By wibc.com
10/24/2008
Saying the presidential race is closer than many think, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin urged voters in this newly minted battleground state to look to their own finances and families in making their choice for president.
"This is such a close race, it's going to come down to the wire and it's going to come down to what you believe in," Palin told a crowd of about 10,000 gathered at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Saturday night.
In her third rally of the day, Palin pounded on a theme she raised earlier at campaign stops in Iowa, saying Democratic nominee Barack Obama would raise taxes and urging voters to listen carefully to Obama's plan to redistribute America's wealth.
"Our opponent is not being candid with you about his tax plans," Palin said. "He's hiding his real agenda of redistributing your hard-earned money. He said he's for a tax credit, which is when the government takes more of your money to give it away to someone else according to that politician's priorities."
She said Obama has not specified how he would pay for some $1 trillion in programs but that the answer seemed obvious.
"You can do the math or you can just go with your gut, and either way you draw the same conclusion: Barack Obama is going to raise your taxes," she said, drawing boos from the crowd.
The self-proclaimed hockey mom received several raucous ovations during her 40-minute speech at the coliseum, home of the International Hockey League champion Fort Wayne Komets.
"We hope we can count on that Komet spirit to finish strong on Nov. 4," she said to a big cheer.
She also drew a warm response to several mentions of Indiana, saying that Indiana and Alaska have a lot in common and that her favorite movie is "Hoosiers." Palin told the crowd that the crisp air reminded her of Alaska and put on a warm jacket - "and it's my own jacket," she said, referring to criticism she received for the $150,000 worth of designer clothes, hairstyling and accessories the Republican Party provided for her.
Palin was accompanied on the stage by her husband, Todd, and their two youngest daughters, Piper, 7, and Willow, 14. The two girls drew a big cheer when they peeked out from behind a curtain about 10 minutes before the speeches got under way.
The rally was the latest sign of an increased presence by the McCain campaign, which has been overshadowed in the state by Obama. The Democratic nominee has made seven appearances in the state since mid-July, the most recent of those an Indianapolis rally Thursday that drew about 35,000 people.
McCain's only visit was a July 1 appearance at a sheriff's convention and a private fundraiser. Saturday was Palin's second trip to Indiana in eight days, following an Oct. 17 rally in Noblesville, about 20 miles north of Indianapolis.
The McCain campaign has said it has reached out to voters through its county-level organizations, but many in GOP circles have quietly questioned whether the party was taking the state for granted. He recently began airing ads in the state, while Obama has had a steady presence since the run-up to the May primary.
None of that was evident Saturday, as the party faithful gathered to cheer on Palin.
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence expressed confidence that Indiana would stay with tradition and choose a Republican as president on Nov. 4, despite polls that show the Obama-McCain race is close. The state has not chosen a Democrat for president since Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and typically is the first to chalk up a win for the Republican nominee on Election Night.
"We'll play a pivotal role in choosing the next president of this great nation. I believe in 10 short days, Indiana again will lead the nation and choose John McCain," Pence said to the cheers of the crowd, some of whom waited more than four hours to hear Palin speak.
Richard Kees, 73, a retired builder from Fort Wayne, described Palin as an "All-American woman."
"What she did in Alaska is absolutely great," he said. "Rising from mayor to governor and she went up against the special interests up there. They say she has no experience, but she has more experience than the guy running on the other ticket."
Many in the crowd said they support Palin because they believe she's one of them.
"She's a straight shooter. It's that simple. She's talking like everyday common people and she's talking about the things that are important to everyday families," said Robin Lane, a firefighter from Poneto, about 45 miles south of Fort Wayne.
State party spokesman Jay Kenworthy says Palin's appearance last week in Noblesville sparked the party's biggest turnout of volunteers in at least four years.
Country singer Hank Williams Jr. was scheduled to perform before Palin took the stage, and Congressmen Mark Souder and Mike Pence addressed the rally.
Souder, whose 3rd District includes Fort Wayne, once appeared a sure bet for reelection, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has placed the district on its "Red to Blue" list of seats it believes it can capture.
The party has been pouring money into the district in support of challenger Michael Montagano.
Kenworthy says Souder's "in good shape," but says the rally gave him an additional chance to get his message out.
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