(CNN) - Sen. Barack Obama responded Tuesday to the McCain campaign's efforts to link him to embattled community organizing group ACORN.
Watch: Obama on the economy, ACORN
"We've got the best voter registration, turnout, and volunteer operation in politics right and we don't need ACORN's help," Obama said Tuesday in Ohio.
The Illinois senator added that ACORN was not advising his campaign, and echoed campaign advisors who have increasingly accused the GOP of trying to suppress voter turnout as Election Day nears.
"What I want to make sure of, though, is that this is not used as an excuse for the kind of voter suppression tactics that we've seen in the past. Let's make sure everybody is voting, everybody is registered, everybody is doing this is a lawful way," he said.
The Democratic nominee's comments came the same day that his campaign held a conference call with reporters about the McCain campaign's recent focus on voter fraud.
Listen: Plouffe, Bauer on voting issues
Obama campaign manager David Plouffe and general counsel Bob Bauer accused Republicans of trying to intimidate voters and sow the seeds of confusion as the historic presidential election approaches.
"They seem to be setting up a strategy here to make it harder to vote," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe told reporters on a conference call. "To create a situation where voters don't have confidence in the system."
"They are going to try to raise questions. You know, cry out and raise questions about fraud and try and create a smokescreen out there to confuse voters and perhaps to give cover to some of the activities they're going to be undertaking over the next three weeks."
The Obama campaign also took issue with the McCain camp's recent efforts to link Obama to ACORN, whose voter registration efforts have come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks. "We have our own registration effort," the Obama campaign's general counsel Bob Bauer said on the call. "We register our own voters under our own standards and we do so successfully."
Bauer also denied that the campaign ever paid Citizens Services, Inc., an entity affiliated with ACORN, to register voters. "We have never paid ACORN a penny for registration purposes," said Bauer.
The campaign's payments to Citizens Services, Inc. "were for canvassing in some of the larger primary states back in the spring – Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania," Plouffe said. "It was to augment our grassroots organization."
Updated 4:09 pm to include Obama's comments in Ohio.
From CNN Politics
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Registering and voting are separate things. These people can only vote once, or not at all if they don't exist. These people are paid to get people to register-it is their dishonesty that is in question. ACORN does not just register Democrates. There is no way to know if this is a set up by the republicans-like Rush Limbaugh's CHAOS plan. This is just another distraction.
Why do you think McCain pulled out of Michigan? Because they have already started cheating again. When you talk about the so called Bradley syndrome and how far ahead he was in the polls, did it ever occur to you that perhaps the election was rigged as usual. What is going on in my country, that people have to resort to anything they can to win. I must say I am couraged that you even ran the story. This is usually press we see on MSNBC. I am glad you are starting to smell the coffee. Let's see how long this lasts and if your news team will be sincere in covering this nonsense.
Nobody should use fraud to register voters. But it is important to get out the vote and encourage people to vote for issues that impact them.
This is a perfect vehicle for the GOP to scare the American public and try to suppress voting.
That's why Fox is running this almost 24/7. Since Obama started rising in the polls you can really see how Imbalanced Fox news is.
ACORN registering people twice or registering dead people to reach their numbers is NOTHING compared to the Republicans caging.. they are actually stopping legit voters from voting.
These are not fear tactics and ACORN and Obama's involvement should be brought to light. Obama is fruad. and anything that is brought up about him you Obama supporters seem to want to ignore.
I hope you all get exactly what you deserve when he is office. Because it won't be good.
Obama is fruad.
FACT: Obama, has run more negative ads than McCain.
More of McCains are negative, but Obama, airing 3 times as many, has put out more negativity than McCain. Aren't you glad your donations are serving such a wonderful cause???
Facts hurt...
Sure...the GOP is just making all the concerns up.
Well tomorrow night–be ready for some direct answers as to why the American people should suddenly believe you have become a centrist–when your mentors and your career to this point have been rather far..left.
There is already proof that the Republicans in many areas have removed Black Voters from the Voter Rolls because of Home Forclosures and then not notified them that they were removed.
ACORN is corrupt and should be dissolved. No Government money should go to this front. The Democrats are very low. How low? Just ask Botox Joe Biden. He had his cranium pumped with botox for his VP debate with Sarah Palin so he would not look like he was sneering at her. Now that is so low it's laughable!
Republicans want to be bullies. Americans need to be smart!
McCain's not what he was 40 years ago but wants us to believe he is.
Palin? Who knows!
Be smart and look at the big picture.
Obama/Biden '08
HA!! These liberal fools are so disgusting and transparent. Republicans don't want to make it harder to vote they want to make it legal! Democrats routinely engage in voter fraud and that is unacceptable. Only people who want fraud to occur would be against such simple and logical requirements as a picture I.D. in order to vote. How absurd are you liberals. You urinate on the Constitution daily
ROFL
William Timmons, the man running McCain's needless transition team is as bad as anyone else old Johhny has "vetted".
He made $100K last March as a lobbyist for....
...wait for it...
FREDDIE MAC!
His other claim to patriotic brilliance...lobbying for SADDAM HUSSEIN after the first Gulf War.
WOuld someone please tell John McCain he is suppose to have SOME CLUE about the people he is choosing for positions of power. please. ANYONE. NO REALLY, I MEAN IT !
I find it humorous that "the Republicans stole the 2000 election" Maybe if Gore could have carried his OWN state, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
ACORN investigated in 13 states, including ALL the battleground states...hmmm.
Where is JACK CAFFERTY???.............Will someone PLEASE tell US.....WE MISS HIM DEARLY!!!! and Pray all is well with him.
Of course the Republicans are trying to intimidate voters; they are attempting to steal another election. They have to lay the ground work. They can't win on ideas, so theft is the next course of action.
McCain and Palin are not good for America.
Both McCain and Palin are dishonest and dishonorable and sow seeds of division as they appeal to the worst instincts we have as human beings. Their rallies seem more like a Klan rally than a political rally. We don't need more hatred in America and that is all they spew.
And...isn't it ironic that Palin can hear hecklers heckling her but somehow she never seems to hear the incendiary remarks her crowd makes about Obama.
Voter Registration should be automatic if you are 18 years are older and an American citizen. We should not have to go through this crap every election.
Obama/Biden 2008
Have some cheese with the whine Obama. Obama is being exposed for who he really is and the poor socialist doesn't like it.
Demcrats, do you research before voting to destroy our great America.
Obama supports socialism
Obama supports re-distribution of wealth
Obama supports anit-white leaders – Farrakhan
Obama's 20 year mentor is racist
Michelle Obama's thesis was anti-white, where's Obama's thesis?
Obama link to ACORN and Ayers
Obama critics are being censored
You should have voted for Senator Clinton last time, please vote wisely this time.
Eric, that is because Lou Dobbs is not an independent. Everyone knows that. Just listen to his absurdly boring show for five minutes and his Republican roots are quite clear. Do you think he's mentioned the voter purging one time? No. He's a fraud and those pearly white, overly bleached teeth, that fake tan, and hair extensions are nauseating. Did you see his Independent convention where he was fawning over T. Boone Pickens, the same T. Boone Pickens who financed the swift boating?
Joe Idaho – Obama could spit on a baby and you and your fellow Obamatards would come up with an excuse or accuse McCain of doing the same.
A brainwashed idiot is still and idiot.
When John McCain is on stage with Cindy on one side
and Sarah Palin on the other side, darn it, doesn't it just
remind you of Hugh Hefner .
This is another ROVE play. IF you register to vote nultiple times, you can still only vote ONCE. We should be more worried about the PURGE of voters in KEY STATES...everyone should check their registration status, just to make sure you name hasn't been purged.
The Republicans have framed ACORN. Their party members submitted the fake registration forms to make it appear that the
democrats are cheating. They are desperate and plan to steal Ohio and Florida. However, this time Barack has the ground game covered.
It is going to be Mission Impossibe this year for them to steal the election as they did in 2000 and 2004.
Obama stay calm. We the voter are expecting this and we have your back. I will go door to door for this election. The GOP is running out of ideas and running out of time.
Sen Mccain is always busy talking nonsence.
let`s talk about real issues and see where to move the country .the Republican nkows they can`t win on issues.reason why they spend their time whining about nonsence
it is going to be a Landsilide for Sen Obama.