PHILADELPHIA (AFP) — Barack Obama on Saturday thanked Republican John McCain for trying to stop supporters hurling abuse at the Democratic nominee at his rallies, but mocked his foe's economic crisis plans.
Obama's comments, during a four-in-a-day blitz of mini-rallies in Philadelphia, came after McCain was forced to intervene to ease seething anger partly whipped up by his campaign advertisements and tactics.
"Now, I want to acknowledge that Senator McCain tried to tone down the rhetoric yesterday in his town hall meeting and I appreciate his reminder that we can disagree while still being respectful of each other," Obama said.
"I have said it before and I'll say it again -- Senator McCain has served this country with honor and he deserves our thanks for that," Obama said, as McCain's name was greeted with boos at Obama's first two rallies.
McCain's spokesman Tucker Bounds immediately responded: "The tone of this election is not fueling voter outrage, it's that Americans are frustrated" at Obama's "plans to raise taxes during a down economy."
Obama says no one earning under a quarter-of-a-million dollars will see an increase in taxes if he is president and accused McCain of wanting to prolong what he views as President George W. Bush's bias towards the rich.
The Democratic nominee said however that the McCain campaign was trying to divert attention from what he said was a lack of answers on the economy with "nasty" attacks.
"When it comes to the economy, and what families here in Pennsylvania are going through, Senator McCain still doesn't get it," Obama said.
"Yesterday, Senator McCain's campaign manager actually said that Senator McCain wasn't talking about the market because there's just not much a candidate for president can say.
"And they aren't sure what he'd say each day even if he did talk about it."
On a conference call on Friday, McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis said that there was "very little" a presidential candidate could say to influence wildly spinning stock markets, except "hope they correct themselves."
Obama was hoping to drive up Democratic turnout in the Philadelphia suburbs to make up for Republican strength in rural areas of Pennsylvania, a vital swing state in the November 4 election.
McCain on Friday called on his backers to tone it down, after crowds at his rallies have become increasing inflammatory, shouting out "terrorist" and "liar" when Obama is mentioned. At one Florida rally, someone even shouted "kill him."
The US Secret Service said it was investigating the alleged death threat.
"We want to fight, and I will fight, but we will be respectful. I admire Senator Obama and his accomplishments and I will respect him," McCain told a Minnesota rally.
"I want everyone to be respectful and let's make sure we are, because that is the way that politics should be conducted in America," McCain said.
McCain took the microphone from one woman after she referred to Obama as an "Arab" and also had to intervene when a man said he would be scared to bring his child into the world with Obama as president.
McCain campaign ads and his vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin have raised searing questions about Obama's character, and accused him of "palling around" with terrorists -- a reference to his past acquaintance with 1960s radical William Ayers.
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