FLINT -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Republican rival John McCain is attempting to reinvent himself as an agent of change in Washington while McCain’s record in the U.S. Senate had consistently supported President George W. Bush and policies that hurt the middle class.
Hammering at economic issues while speaking at Mott Community College, Obama said he’s the one who has consistently advocated changes in taxes, health insurance, education, ending the war in Iraq and offering financial aid to help U.S. automakers produce electric vehicles.
“You can’t just make stuff up. You can’t just reinvent yourself,” he said of McCain. “The American people aren’t stupid. What they’re looking for is someone who has consistently called for change.”
It was a head-on response to a shift in McCain’s campaign to portray the longtime U.S. senator from Arizona as a maverick who will change Washington’s culture of partisanship and special interests.
Obama mocked the McCain tack, saying McCain’s campaign is run by numerous former lobbyists for oil, insurance and banking companies who want anything but change.
Obama casually spoke and answered questions for nearly an hour from an audience of about 250. Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Lt. Gov. John Cherry were present.
It was Obama's second visit to Flint since he clinched the Democratic nomination, and his third campaign event in the state in nine days. From here he was to visit Farmington Hills tonight for a town hall-style campaign event.
Obama defended his vow to end the war in Iraq within 16 months after he takes office as president. He said he’s offended that Iraq’s fledgling government has a large surplus while the United States subsidizes rebuilding that country to the tune of $10 billion a month.
“I’m tired of Iraq running surpluses and the U.S. running deficits,” he said. “We need to spend some of that money in this country.”
Obama also took a few swipes at McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, saying their campaign has glossed over her record of supporting pork barrel projects in Alaska as a small-town mayor and governor.
Obama used new unemployment figures of 6% nationally to criticize President George W. Bush’s stewardship, and to tie McCain to Bush’s economic policies.
Obama said the McCain campaign is deliberately avoiding the U.S. economy, hoping instead to make the presidential election a contest of personalities.
A new national poll published today by USA Today/Gallup showed McCain spurting to a 10-point lead, and cracking the 50% mark -- the first time either candidate has received majority support.
But a CNN poll of registered voters nationwide showed the race a tie.
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