He needs to go on. Let's get that out of the way. Can't appear to be dodging.
And he's got to make the most of it. He needs to be stern and forceful (but not too angry - don't want to scare whitey) and he's got to cut to the heart of what all the recent smears get at.
He's got to look Wallace and the camera in the eye and say...
"There's a common theme to all of this peripheral stuff and it's this: Somehow this guy named Obama is not who he claims to be. That everything I've ever done or said is a lie, and a few isolated out of context remarks by my former pastor are the truth."
"My grandfather (who fought in the great war, by the way) tought me that you judge a man by his actions, not his words and definitley not someone else's words. I've spent the last 20 years out there fighting and advocating for things I believe in and those actions speaks for themselves."
"I know a lot of people. I'm in politics, that's part of my job. And I don't go around doing opposition research on everyone I meet."
"Listen, I understand why it happens. My opponents don't want to talk about the issues because if we do, than they know they can't win.
"The American people are going to go for it this time. Too much is at stake and the issues are too clear. (I, me, the diarist won't go into them but he should) People are going to vote according to what's best for the country and what's best for themselves and not get cought up in worrying about every tangential association of every candidate."