BETHLEHEM, PA. — Egged on by a surly crowd, John McCain and Sarah Palin delivered a stark condemnation of Barack Obama's policies and character Wednesday, casting him as an unreliable choice for president.
The edgy tone of the rally here was set even before the duo arrived onstage, when local Republican official William Platt warmed up the audience by twice referring to the Democratic nominee as "Barack Hussein Obama."
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday, October 16, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 4 inches; 193 words Type of Material: Correction
Palin and Hannity: An article in the Oct. 9 Section A about the increasingly sharp attacks in the presidential campaign quoted Sarah Palin in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, citing as a source the transcript distributed by the network. What the Republican vice presidential nominee actually said was different. The story quoted her as saying: "And -- not only those terrorist activities that Bill Ayers was involved in, but the questions need to be asked, I believe, when did Barack Obama know of these activities? We've heard so many confliction stories and flip-flop answers about when he knew the guy, did he realize that he knocked off his political career in the guy's living room?" Palin actually said: "And -- not only those atrocious activities that Bill Ayers was involved in, but the questions need to be asked, I believe, when did Barack Obama know of his activities? We've heard so many conflicting stories and flip-flopped answers about when he knew the guy, did he realize that he kicked off his political career in the guy's living room, first it was yes and then it was no . . . "
It was the second time this week that speakers at McCain-Palin events had invoked Obama's middle name, a practice critics contend is meant to peddle the false notion that Obama is Muslim. He is Christian.
The McCain campaign issued a statement Wednesday saying that it did not "condone this inappropriate rhetoric."
Speaking before more than 6,600 people at Lehigh University, McCain dismissed Obama as an unworthy rival with dubious ethics.
"Rather than answer his critics, Sen. Obama will try to distract you from noticing that he never answers the serious and legitimate questions he has been asked," McCain said. "He's even questioned my truthfulness. And let me reply in the plainest terms I know: I don't need lessons about telling the truth to American people. And were I ever to need any improvement in that regard, I probably wouldn't seek advice from a Chicago politician."
The crowd jeered when Obama's name was mentioned. People crowded into the gymnasium yelled out, "He's a radical!" and, in a play on his name, "Abomination!"
McCain made a verbal flub during his speech. After laying out his policy goals, he said: "This is the agenda I have set before my fellow prisoners."
According to the text of the speech released by his campaign, the word was supposed to be "citizens," not "prisoners."
A skirmish played out in the balcony behind the stage. A protester tried to display an anti-McCain sign ("McCain: Old, Angry, Dishonest"), but someone ripped it out of his hands. Police then escorted the protester out of the building.
McCain and Palin later flew to Ohio, a crucial battleground where polls show McCain is faltering. Perhaps hoping a little gridiron celebrity would rub off, the Republicans were introduced at a gym in Strongsville by a local hero, Cleveland Browns football player Brady Quinn.
Young women squealed as the handsome backup quarterback took the stage, about 20 miles south of where the Browns play. He whipped them up with a "dawg pound" fist pump.
