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Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama at a rally here last night portrayed rival Republican John McCain as out of touch with average Americans and supportive of economic policies that brought on the current banking crisis.
At least 26,000 people turned out for the rally at the University of Mary Washington, standing in the rain for hours to see Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden.
Twelve thousand were permitted inside the fenced area at Ball Circle on the campus, and others listened to the speeches from nearby.
Obama focused his remarks primarily on the economy, and was sharply critical of McCain, frequently referring to things McCain said in their first debate, held the night before.
Obama and Biden both said McCain never mentioned the middle class or the working class.
“You heard John McCain make the case for the policies that got us into this mess,” Obama said. “John McCain had a lot to say about me. But he had nothing to say about you.”
He said McCain’s statement last week that the “fundamentals of the economy are strong,” which McCain has said was intended to mean American workers, was no misstatement.
“He didn’t just make a mistake,” Obama said. “He revealed an out-of-touch philosophy.”
Obama said he will push for economic policies that benefit average Americans, instead of corporations or the rich.
He proposes a tax plan he said will reduce taxes for 95 percent of Americans, and also touched briefly on plans to raise teacher pay, make college more affordable, and provide health care for everyone.
“We need a president who will change this economy so it finally works for your family,” Obama said. “We need a president who will fight for the middle class every single day.”
He spoke also of President George Bush’s proposal to use $700 billion in government money to help bail out troubled financial institutions.
Obama said he will not support a “blank check” for banks, nor vote for a bailout package that has no conditions or oversight.
“If the American people are being asked to provide a solution you’ve got a right to make sure your tax dollars are protected,” Obama said.
He also said the plan must include provisions to help homeowners, and not contain excessive compensation for CEOs.
“I will not allow this plan to become a welfare [plan] for Wall Street executives,” he said.
Obama said McCain has long been supportive of deregulation and other policies that helped lead to the crisis.
“Unlike Senator McCain, it doesn’t take a crisis on Wall Street for me to understand folks are hurting,” he said.
The McCain campaign reacted with a conference call and written statement from former Sen. Fred Thompson, who said McCain has the experience to deal with the economic situation, and that he proved it by suspending his campaign for two days earlier this week to go to Washington and talk about the bailout plan.
Biden was even more critical of McCain, calling him “tethered to George Bush ’s economic policies” and in favor of “deregulation of everything.”
Biden also hit McCain on the war on terror, which had been an area of contention between McCain and Obama in Friday night’s debate.
“John McCain is most importantly wrong in not understanding where the central front on terror is,” Biden said. “It’s in the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is not in Baghdad. We cannot afford a commander in chief who doesn’t know where the central front on terror is.”
Virginia, long a Republican stronghold, is one of a few tossup states in this year’s election, according to polls, and Obama has made several visits here, although this was his first stop in Fredericksburg.
Chelyen Davis: 804/782-9362
cdavis@freelancestar.com
“I didn’t appreciate Obama’s personal attacks on McCain. I wish the rally had been more about Obama and less about his competition. I’m sick of hearing about how John McCain was wrong.
—Bethany Wolfe, UMW se nior
“Just to see him in person was so exciting. I could have just watched the speech on TV, but being in the rain was kind of fun.”
—Peter Hawes, UMW freshman
“I got a text message from Obama just last night and decided to drive down. I’ve got the fever.”
—George Thuronyi, Arlington
“After his speech, I was flabbergasted. He was phenomenal. Biden and Obama make the perfect duo.”
—Alexis Carey, Westmoreland County
“I enjoyed the rally, but I wish he had touched on where he’s going to be getting all this money. Both campaigns need to address how we’re going to pay to fix this economic crisis. Where is this $700 billion coming from?”
—Ian Scott, Fredericksburg
“His speech was well worth the nine hours we waited. He touched on everything that Americans really want, especially health care and education.”
—Joan Farmer, Fredericksburg
“He was so inspiring, as always. Obama really stuck to the point. He knows what the people need.”
—Sam Mammen, San Antonio, Texas
- Compiled by Susannah Clark