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Obama accuses McCain of smear tactics
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Obama leading by 49 percent in new poll
McCain has tried desperately through the campaign to separate himself from Bush, a fellow Republican whose approval rating is near historic lows as American voters blame him for the crumbling economy and hold him responsible for the unpopular Iraq war.
With American voters concerned about economic security above all other issues, Obama is trying to protect his growing margin over McCain and keep the focus on the potential financial meltdown that has sent shudders through the electorate over the past two weeks.
A new poll published Sunday, meanwhile, showed Obama was leading McCain by 49 percent to 42 percent among likely voters in battleground Ohio. The Columbus Dispatch newspaper poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
Ohio is critical as the candidates battle to win 270 electoral votes. The state helped tip the balance to Bush in 2000, and its backing kept him in the White House in 2004.
McCain was not campaigning Sunday, taking the day off to prepare for Tuesday's second of three presidential debates at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. Obama's vice presidential candidate Joe Biden was not campaigning either. His mother-in-law died on Sunday. Palin held a fund-raising event in California.
The upcoming debate is critical because McCain has dwindling chances to regain momentum. McCain suggested to supporters that he would take the gloves off and go after Obama more forcefully in the nationally televised confrontation.
McCain's campaign apparently believes that attempting to make Obama, who is seeking to become the first black U.S. president, seem unacceptable to voters may be the Republican's best — if not only — shot at winning the presidency. But that risks a backlash if McCain goes too far.
The Obama campaign called Palin's remarks offensive but not surprising in light of news stories detailing the McCain campaign's come-from-behind offensive.
The escalated effort to attack Obama's character dovetails with TV ads by outside groups questioning Obama's ties to Ayers, convicted former Obama fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko and Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who made remarks considered to be anti-American in his sermons.
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