The Democratic vice-presidential candidate, Sen. Joe Biden, said yesterday that Republican Sen. John McCain would need a Halloween costume to convince voters that he would depart from the policies and divisive politics of President Bush.
"I know Halloween is coming, but John McCain as the candidate of change? Whoa, come on," Biden said during an outdoor rally in the capital city's downtown. "John McCain and change? He needs a costume for that. Folks, the American people aren't going to buy this."
Based on recent presidential elections, West Virginia is an odd place for a Democratic candidate just over a week before Election Day. George W. Bush won the state in 2000 and 2004, cruising to victory in the last contest. President Clinton won the state in 1992 and 1996.
McCain leads in recent state polls, but his rival, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, has been spending money on advertising in the state, which offers five electoral votes.
Biden also tried to assure the crowd that "clean coal" is part of Obama's energy strategy. He said that West Virginia and other coal states could create thousands of new jobs by developing the technology to help U.S. and foreign power plants burn coal more cleanly.
"Barack and I believe clean coal is part of our energy future," Biden said. "That's why we supported adding $200 million in funding for carbon capture and sequestration technology. Instead of pouring our energy dollars into the sands of Saudi Arabia and the pockets of Venezuela, we should be exporting home-made technology -- solving not only our own energy challenges, but the world's."
Biden told an Ohio voter in September that the Obama campaign does not support clean coal, and that coal-fired power plants should be built in China, not the United States. During the vice-presidential debate earlier this month, Biden said that his comments in Ohio had been taken out of context and that he does support clean-coal technology.
Obama has said he supports the development of coal-fired plants that capture carbon-dioxide emissions and store the gas underground.
Later in Danville, Va., Biden promised about 500 supporters in a renovated tobacco warehouse that Obama's plan to rebuild the nation's roads, bridges and other infrastructure would bring thousands of jobs to the once-thriving textile milling region.
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