Obama: McCain is fighting for Joe the Hedge Fund Manager

[grantcart]

Obama brushes aside GOP criticism of his tax plans

Obama held a press conference on his economic plans and then held a rally for 20,000 in Richmond VA

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081022/ap_on_el_pr/obama

RICHMOND, Va. – Democrat Barack Obama on Wednesday brushed aside Republican charges that his tax plan amounts to socialism, but he acknowledged it involves "spreading around opportunity" so that wealthier Americans — like himself — pay a little more to help lower-rung workers.

The core of Obama's plan would reverse tax cuts for Americans at the high end of the income scale that were passed during the Bush era. He noted that when those Bush-backed cuts were first proposed, his opponent for the White House, Republican John McCain, opposed them as irresponsibly targeted.

"Was John McCain a socialist back in 2000?" Obama asked at a news conference. Responding to the late-campaign line of attack repeated daily by McCain and running mate Sarah Palin, he said, "I think it's an indication that they have run out of ideas."

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At a rally after the news conference, Obama drew a foot-stomping crowd of 13,000 inside the coliseum in Richmond and an overflow audience of 7,000 outside.

Obama drew loud applause when he turned around McCain's regular references to Ohio plumber Joe Wurzelbacher's face-to-face challenge to the Democrat about his tax plans. Obama says his proposals would actually reduce the man's taxes, unlike McCain's.

"He's not fighting for Joe the Plumber," Obama said of McCain. "He's fighting for Joe the hedge fund manager. John McCain likes to talk about Joe the Plumber, but he's in cahoots with Joe the CEO. So don't be fooled."

Both sides are nervous about what surprises could spring up to affect the race. McCain has had a perceived dominance on foreign policy issues over Obama, and the campaign wants to tamp down any impact of that issue.

Obama got a boost on that front over the weekend, when longtime Republican Colin Powell, a secretary of state under Bush, endorsed him.

Obama's meeting called together over a dozen retired generals and foreign policy mavens from Capitol Hill and the diplomatic word, all campaign advisers at some level, and included Biden and others by phone. He was flanked by the group on stage as he spoke, and a "Judgment to Lead" sign hung from the podium to further reinforced the point.

[chimpymustgo]

1. Now that's a good one!