Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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October 12, 2008

Obama Thanks McCain for Urging Supporters to be Respectful
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Two candidates on campaign trail as Obama opens lead in new public
opinion polls 
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has thanked his opponent,
Republican John Mc Cain, for asking his supporters to control their
angry outbursts at Mc Cain campaign rallies. VOA's Kent Klein reports
from Washington. The U.S. presidential election is about three weeks
away, and some of John Mc Cain's supporters are growing anxious about
Barack Obama's widening lead in public opinion polls. At Mc Cain's
rallies, some supporters have been telling the Arizona Republican to
become more aggressive in attacking Obama. Man: "We would like you to
remain a true American hero. We want you to fight."Mc Cain: "I will
fight. But we will be respectful. I admire Senator Obama and his
accomplishments, I will respect him, and I want, everyone to be
respectful."At a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday, Obama acknowledged
Mc Cain's requests to his supporters, and said he appreciates the
reminder that political opponents can disagree, while still being
respectful of each other!
 . But the Democrat said Mc Cain's economic plans are wrong for the
country. Obama has built a lead of between five and 10 percentage points
in recent public opinion polls. Mc Cain was booed at a rally in (the
North Central state of) Minnesota on Friday, when he tried to reassure
one man about Obama's character. Man: "We are scared. We are scared of
an Obama presidency."Mc Cain: "I want to be President of the United
States, and obviously, I do not want Senator Obama to be. But, I have to
tell you, he is a decent person and a person that you do not have to be
scared of as President of the United States."At the same rally, Mc Cain
took the microphone away from a woman who had implied that Obama was
un-American. Woman: "I cannot trust Obama. I have read about him,
and....he is an Arab."Mc Cain: "No, ma'am. No, ma'am. He is a decent
family man (and) citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with
on fundamental issues."As the candidates urged their supporters!
  to focus on the issues, they also continued to emphasize their differ
ences. Obama said on Saturday Mc Cain "still does not get it," regarding
the economic crisis. And Mc Cain's running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah
Palin, criticized Obama Saturday at a rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania,
for comments he had made earlier in the campaign. "You know, we still do
not quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on
working people when they are listening, and then, though, talks about
how bitterly they 'cling to their religion and their guns' when they are
not listening. I do not know what to make of a candidate who would say
that. We tend to prefer candidates who do not talk about us one way in
Johnstown and another way in San Francisco," he said. Meanwhile, a
bipartisan state legislative panel ruled Friday that Palin put pressure
on a subordinate to fire her former brother-in-law from his job as a
state police officer. But the report also concluded that Palin was
within her rights to fire the subordinate.


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