The following is a Wall Street Journal article from 2008, and reposted by WSJ today:

Amy Chozick reports on the presidential race from Philadelphia.

Mobster wisdom tells us never to bring a knife to a gun fight. But what does political wisdom say about bringing a gun to a knife fight?

That�s exactly what Barack Obama said he would do to counter Republican attacks �If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,� Obama said at a Philadelphia fundraiser Friday night. �Because from what I understand folks in Philly like a good brawl. I�ve seen Eagles fans.�

The comment drew some laughs and applause. But it also struck a chord with his Republican rival. John McCain�s campaign immediately accused the Democratic candidate of playing the politics of fear. They also mentioned that Obama said he would use a gun that would be illegal under Obama�s plans to cut down on illegal firearms.

�Barack Obama�s call for �new politics� is officially over. In just 24 hours, Barack Obama attacked one of America�s pioneering women CEOs, rejected a series of joint bipartisan town halls, and said that if there�s a political knife fight, he�d bring a gun,� McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.

Obama made the comment in the context of warning donors that the general election campaign against McCain could get ugly. �They�re going to try to scare people. They�re going to try to say that �that Obama is a scary guy,�� he said. A supporter yelled out a deep accented �Don�t give in!�

�I won�t but that sounded pretty scary. You�re a tough guy,� Obama said.

(Source: WSJ)