Barack Obama says negative ads won't sway voters
Obama continues to seize upon the nation's economic woes as Republican challenger John McCain tries to gain momentum in Wisconsin.
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio -- Democrat Barack Obama said today that voters facing economic turmoil and worried about losing their jobs, homes and savings will not be swayed by Republican John McCain's negative attacks.
"The American people aren't looking for someone who can divide this country -- they're looking for someone who will lead this country," Obama said. "They can run misleading ads and pursue the politics of anything goes, but it's not going to work. Not this time."
Obama continued to seize upon the nation's economic woes, blaming eight years of Republican rule in the White House for allowing greed to run unbridled on Wall Street and in Washington.
But he said the nation will come together and prevail over the economic turmoil as it has in past.
"The American story has never been about things coming easy," he said. "It's been about rising to the moment when the moment is hard."
"Now is not the time for fear," Obama said. "Now is not the time for panic. Now is the time for resolve and steady leadership. . . . We can renew that fundamental belief -- that in America, our destiny is not written for us, but by us. That's who we are and that's the country we need to be right now."
McCain, at a rally in La Crosse, Wis., that drew hundreds of supporters, agreed that "Washington is still on the wrong track."
"We are going to see change in Washington," McCain added, "The question is, in what direction will we go?"
With Obama leading in national polls, both campaigns have focused on battleground states.
McCain is mostly playing defense at this stage of the campaign, trying to defend states won by George W. Bush in the 2004 election. But his campaign knows it must peel off a few states that voted Democratic four years ago.
Wisconsin is one of those states. Polls show Obama is leading in Wisconsin by an average of six points. Obama's people privately have identified Wisconsin as one state they are worried about holding. So, with his numbers falling nationally, McCain made three stops here over the last two days, hoping to regain some momentum.
"We need the state of Wisconsin in order to win this election," McCain told hundreds of supporters at a rally Friday morning in La Crosse.
He is scheduled to travel to Minnesota later in the day, followed by a campaign stop in Iowa on Saturday. Polls show Obama is ahead in both states.
