Obama renews efforts to link McCain to Bush

Obama renews efforts to link McCain to Bush

LONDONDERRY, N.H. — Democrat Barack Obama opened the final leg of the presidential campaign by returning to a familiar strategy Thursday: Linking Republican opponent John McCain to the unpopular incumbent.

Obama said McCain was trying to obscure the issue in their final debate Wednesday when he pointed out that President Bush will not be on the ballot next month.

“I’m not running against George Bush. I’m running against all those policies of George Bush that you support, Sen. McCain,” Obama told supporters at a New Hampshire apple farm. “In three debates and over 20 months, John McCain hasn’t explained a single thing that he would do differently from George Bush when it comes to the most important economic issues we face today. Not one.”

The Illinois senator also continued his push to capture states that have been considered safe Republican territory in recent presidential elections. He bought airtime for campaign ads in West Virginia and planned visits to several traditionally GOP states.

‘Joe the Plumber’ won debate, McCain decides

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. — Republican John McCain said Thursday that Joe the Plumber, whose questions about Democrat Barack Obama’s tax policy became a centerpiece of the final presidential debate, was the real winner of the televised forum.

“Joe’s the man!” McCain said at a rally in this Philadelphia suburb as supporters chanted “Joe! Joe! Joe!”

“He won, and small businesses won across America,” McCain said. “They won because the American people won’t let Sen. Obama raise their taxes in a tough economy. They’re not going to let him do it, my friends.”

Palin criticizes Obama for not disavowing ACORN

BANGOR, Maine — Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, campaigning with an eye on winning at least one of Maine’s electoral votes, criticized Democrat Barack Obama on Thursday for not disavowing a community activist group that registers voters.

The group ACORN — the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — has drawn condemnation from the Republican ticket as its workers sign up voters in swing states. Nearly a dozen states and the FBI are looking into allegations of voter registration fraud.

ACORN officials have denied allegations of concerted, widespread fraud but acknowledge that some of the group’s registration workers might have turned in duplicate applications or falsified information to pad their pay.

“In this election, it’s a choice between a candidate who won’t disavow a group committing voter fraud, and a leader who won’t tolerate voter fraud,” Palin said.

Murtha apologizes for calling western Pa. racist

WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. John Murtha apologized Thursday for saying his home base of western Pennsylvania is racist in talking about Barack Obama’s prospects for winning the state.

In a statement issued by his office, the 17-term congressman said: “I apologize for making the comment that western Pennsylvania is a racist area.”

Murtha also said, “While we cannot deny that race is a factor in this election, I believe we’ve been able to look beyond race these past few months, and that voters today are concerned with the policy differences of our two candidates and their vision for the future of our great country.”

Murtha said in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette posted Wednesday on its Web site, “There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area.”

He also said it has taken time for many Pennsylvania voters to come around to embracing a black presidential candidate, but that Obama should still win the state, though not in a runaway.

In a separate interview posted the same day on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Web site, Murtha said Obama has a problem with voters’ racial attitudes in western Pennsylvania that could trim his winning margin Nov. 4.

Murtha was criticized by Republicans who said race wasn’t the reason some voters don’t like Obama.

Associated Press