories.)