Obama seeks distance from ACORN

Barack Obama took time out from debate preparations today to weigh in on the increasingly loud controversy over an activist group's voter registration drive.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known as ACORN, claims to have registered 1.3 million young people, minorities, and working-class voters. But some of those registration cards have listed dead or nonexistent people and are being investigated in at least eight states.

Republican John McCain, and today his running mate Sarah Palin, have called on Obama to take control of ACORN's activities. “Obama has a responsibility to rein in ACORN and prove that he is willing to fight voter fraud," she told radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh today.

But Obama told reporters in Ohio today that he his campaign has no direct ties with ACORN and that he is concerned that the criticism is designed to discourage voters.

"We've got the best voter registration, turnout, and volunteer operation in politics right and we don't need ACORN's help," Obama said. "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."

On Friday, six GOP leaders wrote to Attorney General Michael Mukasey to urge him to make sure ballots by ineligible or fraudulent voters are not counted on Nov. 4, the Associated Press reports.