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McCain: ‘We will win’ Pa. (at rally in Biden's Hometown/Coal Country)
The Times-Tribune (Scranton PA) ^ | 11/3/08 | BORYS KRAWCZENIUK

Posted on 11/03/2008 3:41:55 AM PST by Born Conservative

On the rise in statewide polls as Election Day looms, Republican presidential nominee John McCain repeatedly ripped Democratic nominee Barack Obama on Sunday for proposing tax hikes and lacking experience during what was probably the last local stop by a candidate on either presidential ticket.

Speaking to a wildly enthusiastic crowd at the University of Scranton, Mr. McCain used a 24-minute speech to repeatedly focus on Mr. Obama’s tax plan, charging taxes won’t increase only on the wealthy as the Democratic nominee says.

About 3,000 people packed the John J. Long Center to hear Mr. McCain speak, university spokesman Stan Zygmunt said.

Mr. McCain told listeners he would cut taxes and “make America more competitive and create jobs.”

He would double the child tax deduction for working families, cut capital gains and business taxes and “help keep American businesses in America,” he said.

“Raising taxes makes a bad economy much worse. Keeping taxes low creates jobs, keeps money in your hands and strengthens your economy,” he said. “If I’m elected president, I won’t spend nearly a trillion dollars more of your money. Sen. Obama will. He can’t do that without raising your taxes or taking us further into debt.”

With the election two days away, Mr. McCain has shaved 6 percentage points off Mr. Obama’s lead in Pennsylvania since Wednesday, according to the daily Muhlenberg College/Allentown Morning Call tracking poll. Mr. Obama, who had held a double-digit lead Oct. 3, led only 52 to 45 percent as of Saturday night.

The poll surveyed 599 likely voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Other polls also show the state race tightening.

The race’s intense nature spilled out onto the grounds outside the John J. Long Center after the rally. Groups of supporters on both sides shouted at each other as a Secret Service agent strolled casually between them to discourage the exchanges from going beyond words.

“Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!” the Obama backers chanted.

“No, you can’t! No, you can’t! No, you can’t!” the McCain partisans yelled back.

Mr. McCain, who has bet on victory in Pennsylvania carrying him into the Oval Office, said he will win the state, which he called “the heartland of America.”

“We will win it,” he said, interrupted by cheers, “and bring real change to Washington.”

Mr. McCain said he would freeze government spending on “all but the most important programs like defense, veterans care, Social Security and health care” and veto pork-barrel spending.

“If I’m elected president, I’ll fight to shake up Washington and take America in a new direction,” he said. “I’m not afraid of the fight. I’m ready for the fight.”

Mr. Obama proposes increasing taxes on people who earn more than $250,000, and cutting taxes for most people below that income level.

But Mr. McCain said the threshold has been shifting lower as various Democratic surrogates address campaign audiences. He predicted, as he often does, that Mr. Obama would raise taxes on people earning as little as $42,000 a year.

The Arizona senator invoked Joe the Plumber, Ohioan Joe Wurzelbacher, who famously asked Mr. Obama whether Mr. Obama’s tax plan would raise his taxes. When answering how his plan would benefit Mr. Wurzelbacher, Mr. Obama used the phrase “spread the wealth,” which Mr. McCain has transformed into a major theme of his campaign in the last two weeks.

Mr. Wurzelbacher, who has stumped with Mr. McCain, was not present Sunday. But the McCain campaign handed out stickers with the name “Joe” in the red-letter fashion of a name tag on a blue-collar workers’ uniform.

“Sen. Obama is running to spread the wealth, I’m running to create the wealth. Sen. Obama is running to punish the successful. I’m running to make everybody successful,” Mr. McCain said.

Mr. McCain also dropped the name of Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden, referring to him as “Joe the Biden.” He recalled how Mr. Biden recently said Mr. Obama would be tested by an international crisis early if elected.

“He’s the gift that keeps on giving,” Mr. McCain quipped of Mr. Biden.

“My friends, I have been tested, Sen. Obama hasn’t,” he said.

Recalling his experience as a Navy pilot in a jet awaiting orders during the Cuban Missile Crisis, he said, “I know how close we came to a nuclear war and I will not be a president who needs to be tested.”

When he’s president, Mr. McCain said, the country “would win in Iraq and win in Afghanistan.”

“U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A,” the crowd chanted.

The Obama campaign responded by issuing a statement from U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who blasted Mr. McCain for favoring cuts to Medicare and privatizing Social Security.

“No Casey Democrat would support a candidate who turns a blind eye to basic fairness and would give the average Fortune 500 CEO a $700,000 tax cut and not one cent in tax relief to 4.7 million working households here in Pennsylvania and 97 percent of all our seniors,” Mr. Casey said.

During the rally, supporters held hundreds of typical campaign signs, but also hand-painted signs that said, “You Had Me at War Hero” and “Jesuits for McCain,” a reflection of the university’s roots.

Mr. McCain was accompanied by his wife, Cindy, daughter, Megan, former Gov. Tom Ridge, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, and North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr and his wife, Brooke. Mrs. McCain introduced Mr. Ridge, who introduced Mr. McCain.

State Attorney General Tom Corbett, who is seeking re-election, and Republican congressional candidate Chris Hackett both addressed the crowd before Mr. McCain arrived.

Afterward in the Long Center lobby, Sean Hogan, 22, a Plymouth Republican, said he’s keeping the faith about Mr. McCain winning the state.

“I think people are starting to realize that a vote for Obama would just be a big mistake at this point. We can’t afford his economic policy in our economic crisis,” Mr. Hogan said. “I think he’s a good speaker, but that’s about it. I think he’s very inexperienced.”

Roseanne Daecher, 58, a police administrative support specialist from Lancaster County and a Republican, said Mr. McCain’s military service proves his dedication to his country.

“He doesn’t have to prove to me who he may become,” she said. “I think Obama has a lot to offer, but he needs to improve on his experiences. I think he needs to give himself time to learn more about our politics, our country and now that we know who Obama is ... let us get to know him better, too.”

Outside, as partisans raged at each other, Joe Gorgone, 18, a sophomore English major at the university from Bergenfield, N.J., joined the Obama side with his face painted blue.

“If we vote for McCain, then we’ll have another four years of George W. Bush,” Mr. Gorgone said. “We do not need Bush, we need Obama ... We respect McCain, but we don’t think he’s what this country needs right now.”


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: biden; mccain; pa2008; pennsylvania; scranton
Mr. McCain also dropped the name of Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden, referring to him as “Joe the Biden.” He recalled how Mr. Biden recently said Mr. Obama would be tested by an international crisis early if elected. “He’s the gift that keeps on giving,” Mr. McCain quipped of Mr. Biden.
1 posted on 11/03/2008 3:41:55 AM PST by Born Conservative
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To: Born Conservative

Mine baby Mine.


2 posted on 11/03/2008 3:57:18 AM PST by scooby321 (Cai)
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To: Born Conservative

Obama is going to get “Keystoned”!


3 posted on 11/03/2008 4:04:23 AM PST by sneakers
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To: Born Conservative
I believe when McCain/Palin 'surprisingly' win PA the media elite, talking heads will automatically call 'racism' and the the 'Bradley Affect.' I propose a different term...'Keystoned.' Definition, when an intelligent electorate rebels and votes for the candidate of their choice not the candidate the media perceives they will vote for.
4 posted on 11/03/2008 4:06:28 AM PST by PennsylvaniaMom ((Rapping) I say 0bama...you say Ayers. 0bama! Ayers! 0bama! Ayers!)
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To: scooby321

KEEP CHRISTMAS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY: VOTE McCAIN

That phrase has gotten the best response from hundreds if not thousands of people in my neighborhood as I campaigned door-to-door for McCain the past few months.

Even Democrats took pause, and said, “You’re right.”


5 posted on 11/03/2008 4:21:23 AM PST by Edit35 (.)
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To: Born Conservative

POWER TO THE PUMAS!

I want to believe!...

6 posted on 11/03/2008 4:25:49 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Born Conservative
Mr. McCain also dropped the name of Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden, referring to him as “Joe the Biden.”

McCain should have said, "Joe the MORONIC IDIOT!"

7 posted on 11/03/2008 4:27:08 AM PST by EagleandLiberty (I rather get my Tax advice from Joe the Plumber then my plumbing advice from Obama)
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To: sneakers

Voted absentee in PA (live in Philly suburbs)two weeks ago. Go McCain/Palin!!!


8 posted on 11/03/2008 4:35:56 AM PST by RU88 (The false messiah can not change water into wine any more than he can get unity from diversity.)
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To: Born Conservative

University of Scranton? Is that Michael Scott’s and Jim Halpert’s alma mater?


9 posted on 11/03/2008 4:50:50 AM PST by MetsJetsandNets
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To: MetsJetsandNets

I’m pretty sure Dwight graduated from there.


10 posted on 11/03/2008 4:54:26 AM PST by MBB1984
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To: scooby321
Mine baby Mine.

IF the interview with BHO saying he would bankrupt the coal companies had come out earlier, that would be an EXCELLENT slogan!

11 posted on 11/03/2008 6:48:28 AM PST by Born Conservative (Bohicaville: http://bohicaville.wordpress.com/)
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