Obama and McCain home in on Ohio, Pennsylvania
The candidates stump in the key states, speaking out on the usual issues, but the tone of the campaign has changed slightly in the eleventh hour.
Reporting from Marietta, Ohio, and Los Angeles — After almost two years of constant cross-country campaigning, the presidential election has come down to a flurry of appearances in several key states.
Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin are crisscrossing Ohio today, while GOP standard-bearer John McCain returned to Pennsylvania, whose 21 electoral votes are seen by his strategists as up for grabs in Tuesday's election. One symbol of the two sides' different appeal is the entertainment at their rallies. Republicans tapped country star Gretchen Wilson, who warmed up the crowd in Marietta, Ohio, with her hit "Redneck Woman." Democrats are counting on rocker Bruce Springsteen, who is scheduled to perform at an Obama rally in Cleveland this afternoon.
As election day approaches, the issues haven't changed -- nor has the rhetoric.
At a rally this morning in Wallingford, Pa., just outside Philadelphia, and again in Scranton, McCain made his oft-repeated argument that Obama is too liberal for the country and wants a tax policy that redistributes wealth, rather than creates new riches. Democrats were prepared to cut the defense budget even as the country was still fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said.
But the tenor of the pitch has changed as the clock winds down.
"If I'm elected president," McCain said -- then paused and amended his words. "When I'm elected president," he said to cheers. Later, describing his campaign's underdog status, the Arizona senator insisted that he would win. "The Mac is back," he said as the crowd roared.
Pennsylvania is the only traditionally Democratic state where the McCain campaign is staging a serious effort. McCain visited the state on Saturday and is holding two rallies there today.
Palin, who has repeatedly visited Pennsylvania, campaigned today in another must-win state. The Alaska governor offered audiences in Canton and Marietta, Ohio, her standard speech, stressing themes of patriotism and fiscal responsibility.
"John and I have better idea: Let's not retreat from wars that are almost won and let's not gut the defense budget at a time of conflict and obvious danger," Palin said.
Obama has actually pledged to increase defense spending and the size of the military. As for taxes, he has said he would raise taxes for those earning more than $250,000 a year and would seek a tax cut for 95% of U.S. taxpayers. He repeated that pledge today in campaign stops in Ohio.
