Farmington Hills — During his second visit to Michigan in about two weeks, Barack Obama spoke with a renewed vigor at a town hall meeting Monday, even as John McCain gained ground in the presidential race. A Gallup poll released Monday revealed that McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, had a five-point lead after last week’s Republican National Convention. Most other polls show the candidates in a dead heat or McCain leading. Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois, told the audience at North Farmington High School much of McCain’s success has been based on false accusations against him.
“They can’t run a government, but they can run a campaign,” he said.
Obama exuded an almost cocky confidence as he paced back and forth on the stage with one hand in his pocket. He conversed and joked with the audience during a question-and-answer session.
He didn’t hold back any criticisms, joking about Republican vice presidential nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s backwoods image and the use of the term “change” in the McCain campaign.
“You’re just saying, ‘Gosh, that Obama’s been talking about change and that seems to be working, so maybe we should start saying it too.’ Whatever,” Obama said.
Richard Lee Sparks, 29, of Hamtramck, said he was happy to see Obama take a stand against negative advertisements from McCain’s campaign.
“I was waiting for that,” Sparks said. “He’s calling it out for what it is.”
Obama addressed more of the same issues he spoke about during Aug. 30-31 visits to Battle Creek, Detroit and Monroe, including retooling the auto industry to produce fuel-efficient vehicles and using existing infrastructure to foster green industries.
He also talked about his plan for health care, withdrawing from Iraq and restructuring No Child Left Behind. Obama said he would offer an additional $18 billion for K-12 education and grants for college students who complete community service.
“If we allow countries to out-teach us today, they will out-compete us tomorrow,” he said.
Although Obama supporters inside the school shouted chants of encouragement, about 40 McCain supporters demonstrated across the street.
“We’re coming out here to voice our support for McCain,” said Megan Piwowar, communication director for the Michigan Victory 2008 campaign. “We’re breaking from the norm of Republicans and voicing (our support).”
Victory 2008 supports all Republican candidates in Michigan, Piwowar said.
North Farmington physical education teacher Katie Gabrielli said she was compelled by Obama’s speech, but hasn’t chosen a candidate. Gabrielli said education and the economy are her top priorities.
“My husband’s in the auto industry, so we’re constantly worried about losing jobs,” she said. “(Obama) has a lot of good insights on how to help the economy.”
In the end, Obama said, voters such as Gabrielli should focus on the issues, not petty bickering between candidates.
“This election shouldn’t be about John McCain or Sarah Palin or Barack Obama or Joe Biden,” he said. “It should be about you.”
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