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WORLD> Photo
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Obama draws record crowd, links McCain to Bush
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-27 15:43
McCain also brushed off opinion polls indicating he is set to lose against Obama, insisting that his bid for the White House is still afloat. McCain, who has been trailing Obama by more than 10 points in some national and state polls, told NBC that his campaign was "doing fine." "We've closed in the last week and if we continue this close in the next week you're going to be up very late on election night." The 72-year-old former Navy pilot, speaking on the 41st anniversary of being shot down over Hanoi during the Vietnam War, also struck a defiant stance, casting himself as the underdog in the final stretch of the election race. At one rally in Ohio late Sunday, McCain arrived to the theme tune from the boxing underdog movie "Rocky" to the delight of his supporters. "I'm not afraid of the fight -- I'm ready for it," he exhorted. He also repeated his claim -- angrily denied by the Obama camp -- that the Democratic nominee had already begun drafting his inauguration speech. Earlier Sunday, McCain had issued a robust defense of running mate Sarah Palin after reports of bitter infighting within the campaign. Asked on "Meet the Press" if he wanted to defend Alaska Governor Palin, who has been blamed for his sagging poll numbers , McCain replied: "I don't defend her -- I praise her. She needs no defense." "She's a role model for millions and millions of Americans," said McCain. "She's just what Washington needs." In another blow to the Republican campaign, The Anchorage Daily News, the biggest newspaper in Palin's home state of Alaska, endorsed Obama, saying he "truly promises fundamental change in Washington." And The Financial Times, Britain's respected business daily, also endorsed Obama on Monday, despite admitting its preference for McCain's trade policies. The newspaper, which has a daily readership of about 1.3 million worldwide, said the Democrat's policies blended the "good, not so good and downright bad" but he was "the right choice." |
