Obama, McCain in combative mood ahead of debate
Barack Obama and John McCain trade insults ahead of key presidential debate
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Tuesday, 07, Oct 2008 10:29
Barack Obama and John McCain have stepped up attacks on each other ahead of the second of three presidential debates.
Republican nominee Mr McCain goes into tonight's 'town hall' debate behind in the polls for the tenth consecutive day.
The latest poll from Reuters/C-Span/Zogby put Illinois senator Mr Obama on 48 per cent, with Mr McCain behind on 45 per cent.
Four per cent of respondents were undecided in a poll with a 2.8 percentage point margin of error.
Democrat nominee Mr Obama, 47, has gained ground in the key areas of independents and women following the vice presidential debate last week, the pollsters said.
Ahead of tonight's debate in Nashville, Tennessee, Arizona senator Mr McCain questioned Mr Obama's record in politics.
"What does he plan for America?" he asked.
"In short, who is the real Barack Obama? But my friends, you ask such questions, and all you get in response is another angry barrage of insults."
The 72-year-old was referring to comments from running-mate Sarah Palin that claimed Mr Obama was "palling around" with domestic terrorists.
Mr Obama's campaign team have since accused the Republican ticket of "gutter politics" over the remarks, which refer to the senator once serving on a charity board with Bill Ayers, who is a former member of American militant group Weather Underground.
In the build-up to Tuesday's debate, Mr Obama repeated his campaign's main line of attack on Mr McCain; that his voting record is in sharp contrast to his maverick image and that he has supported the policies that contributed to the United States' current economic problems.
"One of the things we've done throughout this campaign, we don't throw the first punch," he said. "But we'll throw the last."