McCain, Obama battle over economy, leadership
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AFP) — Economic issues dominated the campaign trail Saturday as presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain battled over who could best lead the nation in troubled times.
McCain touted his history of reaching across the aisle to get critical legislation passed in the Senate and said that spirit of putting country above party politics is the only way to solve major problems with health care, social security, energy dependence and the economy.
"We must work together," McCain told a meeting of the influential AARP, a pressure group for older Americans. "Americans are hurting too badly and the time for partisanship is over."
Speaking at the same event earlier in the day, Obama said that McCain's policies promised to further undermine the flagging American promise "that those who have worked hard their entire lives have the right to retire with dignity and security."
"For eight long years, there's been a very different philosophy in the White House," Obama said.
"They call it the Ownership Society, but what it really means is you're on your own. Job shipped overseas? Tough luck. Pension disappeared? That's the breaks. No health care? The emergency room will fix it. You're on your own."
Obama accused McCain of trying to distract the public from the fact that his policies are nearly identical to those of unpopular president George W. Bush by focusing on his personal history rather than his plans.
"I'm running for president because I believe this election is all about the issues. It's not about me, or John McCain, it's about you," Obama said. "It's about your lives. It's about your future."
McCain has been trying to poach Obama's mantle of change by promising to reform Washington with the help of his corruption-fighting running mate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
Palin is popular among staunch conservatives and religious "values" voters, but was widely unknown on the national stage before she was tapped for the ticket last week.
On Saturday, she gave the campaign's weekly radio address for the first time, continuing to outline her compelling personal story as a small town, middle class, working mother of five.
"When I ran for city council of my hometown, and then for mayor, I didn't need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and I knew their families, too," she said. "I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment, and I have no plans to join."
But a new opinion poll showed American voters remained lukewarm about the youthful Alaska governor, doubting her readiness for major league politics after a mere 20 months at the state's helm.
While six in 10 of those surveyed approved of McCain's selection of Palin, only 42 percent believed she had the kind of experience it takes to serve effectively as president if that became necessary, according to the ABC News poll.
In the same poll, Obama's vice presidential pick, US Senator Joseph Biden, passed the experience bar with 66 percent approval, the survey found.
US unemployment jumped to a five-year high of 6.1 percent in August as 84,000 jobs were slashed, according to a report released Friday that sparked fresh fears about recession in the world's biggest economy.
The jump in joblessness is likely to bring the economy into focus as the campaign heads into the final months.
"The big jump in the unemployment rate in August spells trouble for the Republicans in November," Augustine Faucher at Economy.com said after the numbers were released on Friday.
"Historically, the larger the increase in the unemployment rate, the larger the share of votes that go to the party that does not hold the presidency."
