In Raleigh, Obama amplifies attacks

He hits hard on the economy, hoping to saddle his Republican rival with the nation's troubles

RALEIGH -- Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama sharpened his message Tuesday night in Raleigh, seeking to tie the nation's troubled economy around the neck of his Republican opponent, John McCain.

Obama said the middle class is struggling, that housing foreclosures are the highest since the Great Depression and that gas prices are too high.

"Raise your hands," Obama said. "How many people think you are better off than you were eight years ago?"

There was a chorus of boos from the 2,500 people at the Exposition Center at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. No hands were raised.

Obama's North Carolina appearance came at a critical juncture. Obama is set to name his vice presidential choice during the next several days and is preparing for his nominating convention next week, when Democrats gather in Denver.

The candidate has also been honing his message, stressing the country's economic problems under a Republican administration, as well as becoming more pointed in his criticism. The Illinois senator tried to cast doubt on McCain's reputation as a maverick, saying he voted with President Bush 90 percent of the time and was now adopting Bush's political tactics. He also linked McCain to lobbyists and oil companies.

"You know what their strategy is going to be," Obama said. "They are going to say, 'He is young, and he's got a funny name, and he's not patriotic enough.' We've seen this campaign before. They have been running this movie for a long time. It works for Republicans because it feeds into the real cynicism that people have about government."

Obama's audience

This was Obama's second post-primary stop in North Carolina. Both were in Raleigh, where Obama hopes to reach high-tech workers and transplants. Obama said the Bush administration has been "anti-science."

Obama has also been reaching out to more rural voters, talking about McCain's opposition to the farm bill that recently passed Congress. Obama had hoped to make a bus tour of Eastern North Carolina on Tuesday, wending his way to Raleigh. But the plan was scratched when Obama's plane had difficulty leaving Orlando, Fla., because of Tropical Storm Fay.

Obama is making a major gamble in North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia by plowing considerable resources into states that have voted Republican in recent presidential races.

Obama has spent more than $2 million on television ads in North Carolina, has opened 16 campaign offices and reportedly has 150 paid staffers in the state.

McCain's North Carolina effort pales by comparison. McCain, for example, has run no commercials exclusively in the state. He has yet to have a public post-primary visit to the state, although he met privately with evangelist Billy Graham.

GOP fights back

It is not clear that Obama's gamble is paying dividends. A new poll, commissioned by the Civitas Institute, a Raleigh-based conservative organization, showed McCain leading Obama slightly in the state, 46 percent to 40 percent. The survey of 600 voters was conducted August 14-17.

The average for recent polls in North Carolina shows McCain with 47 percent and Obama with 43 percent.

Republican leaders said Obama would likely fall further behind as the November election nears. They said he favors higher taxes, is lukewarm on drilling for oil and lacks McCain's foreign policy and national security experience.

Attacks on leadership

"The whole thing boils down to who is ready to lead," said state Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger of Eden. "Senator Obama would have the federal government increase all sorts of taxes."

Berger was echoing a common McCain talking point. McCain's campaign issued a news release late Tuesday calling Obama's line of attack "hysterical."

"Whether it's arriving late to the fight in Afghanistan or supporting higher taxes during a struggling economy, Barack Obama has shown that he doesn't have the judgment to lead," said spokesman Tucker Bounds in the prepared release.

There were few doubts from the supporters who showed up for Obama's event Tuesday, including Gov. Mike Easley and former Gov. Jim Hunt.

Kay Rush, a retired Duke medical assistant from Cary, stood in a long line at Obama headquarters in Cary to get tickets despite having a broken leg.

"I hope he wins," Rush said. "Almost everyone I talk to is crazy about him."

Sandra Perkins, a retired bookkeeper from Apex, also was encouraged.

"People are finally realizing what he stands for and how much he cares for the middle class," Perkins said.

Obama spoke for an hour and 10 minutes, part of the time fielding questions in what he termed a "town hall" meeting.

In response to a question, Obama said he would choose as his running mate someone prepared to be president.

"I want somebody who has integrity, who is in politics for the right reason," Obama said. "I want someone who is independent. Someone who is independent. Someone who can say, 'Mr. President I think you are wrong about this.' "