Obama Calls McCain `Out of Touch' Following Presidential Debate
By Edwin Chen
Barack Obama and John McCain, fresh from their first presidential debate,
resumed campaigning today, with Obama calling his rival ``out of touch,'' as
congressional leaders continued talks on a $700 billion bank-bailout plan.
Democratic Presidential nominee Obama reunited with running-mate Joe Biden in
Greensboro, North Carolina, where they highlighted the fact that the Republican
candidate didn't once use the term ``middle class'' during last night's debate,
which focused on the economy and foreign policy.
``We talked about the economy for 40 minutes, and not once did Senator McCain
talk about the struggles of middle-class families,'' Obama told the 20,000
person crowd at an outdoor rally. ``Senator McCain just doesn't get it.''
Obama today spoke with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, House Financial
Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
who updated him on the progress of talks on a White House proposal to buy bad
debts of financial companies to unfreeze credit markets.
The Illinois senator at the rally reiterated four principles he wants included
in a final agreement: curbs on executive pay, an independent oversight board,
aid for struggling homeowners and a provision to give taxpayers a share of any
profit from the purchase and subsequent sale of distressed assets.
McCain ``railed against some study on bears in Montana,'' Obama said. ``But he
had nothing to say about the fact that more and more Americans can't afford to
pay for their college education, can't afford health care for their families,
can't afford a retirement that is dignified and secure.''
`Selective Memory'
McCain's campaign accused Obama of having ``selective memory,'' saying Obama
has a record of raising taxes.
``If he was honest, Barack Obama knows he was unable to debate the merits of
supporting higher taxes on the middle class and bloated government spending
during a looming economic crisis,'' campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a
statement.
McCain, who returned to Washington at 3 a.m. today, arrived at his Arlington,
Virginia, campaign headquarters shortly after noon. He consulted with lawmakers
by telephone while also discussing campaign business with aides, said Mark
Salter, a senior campaign official.
McCain was unlikely to visit the Capitol today ``because he can effectively do
what he needs to do by phone,'' Salter said. ``He's calling members on both
sides, talking to people in the administration, helping out as he can.''
``We hope to have a deal in place so we can get back on the trail,'' Salter
said. That could be as early as Monday morning.
CNN, CBS Polls
Polls by CNN/Opinion Research Corp. and CBS News/Knowledge Networks found Obama
bested McCain in the debate. The CNN telephone poll of 524 adults who watched
the debate found 51 percent said Obama did the best job, while 38 percent said
McCain did.
The CBS online poll of 483 uncommitted voters found 39 percent said Obama won,
24 percent said McCain did, and 37 percent said it was a tie. The CNN poll's
margin of error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points, while the CBS survey's
margin of error is 4 percentage points.
Both campaigns today tried capitalizing on the debate, releasing ads about what
their rivals did or didn't say. A new Obama ad that will air on national cable
television beginning Sept. 29 is called ``Zero,'' and notes the number of times
McCain mentioned ``middle class.''
Internet Ad
McCain's campaign released an Internet ad emphasizing the eight times Obama
said McCain was ``right'' on various policy issues. Obama's campaign manager
David Plouffe said he was ``puzzled'' that McCain's campaign ``went in that
direction.''
``Only someone in Washington for 26 years would put that ad out,'' Plouffe told
reporters on a conference call.
Later Obama and Biden are scheduled to hold a rally in Fredericksburg,
Virginia, a key battleground state. Obama will spend the night in Washington,
and Biden will go home to Wilmington.
The next big date on the political calendar is the first vice presidential
debate on Oct. 2 between Delaware Senator Biden and Alaska Governor Sarah
Palin. The second presidential debate Oct. 8 is a town hall format. Obama's
campaign is already trying to lower expectations. McCain is the ``undisputed
champion of town halls,'' Plouffe said.
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