ASHEVILLE — Barack Obama sought to keep the focus on the economy today as he took a break from preparing for Tuesday's debate with Republican John McCain.
"Obviously we woke up this morning and saw the markets are still in turmoil," he told reporters outside the Grove Park Inn. "The contagion is spreading to all parts of the globe.
"It is a reminder that the rescue package that was passed last week is not the end of our efforts to deal with the economy, it is only the beginning."
Obama repeated his call for a new stimulus package and for the extension of unemployment benefits, reports Jim Morrill of The Charlotte Observer.
He promised to "keep on talking about the economy" even as he chided the McCain campaign for wanting to "turn the page."
Obama did not take questions and strode to a waiting Chevy suburban as a reporter asked him why his campaign had brought up the "Keating 5" issue. A short time later, the Obama campaign launched a Web site called keatingeconomics.com. It's about McCain's role in the savings and loan scandal of nearly 20 years ago.
McCain had long ago apologized for his role.
More after the jump.
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Obama sped off in a motorcade to 12 Bones Smokehouse, a riverside barbecue restaurant whose walls are decorated with a Cheerwine sign and bumper stickers. He surprised a lunchtime crowd and ordered ribs, sweet teas, pork barbecue, collard and corn pudding for himself and his staff.
While his takeout order was prepared, he walked through the squat restaurant, congested with reporters and TV cameras, and greeted diners including Maria Stanis of Asheville.
"I told him to kick butt," she said. "He said, 'You know we will.'"
Obama had no other public events scheduled today. He's scheduled to leave Asheville tomorrow for Nashville.
Comments
Community Organizer and National Hope
October 7, 2008 - 9:31am — Isaac136I think it's a point of pride with Obama, as it should be, that he was once a community organizer. Leave it to the lunies on the right to speak contemptuously of it.
And Mike, the fact that you are freaking out about Obama, that you spit out these knee-jerk reactions to what you think is his "socialist" agenda, that you seem to think you're somehow unique for having read Orwell (hasn't everyone?) tells me that despite your "many decades," you haven't grown much. Those old canards about welfare? God help you.
The level of sophistication implied by your analysis and accusations suggests not so very many of your decades have been spent observing the world around you.
Re: Obama: I'll keep talking about economy
October 7, 2008 - 6:26am — rapidtransitWhat exactly is a community organizer? And why do people get mad when someone calls Obama a former community organizer? Did he do something wrong? Is there something wrong about community organizing? Are his supporters not proud of his community organizing?
History will Be the Judge Re: poor lil' fella's
October 6, 2008 - 9:58pm — mike27513I love the comments. I recommend you check out Mr. Obama's economic beliefs.
Not a big fan of the current President either, being quite the Libertarian.
Yes - a "Community Organizer" in his case a organizer for the "Welfare Class" you know the ones who live off working people.
Gee, he has spent his whole life suckling on the government teat with federal grants,[ unless I missed the part where he started a new company, employed thousands, and was a self made man].
So continue your blind allegiance to the "Chosen One"
The US has survived Nixon, Carter, Clinton , GW Bush and I am hopeful we will survive Obama.
I suggest you re-read Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 to get a view of what's
coming.[or maybe read them for the first time?]
See the difference is I've lived many decades and am "economically secure" and can survive most anything. Good luck to you though.
poor lil' fella's
October 6, 2008 - 9:13pm — Isaac136You guys are just freaking out about Obama, aren't ya? You're so frightened that you're sounding hysterical here, calling him a socialist (which doesn't make any sense at all, so I'm guessing maybe you guys don't actually know what socialism is), making "community organizer" into a perjorative, and deciding that he'll be inviting attacks on U. S. soil. (You think keeping more troops in Iraq longer will *discourage* attacks on U. S. soil? Are you NUTS?)
Meanwhile I guess you think everything has turned out wonderfully with George Bush "in charge of the economy" for the last eight years. There you go demonstrating your keen grasp of economic theory again.
Of course, you're the guys who want to put Sarah Palin one final McCain temper-trantrum away from the Oval Office.
Oh Goody, Something else Obama doesn't know anything about about
October 6, 2008 - 7:47pm — mike27513I'm glad Obama is going to be the first Socialist President.
People will enjoy the 90% tax rates, Great Depression level economic activity and attacks by foreign enemies on US soil.
I love when a "Community Organizer" in charge of the economy.
Re: Obama: I'll keep talking about economy
October 6, 2008 - 5:57pm — scharrison"McCain had long ago apologized for his role."
Oh. Well. In that case, we should just forget about him trying to use his influence to help someone (who greatly contributed to the crash of our economy using fraud and misrepresentation) avoid/evade an investigation.
Believing McCain is the right choice to fix the financial sector's woes is like believing a pyromaniac would make a good fireman.