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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| McCain 'doing fine' despite polls | McCain 'doing fine' despite polls |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Republican John McCain has said his campaign to become US president is "doing fine" despite polls showing him trailing his Democratic rival. | Republican John McCain has said his campaign to become US president is "doing fine" despite polls showing him trailing his Democratic rival. |
| Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press nine days before the election, Mr McCain said he had closed the gap with Barack Obama in the past week. | Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press nine days before the election, Mr McCain said he had closed the gap with Barack Obama in the past week. |
| Later at a rally he emphasised that he was ready to fight to win the vote. | Later at a rally he emphasised that he was ready to fight to win the vote. |
| Urging change, Mr Obama said McCain and President George W Bush were similar. | Urging change, Mr Obama said McCain and President George W Bush were similar. |
| Mr McCain was campaigning in Iowa and Ohio on Sunday, while Mr Obama was in Colorado. | Mr McCain was campaigning in Iowa and Ohio on Sunday, while Mr Obama was in Colorado. |
| An NBC poll for Iowa gave Mr Obama 51% voter support, with Mr McCain at 40%. | An NBC poll for Iowa gave Mr Obama 51% voter support, with Mr McCain at 40%. |
| However, a Reuters/C-Span/Zogby poll released on Sunday suggested a closer race overall, with Mr Obama only five percentage points ahead of Mr McCain's 44%. | However, a Reuters/C-Span/Zogby poll released on Sunday suggested a closer race overall, with Mr Obama only five percentage points ahead of Mr McCain's 44%. |
| "Those polls have consistently shown me much farther behind than we actually are," he said. "We're doing fine." | "Those polls have consistently shown me much farther behind than we actually are," he said. "We're doing fine." |
| He continued: "We've closed in the last week and if we continue this close in the next week you're going to be up very late on election night." | He continued: "We've closed in the last week and if we continue this close in the next week you're going to be up very late on election night." |
| "I choose to trust my senses as well as the polls, and the enthusiasm at almost all of our campaign events is at a higher level than I've ever seen." | |
| She's a role model for millions and millions of Americans. She's just what Washington needs John McCain on Sarah Palin | |
| He added: "We're very competitive here, and I'm very happy with where we are and I'm very proud of the campaign we're running." | He added: "We're very competitive here, and I'm very happy with where we are and I'm very proud of the campaign we're running." |
| With reports of infighting in the Republican camp, Mr McCain was asked if he wanted to defend his vice-presidential running mate Sarah Palin. | With reports of infighting in the Republican camp, Mr McCain was asked if he wanted to defend his vice-presidential running mate Sarah Palin. |
| "I don't defend her - I praise her. She needs no defence." | "I don't defend her - I praise her. She needs no defence." |
| He also said the Alaskan governor had "more executive experience than [Democratic vice-presidential candidate] Senator [Joe] Biden and Senator Obama together." | He also said the Alaskan governor had "more executive experience than [Democratic vice-presidential candidate] Senator [Joe] Biden and Senator Obama together." |
| He went on: "She is a dynamic person with executive experience, leadership, reform. She's exactly what Washington needs. | He went on: "She is a dynamic person with executive experience, leadership, reform. She's exactly what Washington needs. |
| "She's a role model for millions and millions of Americans. She's just what Washington needs." | "She's a role model for millions and millions of Americans. She's just what Washington needs." |
| The party has had to respond to revelations last week that $150,000 has been spent on Mrs Palin's wardrobe since her September appointment. | The party has had to respond to revelations last week that $150,000 has been spent on Mrs Palin's wardrobe since her September appointment. |
| "She lives a frugal life, she and her family are not wealthy, she and her family were thrust into this," Mr McCain said, repeating that the clothes will be donated to charity. | "She lives a frugal life, she and her family are not wealthy, she and her family were thrust into this," Mr McCain said, repeating that the clothes will be donated to charity. |
| 'Common philosophy' | 'Common philosophy' |
| Responding to the Obama team's emphasis that he voted with President Bush 90% of the time, Mr McCain said both he and Mrs Palin were mavericks.Barack Obama warned people to 'tighten their belts' | |
| "Do we share a common philosophy of the Republican Party? Of course. | "Do we share a common philosophy of the Republican Party? Of course. |
| "But I've stood up against my party, not just President Bush but others, and I've got the scars to prove it." | "But I've stood up against my party, not just President Bush but others, and I've got the scars to prove it." |
| Mr Obama, addressing a rally in Colorado, said the "common philosophy" of the Republican party included giving more to the wealthy and spending millions on the war in Iraq despite the US economy struggling. | Mr Obama, addressing a rally in Colorado, said the "common philosophy" of the Republican party included giving more to the wealthy and spending millions on the war in Iraq despite the US economy struggling. |
| He called for an "immediate rescue plan" for the middle class, saying the recent financial rescue plan for banks was a "necessary step" in safeguarding pensions, jobs and businesses. | He called for an "immediate rescue plan" for the middle class, saying the recent financial rescue plan for banks was a "necessary step" in safeguarding pensions, jobs and businesses. |
| Mr Obama said his healthcare, education and energy plans would "not happen overnight", and warned that everyone would have to "tighten their belts". | Mr Obama said his healthcare, education and energy plans would "not happen overnight", and warned that everyone would have to "tighten their belts". |
| Vote request | Vote request |
| Mrs Palin also addressed the issue of her clothing. Speaking at a rally in Florida, she said she had "tried to ignore it because it's just so ridiculous". | Mrs Palin also addressed the issue of her clothing. Speaking at a rally in Florida, she said she had "tried to ignore it because it's just so ridiculous". |
| But she added that the items did not belong to her and she would be wearing her own clothes after the 4 November election. | But she added that the items did not belong to her and she would be wearing her own clothes after the 4 November election. |
| She mocked reports that Mr Obama has already written his inaugural speech, saying it showed the Democrats looked at the election as a "formality". | She mocked reports that Mr Obama has already written his inaugural speech, saying it showed the Democrats looked at the election as a "formality". |
| "We don't take any vote for granted, and we're not assuming we have your vote - we are respectfully asking for it," she told cheering supporters. | "We don't take any vote for granted, and we're not assuming we have your vote - we are respectfully asking for it," she told cheering supporters. |