MSNBC - OBAMA BLASTS GOP FOR IGNORING ECONOMY [View All]

[the Sundance Kid]

From NBC/NJ's Athena Jones
NEW PHILADELPHIA, OH -- During his second trip to the crucial battleground state of Ohio since his convention wrapped up in Denver last week, Obama slammed Republicans for ignoring economic issues on the first night of their convention -- furthering his argument that his GOP rivals do not understand the concerns of hardworking families.

“Not once did people mention the hardships that folks are going though, not once did they mention what are we going to do about keeping jobs here in Ohio,” he said of the speakers on stage in St. Paul, MN last night. “Not once did they mention what are we doing about all these retirees that are losing their pensions. Not once did they mention how are we going to make sure that Social Security is there for the next generation. Not once did they mention how are we going to make college more affordable so that young people aren’t taking out $40,000 or $50,000 in debt. Not once did they mention how are we going to make sure people can stay in their homes.”

He also referred to comments McCain campaign manager Rick Davis made to the Washington Post. “This election is not about issues," Davis told the paper. "This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."

"I guess I don’t blame them, because if you don’t have any issues to run on, I guess you want it all to be on personality,” he told the crowd of about 220 people, assembled by invite only in a boiling hot outdoor courtyard at a satellite campus of Kent State University. “And if you’ve got George Bush’s track record and John McCain voting 90% of the time in agreement with George Bush, then you probably don’t want to talk about the issues either.”

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/03/1334964.aspx

McCain Campaign Manager Rick Davis said this election is not about the issues.

Obama and the American People beg to differ.