The McCain shift mirrors Clinton's primary campaign tactics when, trailing Obama, she pushed hard to win support from white middle-class voters with whom Obama failed to connect. The change was not enough to help Clinton overcome Obama's advantages, such as his dominance among African American voters excited about his historic candidacy.
McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds insisted Sunday that McCain's themes had been consistent for months, using the catchphrase "reform, prosperity and peace" to describe the agenda adopted by the GOP since it became clear Obama would be the Democratic nominee.
And Bounds said that experience remained an important issue, noting that Clinton's attempts to exploit it failed only in the context of a Democratic primary decided by liberal voters. "Hillary Clinton's arguments . . . were not illegitimate, ill-founded or ineffective," he said. "It was just a different election."
At the Minnesota fair, many said they were impressed by Palin's unusual credentials, but interviews with a number of voters showed it remained uncertain whether her appeal would translate into support for the Republican ticket.
Tamar Fenton, 45, of suburban Minneapolis, said she admired Palin, a mother of five, and was not bothered by the governor's relative lack of experience. "If you can go up against a teenaged kid," said Fenton, "you could go up against a world leader."
Nevertheless, Fenton said, she could not support a candidate such as Palin who opposes abortion rights and gun control.
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robin.abcarian@latimes.com
peter.wallsten@latimes.com
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Times staff writers Bob Drogin, James Hohmann and Maeve Reston contributed to this report.
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On latimes.com
Palin, pro and con
A video gallery of Minnesota residents' reactions to John McCain's choice for his vice presidential running mate is at latimes.com/palin.
