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Back in N.C.: McCain calls Obama a big spender who wants 'to punish the successful'
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Sen. John McCain promised victory in Iraq during a campaign rally in Fayetteville, the home of Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base.
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Published: October 29, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE
Republican Sen. John McCain continued his attacks on Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's economic plan last night, during McCain's third visit to North Carolina in the past month in the race for president.
McCain is hoping that, by portraying Obama as a big spender who wants to "redistribute wealth," he can win North Carolina's closely contested 15 electoral votes, which are critical for his chances on Election Day.
"Sen. Obama is running to be redistributionist-in-chief. I'm running to be commander-in-chief," McCain said. "Sen. Obama is running to spread the wealth. I'm running to create more wealth. Sen. Obama is running to punish the successful. I'm running to make everyone successful."
McCain spoke before thousands of fans at a rally at Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville. Obama held a rally at the same location nine days earlier.
At Obama's rally, the coliseum, which holds 10,000 people, was packed, and thousands more supporters waited in line outside, unable to get in. At McCain's rally yesterday, the coliseum was mostly full but there were several sections of empty seats. Supporters banged red thunderstick noise-makers and sang along to a performance by country-music singer Hank Williams Jr. before McCain took the stage.
Earlier in the day, McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, called for the resignation of Ted Stevens, the Republican senator from Alaska who was convicted Monday of violating federal ethics laws. McCain did not mention Stevens at the Fayetteville rally. But he did try to distance himself from another unpopular Republican: President Bush. Obama has frequently tried to tie McCain to Bush's economic policies.
"This is the fundamental difference between Sen. Obama and me," McCain said. "We both disagree with President Bush on economic policy. The difference is that he thinks taxes have been too low, and I think spending has been too high."
McCain also criticized a remark made by Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, in a TV interview in Pennsylvania. Biden said that, under the Obama tax plan, people making less than $150,000 a year would get a tax cut.
Obama, however, has consistently used the figure of $250,000 as the cutoff income for tax increases in his plan.
McCain said the two different numbers show that Obama is willing to raise taxes on people of lower and lower incomes.
The Obama campaign said that the two numbers are not inconsistent, because under his plan, people making less than $150,000 would get a tax cut, while people making between $150,000 and $250,000 would see their taxes stay the same.
McCain also promised to bring troops home from Iraq in honor and victory. Fayetteville is the home of Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base.
McCain was traveling yesterday with three of his closest political friends -- Sen. Richard Burr of Winston-Salem; Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina; and Tom Ridge, a former governor of Pennsylvania and former secretary of homeland security.
Each of those men gave McCain brief introductions.
"John McCain's going to win North Carolina," Graham said. "He's going to win North Carolina because he fits North Carolina like a glove. I'll beat Michael Phelps in swimming before Barack Obama wins North Carolina."
Obama is scheduled to return to North Carolina today for a rally in Raleigh. He is trying to become the first Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter to win North Carolina.
■ James Romoser can be reached at 919-210-6794 or at jromoser@wsjournal.com.
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