In final stretch, it's Barack Obama vs. George W. Bush ... John who?

In his triumphant, hour-long acceptance speech from Denver in late August (the one with the fake Greek columns), Democrat Barack Obama mentioned his opponent John McCain 22 times. George W. Bush only got eight mentions.

But ever since the economic meltdown that sent Wall Street cratering and Main Street shivering, Bush has become the target of Obama's oratory, his economic policies the bogeyman for what polls suggest could be a historic landslide.

As the clock ticks down on the longest-running, most expensive and potentially most groundbreaking election in U.S. history, the senator from Illinois is wowing crowds with a stump speech that ties McCain ever tighter to the unpopular incumbent in the White House.

At his first rally in Jacksonville, Fla., this morning, Obama said:

The last thing we can afford is four more years of the tired, old theory that says we should give more to billionaires and big corporations and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. The last thing we can afford is four more years where no one in Washington is watching anyone on Wall Street because politicians and lobbyists killed common-sense regulations. Those are the theories that got us into this mess.

Obama said McCain "has stood with this president every step of the way. Voting for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he once opposed. Voting for the Bush budgets that spent us into debate. Calling for less regulation 21 times just this year." After 21 months of campaigning and three debates, Obama said, "Sen. McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he'd do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy."

He added, "George Bush dug us into a ditch. Now he's trying to give the shovel to John McCain."

For his part, McCain tells voters at almost every stop that he both he and Obama "have differences with how President Bush has handled the economy." Then he pivots, arguing that Obama "thinks taxes are too low, and I think spending is too high." Then he reprises a line from their last debate, saying:

Sen. Obama; I'm not President Bush...if you wanted to run against President Bush you should have ran four years ago.

The White House has noticed that both campaigns seem fixated on the president. First Lady Laura Bush, campaigning today in Shepherdsville, Ky., put it this way:

After months of primary elections, campaign ads and debates, tomorrow is finally Election Day. I'm really looking forward to Election Day, partly because it seems like George has been on the ticket this entire year.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Matt Stroshane / Bloomberg News

Comments

[Calcat]

For a dose of humor to relieve election-eve tension, check out this poll at www.SportsFanLive.com, and vote for the nickname Chris Berman should give the candidates when they appear on Monday Night Football Tonight. Pick your own nickname and have a good laugh:
http://www.sportsfanlive.com

[jacksmith]

I see you all have not lost your fight :

GOOD! Because we have a lot to do. You! (the American people) are going to have to take back control of your elected government at every level, and set your government back on the right path of service to you, and the greater good of the World.

Barack Obama and the democrats are your best hope of doing that now. Tell your family, friends, and everyone you know to support them as best they can. Because the Bush McCain vote fraud, vote cheating, vote buying, vote manipulation machine is already hard at work to cheat you again. And we all know what a disaster that has been the past 8 years of Bush McCain.

Barack Obama and the democrats will need all the power you can give them at every level of government (Federal, State, County, and local City elected governments). Obama and the democrats will have an enormous mess to fix for the American people, and the rest of the World. A mess caused by the corrupt Bush McCain administration.

You see, starting back in 2000, and before 911, it was mostly the Republican governors, Republican legislatures, and county elected Republican officials that conspired with the corrupt Bush McCain administration to raise college, and university tuitions by the fastest, and highest rate increases in American history. Some state tuitions went up by as much as a WHOPPING! 30% in one year.

The reason the Bush McCain administration did this was to force struggling working class kids into the military to pay for the sudden jump in tuition. Which was forced on them by the corrupt Bush McCain administration, and their corrupt Republican Governors, and republican controlled state legislatures.

See, Bush McCain had plans to get us into all these immoral, foolish, criminal, and unnecessary wars from the start. So they could use these wars to seize power, and later to get reelected. But, for their evil plan to work they needed more volunteer soldiers struggling to pay for an education whose blood they could spill to help them seize more power. Remember Bush McCain's "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!" theatrics.

The exploitation, and lost lives of these finest Americans is despicable, disgusting, immoral, corrupt and criminal. And it makes me SICK, and ANGRY!

You will have to vote for Obama, and the democrats in overwhelming numbers to overcome the Bush McCain vote fraud machine. Vote early if you can. Then help your fellow Americans cast their votes on through election day. Vote for Obama, and the democrats like your life, and the lives of your loved ones depends on it. Because it does. You will not survive 4 more years of "Let Them Eat Cake" Bush McCain, and their republican allies.

Just look at the mess we have now.

You can fix this mess with your votes for Obama, and the democrats. But you must continue to surge forward for Barack Obama, and the democrats, and for your-selves most of all. The children, and the World are counting on us.

It's in your hands now. And I know you will get it done.

God bless all of you.

JACK SMITH - WORKING CLASS... :-)

[DBoy Rodriguez]

Obama is going down. Most polls are biased. You are all in for a shock tomorrow. Obama is an inexperienced, sweet-talking lying socialist, palling around with terrorists. He is dangerous for America and the world.

[steve]

wow Jacksmith, dont hold anything back!

[coginwheel]

THANK YOU Mr. Jack Smith for that recent post....couldn't have said it better myself!

[pemdun]

If I am an Al Qaeda member, then surely I hope for McCain to win, because with the failed policies, Al-Qaeda will continue drain America. I call it Bleeding America strategy. Strategy how to kill the giant by let him draining its energy, alienating from the rest of the world, to the ultimate death. Trade and interconnected world cannot run with war. Someday USA will really bankrupt, but the rest of the world, Europe, Asia, Africa, Russia will survive.

I live in Jakarta, Indonesia and I wish good luck for Americans. We are watching your presidential campaign very closely.

[DS]

A victor for Obama would mean only one thing, that Affirmative Action has reached the pinacle of our society. If Obama was white he never would have made it past the first couple of primaries. He has absoulutely no experience to be the president of this country or any other country for that matter (maybe Cuba). He is only where he is because of his race and nothing more. In fact a white man or woman with his lack of qualification wouldn't even consider running for president. The manager at your local Jack in the Box has more qualification to be president than Obama has. Pray to God that the Republicans can maintain at least 41 seats in Senate. Remember "The roar of the masses might just be farts!"

[dennis poole]

I would like to know how many times did Barrack Obama vote along with GWB or did he vote against GWB at every opportunity or did he act like a coward and abstain from voting one way of the other. If he abstained I would suggest he is gutless.

[jacko]

Whatever you think, whoever you are, VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

If you have a touch screen make sure you touch the right candidate - screens can be tricky!!! . If you have a punch card machine press HARD.. come on you waited that long you can punch with strength!!.

Vote carefully and double check what you did. Whatever you think of McCain or Obama NOTHING will be worse that having this election decided by courts, NOTHING. so... VOTE and be careful that your vote will be counted

[John McPain]

Bush and Cheney have robbed us for 8 years. George took 1 last paycheck on his way out the door. BiG OIL (by the way got cheaper just in time for the elections, but will go back up) and Cheney have robbed everybody and killed our soldiers. They have enriched themselves, and some fools are stupid enough to believe in them. Now they have brought in another dummy to run with McCain and you all still fall for it. Its amazing to me. Some of these folks are running around with Apple Pies and flags, despite the blood and highway robbery on the american people. Cheney,Bush and his cronies dont care about you all. Can you republicans see that your party has been hi-jacked in plain view ? Its not even about conservative and liberal, its about law abiding citizens and thieves. But GOD will justify this....mark my word !!

[D. Weis]

Bush was President two terms too long!!! Check out this new farewell music video tribute to him. Funny and well, sad at the same time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcxIUZvwiXU