
(CNN) – Sarah Palin has increasingly embraced the attack dog role on the Republican ticket – but in a new interview, she seems to endorse a line of attack John McCain had distanced himself from earlier this year.
The Republican VP nominee told Bill Kristol of the New York Times that Obama's long-time relationship with minister Jeremiah Wright should be a bigger issue on the campaign trail. "I don't know why that association isn't discussed more," she said.
Watch: Wright situation 'difficult' Obama says
"Because those were appalling things that that pastor had said about our great country, and to have sat in the pews for 20 years and listened to that - with, I don't know, a sense of condoning it, I guess, because he didn't get up and leave - to me, that does say something about character," said Palin. ".I guess that would be a John McCain call on whether he wants to bring that up."
Watch: Obama hits back after Palin accuses him of 'palling around with terrorists'
When the North Carolina Republican Party launched a television ad this spring taking aim at Obama's ties to Wright, McCain first repudiated the attack. "I've said again and again, I do not believe that Sen. Obama shares Rev. Wright's extremist views which he has stated, whether it be the United States Marine Corps or the flag or what," McCain said. "I am leaving that issue to a dialogue between Sen. Obama and American people."
He added that all he could do, "in as visible way as possible, is disassociate myself from that kind of campaigning."
But McCain soon signaled that he might have changed his position on whether state Republican parties or downballot GOP candidates should exploit the Wright issue in local campaigns, suggesting that he had shifted his stance after Obama told an interviewer that the controversy surrounding his ex-pastor was "a legitimate political issue."
"As I said before, I am of the belief that Sen. Obama does not reflect the extremist statements that Rev. Wright has given," McCain told reporters. "I have no comments on it, but I also understand why millions of Americans may, as Sen. Obama said yesterday, view this as a political issue."
Still, the issue has not been major fodder on the trail since McCain himself dealt with fallout from the endorsements of headline-grabbing pastors this spring. Reports of controversial statements by evangelical leaders John Hagee and Rod Parsley ultimately led him to reject the backing of both men.


Palin, tell us about your Witch Doctor. Better yet let's see the video on CNN tonight.
Mrs. Palin
Your pitbull strategy won't distract us from all the ills facing our nation thanks to your party,
It s time for real change and we ll see you in November when the nation will punish the policies of your party in the polls
Obama – Biden 08
Yes we will
MCCAIN AND PALIN ARE DESPERATE ADN THEY HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS NOW THAN TO LIE, ATTACK, DISTORT FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS.
THEY ARE COUNTING ON THE IGNORANCE OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICAN VOTERS TO BUY INTO THEIR B.S., NOT ASK QUESTIONS OR GET THE FACTS ON THEIR OWN.
COME NOVEMBER 4TH SHOW THEM AMERICANS ARE MUCH MORE INTELLIGENT THAN THEY GIVE US CREDIT FOR.
She is right we need to talk about about our pastor.
Starting with hers.
Palin has her own Rev problem she better not go there.
look at the comments your husband's friends have said!!!!!!!!!
HYPOCRITE!
You just had to go there didn't you Sarah? Get ready for the backlash.
Hmm...so "The Gov" is going to bring up Rev. Wright again? I'll see that call and raise you Gov's witch doctor pastor. You betcha!
AIP, Troopergate & Witch Doctor .... etc
Here we come .... it's not 2004 ... repugs ....
We Progressives have infinite ammunition .......... they're new ...
Palin and McCain are just playing their usual immoral games.
I think it would be good to see how John McCain confronts his acts of treason that he committed while he was a POW. The simple truth is that John McCain is NOT a hero. While I will thank him for his less then competent service to our country, we can not in any way call this man a hero. He did not act as a hero should, not by the definition I have come to understand. Turning over information and making propoganda films for the enemy equates you more to the likings of Benedict Arnold then it does George Washington.
Obama has cleared his name of the connection and denounced his relationship. McCain, you must now denounce your citizenship and move to Vietnam to do the honorable thing! And man will I love it when McCain is the hell out of my country.
McCain is the biggest threat to our country since Hitler!
Heard it earlier, guess if Obama follows suit and discusses the witch chasing pastor that Palin has in her past, it will come out as sexist or different or something less...Come on guys, really?
So now the plan is to have your VP pick act as the mouthpiece for people like Hannity and Limbaugh? We want solutions to problems Mr "Country First", not more mindless distortions of reality that those kooks repeat over and over again because they have nothing else going for them. Your campaign is becoming a travesty. To think I would have once voted for you. Never twould have hought of you as a hate driven man.
She is making herself look like a complete fool. Don't talk on this things you don't have any knowledge of. She is putting a bitter taste in the mouths' of African American people. She needs to shut up.
OBAMA/BIDEN 08
Now, what’s her name has been relegated to the back pages of the political history book, where her only stated merit will that she freed Dan Quayle from the public humiliation he as had to endure. She is officially a bigger bobble head than he is.
The Reptilians should be proud that their campaign has been reduced to an iconic American punch line!
The Reptilians should just privately concede the election and do an honorable last month so they will live to fight another day. MAYBE they can regroup in time for 2012.
Continuing down the road the “Liar’s Express” is now traveling will only bring out the whole Keating 5 etc, and cause the Reptilians to lose any respect from middle America. Reptilians will not only be a laughing stock, but a dishonored laughing stock.
No political clout for decades.
But hey, what do I know.
More fear mongering from a republican. So typical!
Sarah, Rev Wright has nothing to do with this Presidential Election. Listen little gal, Americans are worried about the economy not what some Rev said in the church. Remember Senator Obama wasn't in church the majority of the time when Rev Wright made what are viewed to be negative comments. Oh I just remembered you wouldn't know that because you didn't bother to keep up with the new until McCain made an ignorant choice and selected you as his VP.
Really????
Can someone ask when the candidate for V.P. will finally have a PRESS conference?
If she keeps this up, it won't be long until the clips of her on stage with the minister who chases away witches will show up on the screen. That should be good for some SNL segments.
Picture this – Bill Ayers sleeping in the Lincoln bedroom if Obama wins...
Picture this – Tony Rezko sleeping in the Lincoln bedroom if Obama wins...
oh here they go. the GOP is dirty dirty dirty. Rev Wright is old news. McCAIN dirty involvement in the 80's will come out. OBAMA 08 ITS A BRAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on BO; she opened the door so let's close it.
The DOW is down by 500 points...Palin , you moron, we care less about Obama's ties
our economy is tanking ,due to republicans, and sarah wants to talk about rev. wright? ok. what about ur witch-doctor?
Is this all this bimbo is good at is attacking with scripted lines. She doesn't even read the newpaper come on... Unless Todd read it for her while advising her as usual. Come on Give another interview so we can laugh again. No Notes Please. Doggone it we need to Laugh. Tina Fey has a Job... she doesn't need your help.... Just Plain stupid.... Forget about the attacks we need to hear about jobs and etc. Sarah you are not in Alaska this is real....Not CandyLand