McCain, Palin Ticket Riled Up About Obama Taxes in NH and Ohio

In the final weeks before the presidential election, John McCain and Sarah Palin are taking the gloves off and, while stories abound about the cost of Palin’s wardrobe and supposed malfeasance in arranging for official travel for her children, the newly-energized duo are hitting Obama where it hurts - namely, wealth redistribution. McCain and Palin have repeatedly derided Obama for what they consider socialist views of government spending and taxation, and Palin has taken to calling Obama "Barack the Wealth Spreader." The point that both are trying to make, in a most direct manner and with a bit of vitriol, is that they’re not going to raise taxes on the middle class.

The pair traveled together to Ohio and New Hampshire, the latter long known for having an independent attitude, being suspicious of too much government meddling, and never fond of taxes of any sort. It is, perhaps appropriately, the type of place where the now-famous "Joe the plumber" would feel at home. Joe Wurzelbacher, the plumber in question and an Ohio native, became a household name after asking Obama a question at a rally several weeks ago about how much he’d be taxed in the process of starting and successfully running his own business. At the heart of the issue was Wurzelbacher’s concern that his first foray into his version of the American dream would be cut to shreds by a progressive tax system that took the fruits of his labor and gave them to the poor.

Amidst cheers and both seemingly jubilant, McCain and Palin had fun with the crowds. In Ohio, Palin demanded an autograph from Gretchen Wilson, whose song "Redneck Woman," let Palin to offer another of her down-home Alaska anecdotes. "Someone called me a ‘redneck woman’ once," Palin said. "You know what I said back? ‘Thank you very much.’" McCain, for his part, expressed his confidence about winning Ohio. "I know it’s been a long, long time since whoever was going to be president didn’t win the state of Ohio. I’m not going to break that tradition. We’re going to win the state of Ohio."