McCain questions Obama's readiness in a crisis

The McCain campaign shot back that Obama's stimulus plan, which includes sending billions to state and local governments to keep projects and health spending afloat, is not the right recipe.

"When Americans are hurting, Barack Obama's plan to take more and more money from pocketbooks and hand it over to mismanaged government budgets is not the solution — it's the problem," said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds. "Barack Obama is simply offering more of the same."

Obama is hoping to build on a slight lead in the critical battleground state of Florida before leaving the campaign trail at week's end for the bedside of his seriously ill grandmother in Hawaii.

'This campaign is about the economy'
McCain bristled during a Tuesday morning appearance on CBS television at a question about a campaign adviser's comment to a newspaper that the economy was a losing issue for Republicans. McCain said Americans need to listen to his message and plans to pull the economy away from a prolonged and deep recession.

"Listen to me. I'm the candidate, and this campaign is about the economy," he said.

A Pew Research Center for the People & the Press poll showed Obama's lead has increased nationally over the last month to 52 percent to 38 percent. A loss of confidence in McCain appearing to be one of the significant factors, the poll said, with 41 percent saying they have concerns about McCain's judgment compared to 29 percent saying so about Obama. Other polls have given Obama less of an advantage.

The Illinois senator's decision to pull away from the campaign Thursday and Friday to be with his gravely ill, 85-year-old grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, will cut seriously into the time he has left to persuade voters to support his candidacy. But the show of devotion to a central figure in his life could force McCain and Palin to suspend their attacks on Obama's character.

Dunham helped raise Obama, a role he highlighted in accepting the Democratic presidential nomination nearly two months ago.

Obama heads to more Republican-leaning states, Virginia and Indiana, on Wednesday and Thursday, before leaving for Hawaii.

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