Obama Addresses N.C. Voter Who Called Him "Socialist"
(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) - John McCain's charges that Barack Obama is socialist may be resonating with some voters.
At a BBQ stop this afternoon, Obama received an unwelcome greeting from one woman who yelled "socialist, socialist, socialist – get out of here!" as he met with other customers.
The woman, Diane Fanning, who works at Sam's Club, then asked the Democratic nominee about the North American Union, which he opposes.
"I know some people have been hearing rumors about it. But as far as I can tell that's just not something that's happening. We would never give up our sovereignty in that way. Any other questions?" Obama asked Fanning.
She reluctantly responded, "No, I'm not going to say it."
At a rally after the stop, Obama brought up McCain's accusations that his tax plan is a form of socialism and dismissed it as a political attack.
"He has been attacking the heck out of me," Obama said, "Lately, he and Governor Palin actually accused me of socialism. Socialism. It's kind of hard to figure how Warren Buffet endorsed me, Colin Powell endorsed me and John McCain thinks I'm practicing socialism."
He accused McCain of wanting to cut taxes for Fortune 500 CEOs, "who've been making out like bandits, adding, "John McCain thinks that giving these Americans a break is socialism. Well I call it opportunity, and there is nothing more American than that."
Obama also expressed gratitude to Colin Powell for his endorsement, saying that he is most flattered by Powell's comments on how his campaign has been run. "I am even more grateful about what he said about the nature of this campaign because Colin Powell reminded us of what's at stake in this election – for America and for the world," Obama said.
"He reminded us that at this defining moment, we don't have the luxury of relying on the same political games the same political tactics that are used every election to divide us from one another and make us afraid of one another."
He added, "But no matter what they do, you'll have the chance to walk into that voting booth, and close that curtain, and say, "Not this time. Not this year."