McCain will bring up Ayers in debate

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Republican John McCain says he'll likely bring up Democrat Barack Obama's relationship with a former radical during Wednesday's debate in New York.

The comment, made during an interview Tuesday with a St. Louis radio station, came after Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, and his running mate, Joe Biden, criticized McCain, the GOP nominee, for targeting Obama over his ties to Bill Ayers, an anti-war radical who is now a college professor, during rallies but not debates, CNN reported.

"I was astonished to hear him say that he was surprised I 'didn't have the guts' to do that, because the fact is the question didn't come up in that fashion," McCain said. "I think he's probably ensured it will come up this time."

McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, stepped up their criticism of Obama's past relationship with Ayers last week.

"It's not that I give a damn about some old washed-up terrorist and his terrorist wife, who in 2001 said they wish they'd bombed more," McCain said. "(What) I care about, and what the American people care about, is whether he's being truthful."

McCain said Obama's effort to downplay his relationship with Ayers is part of a broader reluctance to level with the public, ABC News reported.