McCain casts rival as wrong man for the job

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By Christina Bellantoni and Joseph Curl

BETHLEHEM, Pa. | Sen. John McCain went for the jugular Wednesday, casting his Democratic presidential rival as untruthful, "extreme" and unqualified the night after their debate offered no knockout punches.

Meanwhile, Sen. Barack Obama targeted his Republican foe for what he called his "George Bush policies."

With no real blood drawn in a debate watched by a record-setting 63 million, both camps set out to do what they think they need to do for the final 27 days.

While Team McCain focused on must-win battlegrounds Ohio and Pennsylvania, Mr. Obama and running mate Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. split up for appeals on a wider electoral map, hitting red Indiana and swing-state Florida.

Mr. McCain told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Wednesday that he thinks Mr. Obama "lacks the experience and the knowledge, and most importantly, the judgment" to be president.

Campaigning in Indianapolis, Mr. Obama accused the Arizona senator of proposing nothing more than a third Bush term.

"In last night's debate, John McCain and I each had the chance to make the case for change," he said. "But all we heard from Senator McCain was more of the same Bush economics that led us into this mess in the first place."

The Illinois senator used his first post-debate appearance to stress the importance of resolute leadership to guide the nation through the economic crisis. Rallying 21,000 at the fairgrounds in a state that Mr. Bush won by 20 points four years ago, Mr. Obama also reprised his attack on Mr. McCain's health care plan, saying that the previous evening revealed the Republican's priorities.

"We were both asked whether we believe that health care should finally be the 'right' of every American. I believe it should, but Senator McCain didn't say that," Mr. Obama said, adding that he thinks his opponent's health care plan is "radical."

The surrogates did most of the dirty work Wednesday, with Mr. Biden saying in Tampa, Fla., that American people are looking for steady leadership, not an "angry man lurching from one position to the other."