Obama says not bugged by new McCain ads

TITUSVILLE, Fla., Aug. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama says the latest digs from Republican rival John McCain are not getting under his skin.

The Politico said Sunday Obama told reporters in Florida he was "at peace" with McCain's implication Obama is more style than substance and that he should be lumped in with Paris Hilton and other glitzy celebrities.

The latest broadside is a McCain "radio address" in which he calls Obama an "impressive orator," but adds the election is not about selecting a "motivational speaker."

Obama said he was sticking to the issues.

"Their team is good at creating distractions and engaging in negative attacks and planting doubts about people," Obama said. "What we have got to do is make sure that we are very clear to the American people about how my policies will make a difference in their lives."

The Politico said Obama was asked if the race card was creeping into the Republican campaign, to which he replied while he thought the McCain crew was cynical, it is not racist.