He also mentioned his proposal for a $5,000 refundable tax credit to allow families to "go out and acquire at least some level of health insurance," and added that he would recruit professional athletes to visit rural communities to talk about nutrition.
A reporter noted that McCain's tax cut proposals, which he touted Wednesday, might require significant cuts in domestic discretionary spending. He said he couldn't promise that federal anti-poverty programs would be untouched, especially if they were "ineffective."
In Inez, a Republican stronghold, several independent and Democratic attendees said they were undecided between McCain and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).
Tina Bowens, a 41-year-old homemaker and Democrat leaning toward McCain, said she was bothered by McCain's Iraq war position that setting "a date for withdrawal is a date for surrender."
"I think we could be better spending that much money on programs for this country to help us get out of the recession," Bowens said.
"It's just the Vietnam War of the younger generation," interjected her friend, Jennifer Wilhite, a 36-year-old Democrat also deciding between McCain and Clinton. "Are we fighting over terrorism? Are we fighting over oil? What are we really fighting over?"
Wilhite, a single mother who works as a home healthcare nurse, bar manager and housecleaner, said the most pivotal issue for her this fall was that Clinton's health insurance plan might help her get coverage.
The two women, who live in nearby Kermit, W.Va., say they like McCain's emphasis on offering more loans to small businesses -- they hope to start a bakery and gift-basket business called Wannabeez -- as well as his plan to bring high-speed Internet to more areas of rural America.
The crowd in predominantly white Inez appeared cool toward Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who would be the first African American president if elected in November.
During the Inez town-hall session, state Sen. Brandon Smith asked McCain what he thought of Obama's recent comments that some Pennsylvanians cling to guns and religion as a result of their economic struggles.
McCain, who later said the comments were elitist, first asked the questioner whether he thought Obama's comments reflected the views of his constituents.
"I think it reflects the views of somebody who doesn't understand the views of this neck of the woods," Smith said, prompting a standing ovation from the audience.
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maeve.reston@latimes.com
