Obama, McCain lavish attention on key Ohio

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-28 11:04

Now public and private polls rate Obama the favorite, and dreary monthly jobless statistics show a statewide economy in trouble. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state has lost 92,000 jobs since February, and Ohio's unemployment, 7.2 percent of its work force, is well above the national rate of 6.1 percent.

US Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) takes the stage at a campaign rally in Pottsville, Pennsylvania October 27, 2008. [Agencies]

Obama called his opponent out for what he called McCain's campaign of smear tactics to hide his own deficiencies.

"If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run away from. You make a big election about small things," Obama told the raucous crowd in the Canton civic center. "Ohio, we are here to say, 'Not this time. Not this year."'

For his part, McCain's core theme in recent days has been that electing Obama would give Democrats, who are on track to increase their congressional majorities, dangerous control of the government.

"My opponent is out there working out the details with (House) Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid, their plans to raise your taxes, increase spending and concede defeat in Iraq," said McCain, who was also in Ohio. "We're not going to let that happen."

Whatever doubt remained about the presidential race, only the size of Democratic gains seemed to be in question in the campaign for control of Congress.

Republican Sen. Ted Stevens' conviction in a corruption trial in Washington gave fresh momentum to the Democrats' drive for a 60-seat Senate majority that would strengthen their ability to overcome Republican filibusters aimed at blocking key legislation from coming to a vote.

McCain himself has endured numerous slights in recent days, including anonymous sniping between his aides and those of running mate Sarah Palin. That came on the heels of the disclosure that clothes and accessories totaling $150,000 had been purchased with donor funds for the Alaska governor and her family.

McCain announced over the weekend that $50,000 worth of merchandise had been returned, and Palin pointedly told one crowd she was back to wearing clothes from her "favorite consignment" store in Alaska.

Two new polls, meanwhile, showed Obama leading in Virginia, a state that has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964.

A Virginia Commonwealth University survey put Obama up by 11 percentage points, 51-40, while The Washington Post showed McCain trailing in the state by 8 points, 52-44.

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