The economy continued to dominate the presidential rivals' stump speeches as they sought to shore up support in battleground states. Mr. McCain campaigned in Florida on Thursday, while Mr. Obama attended a rally in Indianapolis.
Mr. McCain promoted his proposals to cut taxes for individuals and businesses as crucial to rebuilding the economy.
"We shouldn't be taxing our small businesses more, as Senator Obama wants to do. We need to be helping them expand their businesses and create jobs," he told a rally at a lumber yard in Ormond Beach.
Mr. Obama accused his opponent of not making workers his top priority.
Mr. McCain "wants to keep putting corporations ahead of workers," Mr. Obama said. "Who's looking out for steelworkers? Who's fighting for carpenters? Who's fighting for teachers? Who's fighting for Teamsters? That's the president I want to be."
As a counterpoint to Mr. Obama's appeal to working-class voters, Mr. McCain crossed central Florida on Thursday in a "Joe the Plumber" bus tour with stops at a lumber yard, a dentist office, a restaurant and a produce market.
Mr. McCain reminded audiences of Mr. Obama's "spread the wealth" line, saying Mr. Obama's commitment to raising taxes on those making more than $250,000 a year would kill jobs.
"My commitment to small-business owners here is that I will not spread their wealth around," said Mr. McCain following a meeting with local residents at a restaurant in Orlando. "I want them to keep their wealth and create jobs."
Mr. Obama, playing off a comment Mr. McCain made to CNN that he would cut taxes "for every business in America," said his rival "made the peculiar argument that the best way to stop companies from shipping jobs overseas is to give more tax cuts to companies that ship jobs overseas."
Mr. Obama added: "More tax cuts for job outsourcers? That's what Senator McCain proposed as his answer to outsourcing." The McCain campaign called the inference a distortion.
The Obama camp replied in kind, accusing Mr. McCain of twisting many elements of his tax plan, including a proposal regarding a tax credit on mortgage interest.
Mr. Obama also warned that homelessness could spike without quick action to stave off foreclosures – policies he suggested his opponent has resisted.
Mr. McCain on Thursday repeated his call for the Bush administration to purchase troubled mortgages so homeowners could renegotiate them at more favorable terms.
"I can't emphasize how important it is to keep people in their homes, to go out and buy up these bad mortgages and give people a mortgage they can afford," he said.
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