ELON
The day after the last presidential debate in this year's campaign, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, painted the choice between Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama in stark terms.
"It's a choice between a politician who puts his faith in the government and a true leader who puts his faith in you," Palin said yesterday at Elon University.
Speaking before a crowd that filled the infield and bleachers at Latham Park, Palin spoke for 23 minutes, returning to the familiar campaign theme that McCain is more prepared to be president than Obama.
"The choice is between a politician who will raise your taxes and a true leader who will go to Washington and work for Joe the Plumber," Palin said.
During the debate Wednesday, McCain repeatedly mentioned Joe the Plumber, whose real name is Samuel J. Wurzelbacher. Wurzelbacher told Obama at a campaign stop in Ohio that he was concerned about having to pay higher taxes and not being able to buy a plumbing business if Obama won the election.
Obama replied, "I think that when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
McCain used that nugget to lambast Obama as a big-government liberal who plans to raise people's taxes if he is elected.
"I think too often the government is the problem," Palin said to roaring cheers.
It was Palin's second trip to North Carolina in a week. She held a similar rally last Friday at East Carolina University.
The McCain campaign is taking an increasingly serious look at North Carolina as it becomes a battleground state in this election. North Carolina has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976, when it went for Jimmy Carter.
McCain will return to the state Saturday for a rally in Concord.
Palin promised that she and McCain would balance the federal budget by the first term and that they will take an "all of the above" approach toward energy, including offshore drilling.
At the mention of offshore drilling, the crowd started shouting, "Drill, baby, drill," and Palin shot back, "You betcha."
Palin said that McCain believes in this country.
"We believe in the promise of this country," she said. "We believe that America is not the problem, but America is the solution."
Throughout the crowd, people waved signs reading, "Country First." Supporters shouted, "USA, USA," and "Sarah, Sarah." Comedian D.L. Hughley was there handing out signs that reading, "Palin-Hughley." Hughley was filming for his new political comedy show on CNN.
Before the speech, Charlotte Gaddy was sitting with her friend, Bobby Tew, listening to country-music star Hank Williams Jr., a McCain-Palin supporter. Gaddy said she was still undecided and wanted to hear more specifics from both candidates on solving the economic crisis. She said she was recently laid off from her job at Embarq and has had trouble finding another job.
"I'd like to hear a plan on what they're going to do about the economy, about how to get our jobs back," she said.
■ Michael Hewlett can be reached at 727-7326 or at mhewlett@wsjournal.com.
■ Journal reporter Paul Garber contributed to this article.
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