Obama is calling out McCain. I've been reading that almost 100 percent of McCain's ads from here on out will be vicious smear ads that he hopes will divert people from the issues.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- The McCain campaign’s telegraphed change of strategy to focus on Sen. Barack Obama's judgment and associates elicited a strong response from the Democrat today, who told an audience here that now is not the time to "turn the page" on the economy to focus on what Obama calls "smears."

Appearing before a rally of approximately 28,000 people at Asheville High School this afternoon, Obama shot back at McCain, assailing the message from the Republican adviser who told the Washington Post that this week they are looking forward to "turning a page" on the financial crisis so they can focus on painting Obama as a liberal and a risk.

Obama immediately cast the Republicans' shift in strategy as a move towards a smear campaign -– coming on the heels of Gov. Sarah Palin’s attack this weekend in which she said that Obama has been "palling around with terrorists" –- namely William Ayers, who was a member of the radical 70s group the Weather Underground.

"They'd rather try to tear our campaign down than lift this country up," Obama said. "That's what you do when you're out of touch, out of ideas, and running out of time. So I want all of you to be clear, I'm going to keep on talking about the issues that matter."