“We are so proud and we are going to win the state of Michigan,” said McCain, who was joined by running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The economic hardships of the people of Michigan are on his mind, McCain said.

“We are not going to leave the workers of Michigan hung out to dry,” he said. “The working people of this great state of Michigan are the most innovative, the hardest working, the best skilled, the most productive, the most competitive in the world and they are the backbone and foundation of our economy.”

Rep. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell, was in attendance Wednesday and said McCain did a sufficient job addressing the economy.

“(McCain and Palin) can create prosperity again,” he said. “Especially for Michigan citizens, many of which are unemployed at this time.”

McCain’s opening with the economy comes just days after he said the economy was performing fine, which some critics pounced on because of recent developments such as investment bank Lehman’s Brothers filing for bankruptcy and Wall Street’s most recent nosedive. McCain later clarified his comments from earlier this week, saying what he meant by the economy doing well is that America’s workers are the best in the world.

The state’s blue-collar workers, who normally side with the Democratic Party because of its union-friendly platform, have not fallen in line with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

McCain made an attempt to grab that portion of the Michigan electorate Wednesday by calling for plans that would affect the auto industry and bring more alternative-energy jobs to Michigan.

“The leader of the world will again be Detroit, Michigan and the state of Michigan,” McCain said after emphasizing the importance alternative energy will play in revitalizing the state’s auto industry.

To encourage alternative energy research, McCain proposed providing tax credits to companies engaging in the development of such technology.

Taking another stab at taxes, McCain threw a jab at Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Obama’s tax policies by reaffirming his commitment to refuse raising taxes.

“Nobody knows better than the state of Michigan that raising taxes is exactly the wrong approach,” he said, mentioning Michigan’s 8.9 percent unemployment rate, which is the worst in the nation.

Some people thought a lot of talk about the economy was just that — talk.

“I want to see more plans, more of what’s going to happen,” said Chris Aseltine, a 22-year-old Muskegon Community College student.

Prior to the night’s events, Obama supporters rallied in the area, but were disbanded by police.

But that didn’t stop McCain’s audience from pushing forward to see the senator, who kept his attention centered on one thing throughout the night, no matter what was asked of him.

“I reject the doom and gloom that says our nation is in decline,” he said.

“America’s best days are ahead of us. We will restore America. We will restore this economy.”