Obama Keeps Mum on Palin

Barack Obama has maintained near-silence on the subject of Sarah Palin, a quiet amplified by his newfound willingness to aggressively attack John McCain, reports the Los Angeles Times. Her name is rarely mentioned outside of references to the McCain-Palin ticket; when asked directly about her, he switches the focus back to McCain; Joe Biden remains equally mum.

The silence may rely on the belief that Palin will either trip up or fade out if left alone. The strategy worked in late May, when Obama abruptly stopped paying attention to Hillary Clinton; her campaign sputtered and collapsed. Aides close to the candidate also maintain that Obama doesn’t want to ramp up Palin's publicity, though his campaign has steered reporters to unflattering news about her. (More Sarah Palin stories.)