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US rivals fight for swing states White House rivals swap tax barbs
(about 12 hours later)
US presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are campaigning in key conservative states, with just 17 days to go before the election. US presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama traded sharp words about their tax plans as they campaigned in key conservative states.
Mr Obama is in Missouri, a state often won by whoever becomes president. In a radio address, Mr McCain said his Democratic rival's proposals amounted to a "government giveaway".
Mr McCain, who is trailing in the opinion polls, is seeking to shore up support in Virginia and North Carolina after his visit to Florida on Friday. Mr McCain, who is trailing in the opinion polls, is seeking to shore up support in Virginia and North Carolina.
His running mate Sarah Palin is set to appear on US comedy show Saturday Night Live, which has mocked her mercilessly. In front of 100,000 people in St Louis, Missouri, Mr Obama said Mr McCain wanted to cut taxes for wealthy firms.
Missouri is a state often won by whomever becomes president; it voted for George W Bush in the last two elections.
Mr McCain's running mate Sarah Palin is set to appear on US comedy show Saturday Night Live, which has mocked her mercilessly.
Comedienne Tina Fey has caricatured Mrs Palin as an incoherent air-headed flirt.Comedienne Tina Fey has caricatured Mrs Palin as an incoherent air-headed flirt.
Tough questions 'Bandits'
Flagging in the polls, Mr McCain took his campaign to Florida on Friday, where he issued a warning on taxes. Mr McCain fired the first volley of the day, saying Mr Obama's economic plan would increase taxes and stifle job creation as the US goes through its worst financial crisis in decades.
"Hold onto your wallet," he said, claiming that his opponent Mr Obama could not be relied upon to fulfil any tax-cutting pledges. "Raising taxes on some in order to give cheques to others is not a tax cut, it's just another government giveaway," he said in a paid radio address.
If we win Florida, Barack Obama is president - there's no way for John McCain to win without Florida Temo FigueroaObama Latino campaign director class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7651100.stm">The new battleground states class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7661872.stm">The great schlep He also defended his use of "Joe the plumber", a voter who was used by Mr McCain as an example of how people could suffer under Barack Obama's tax plans. "Barack Obama's tax plan would convert the IRS [Internal Revenue Service] into a giant welfare agency, redistributing massive amounts of wealth at the direction of politicians in Washington."
"Last weekend, Senator Obama showed up in Joe's driveway to ask for his vote, and you know what Joe did? He asked Senator Obama a tough question. I'm glad he did," said Mr McCain. John McCain is behind in the polls and fighting in Republican states
"He wasn't recruited or prompted by our campaign," he added "He just asked a question." He was referring to Mr Obama's proposal to raise taxes on the five percent of Americans who earn more than $250,000 (£145,000) and either lower them for the rest or give tax credits to those who do not earn enough to pay income tax.
Mr Obama has reiterated that he would cut taxes for 95% of workers while raising them for the richest Americans - those making more than $250,000 annually. "Senator Obama believes in redistributing the wealth, not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs and opportunities for all Americans," he said later at a rally in Concord, North Carolina, attended by about 5,000 people.
The latest opinion poll in Florida, for CNN, puts Obama at 51% and McCain on 46%. Mr Obama replied at a rally in St Louis where he drew his biggest US crowd of the campaign - an estimated 100,000 people.
Mr Obama is showing his confidence by campaigning at the weekend in two states that were not widely considered close until recently - Missouri and North Carolina. He is due in Florida on Monday. He said Mr McCain "wants to cut taxes for the same people who have already been making out like bandits, in some cases literally".
In the last few weeks, Mr McCain has lost his lead in all these states, polls suggest. "John McCain is so out of touch with the struggles you are facing that he must be the first politician in history to call a tax cut for working people 'welfare'," he said.
"The only 'welfare' in this campaign is John McCain's plan to give another $200bn in tax cuts to the wealthiest corporations in America."
With 17 days to the election, Mr McCain has failed to reverse his slide in the opinion polls.
A poll by Gallup on Saturday suggested the Democratic senator has a nationwide lead over Mr McCain of 50% to 42%.