Obama Ready "To Duel" McCain On Taxes

In Swing Through Rural Missouri, Democrat Ridicules McCain's Economic Policies

(AP)  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Wednesday he offers fundamental change from reckless Republican economic policies that he contended have hammered middle-class families and would continue under Republican rival John McCain.

"These anxieties seem to be growing with each passing day," Obama said on a campaign swing in this economically ailing battleground state. "We can either choose a new direction for our economy or we can keep doing what we've been doing. My opponent, John McCain, thinks we're on the right track."

That elicited boos from some of the 1,500 people who filled a Springfield high school gymnasium. When an AP-Ipsos poll asked the "right track, wrong track" question last month, nearly eight out of 10 said they thought the country was on the wrong track. The same poll set President Bush's approval rating at 29 percent.

"It's true that change is hard, change isn't easy," Obama said. "Nobody here thinks that Bush or McCain has a real answer for the challenges we face so what they're going to try to do is make you scared about me."

Change with difficulty was a core theme Democrat Bill Clinton used when he opposed President George H.W. Bush in 1992, a campaign also fought during tough economic times.

"We don't need the same old tired answers," Obama said. "We need something new."

Obama said that McCain will resort to tired Republican charges that he's a big-spending liberal, arguing his tax cut plans are aimed at the middle class.

"I want to cut taxes for middle-class families, ordinary folks who are working hard and playing by the rules," he said. "I'm ready to duel John McCain on taxes right here, quick draw."

Obama was spending the day riding in a bus across southwest Missouri, a region where Republicans have been dominant in recent elections, arguing that he can bring new regions into play this election cycle because a sour economy is dominating the political landscape. He faces the challenge of convincing voters in largely rural sections of the country to back his campaign.

After a weeklong overseas trip to burnish his foreign policy credentials, Obama has been working overtime to focus on the economy and overcoming doubts voters may have about the first black man to make a serious bid for the White House.

"It's a leap, electing a 46-year-old black guy named Barack Obama," he said, adding that the message Republicans have for voters is simple: "He doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bill."

Springfield is represented in the House by Republican Whip Roy Blunt, and its 7th District supported Bush with 67 percent of the vote in 2004.

Obama had in tow Sen. Claire McCaskill, herself a product of rural Missouri. She warmed up audiences by reminding them that Obama was elected in Illinois, a heavily rural state outside of Chicago.

"They said a young black guy named Barack Obama couldn't get elected to the United States Senate from Illinois," McCaskill said. "They were wrong."

Speaking to The Associated Press, McCaskill said there were gains to be made in rural Missouri.

"The idea here is it makes a difference if you demonstrate to people in Republican strongholds that you want their vote and that you care about them," she said. "I don't think any of us on the campaign are anticipating that Sen. Obama is going to win southwest Missouri. The question is how many votes can we get in southwest Missouri."

Obama spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki was blunt in explaining the strategy.

"What we're trying to do is go into areas where people are more skeptical," Psaki said. "You have to go into the belly of the beast."

[obama8years]

What I am noticing more and more each day, that the Libs are becoming Hateful, Angry and are Basically not paying attention. We call that being Obamanized. The Liberals want an Obama Nation. We Like America, We Like that it has Freedoms, We Like that America Defends itself. Liberals are the left over anti-war communist war demostrators from the 60''''s. They indoctrinate our kids in school with there anti-american retoric. So open your eyes its better to be a Moderate Democrat Than a Leftist Liberal with Socialist Agenda. If they like that type of Govement so Much why dont they move to Cuba.

[liberty_1776]

Why would any patriotic American vote for a black Muslim over a white war veteran? It seems ludicrous to me. Only cuckoo-bird whites will vote for Obama.

[shaheed92]

Senator Vitter

Senator Craig

Senator Stevens

The cream of the GOP crop. GOOFY OLD PERVERTS

[wellhell3]

Obscamma wanted to dual tax plans is absurd? What''s he going to duel with? A wet noodle?

His phamtom tax plan will never make it out of committee, even were he to propose such an absurdity!

And his bull ***** about taxing the rich is a total scam! He''s not going to tax the hands that feed his campaign funds! Anybody who believes he will is an ignorant toady!

Grow up, guys. We learned absolutely nothing from this article. We received not one solution to any problem confronting this nation. Quips and comic book dialogue doesn''t solve our domestic or foreign crises, not now and not for our grandchildren. Let''s get real, forget the Britney, Paris, dollar bill caricatures, send your spin doctors on vacation and get down to the hard work of restoring this country''s honor and treasury. Now!

[mcflipflop4u]

does mccain have a bipolar disorder?

[ofbyfor1]

Obama has backdoor taxes to fund his programs, you will never know it until it hits you. But the promise of tax reductions for the middle class will be lowered when these taxes kick in.

Posted by concerns47 at 10:09 AM : Jul 31, 2008

Ah, you''ve gotta love the fearmongers. Always with their vague threats, but never specific details.

BTW, wouldn''t you call the interest that we''re going to have to pay to the Chinese on our borrowed deficit a backdoor tax? Brought to you by GWB.

[concerns47]

Obama has backdoor taxes to fund his programs, you will never know it until it hits you. But the promise of tax reductions for the middle class will be lowered when these taxes kick in.

[hologram5]

Why can''''t John McCain seal the deal. He''''s been in Washington for almost 30 years, was a POW, has a trophy wife and is the whitest of the two candidates. He gets the media (his base) to cover up his gaffes and he''''s running against an uppity negro. Why is he not up by 15 points in the polls? What is the problem with John Sydney McCain III?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by bfjones666 at 09:22 AM : Jul 31, 2008

The problem is he is a self-centered idiot that doesn''t care a lick about you or I, he just cares about power. Power corrupts, I think you know the rest. If you want a candidate that cares about the American people, you should have voted for Ron Paul in the primaries.

[micma-2009]

Why is he not up by 15 points in the polls? What is the problem with John Sydney McCain III?

Posted by bfjones666



He''s running on the failed policies of the worst President in history.