Obama accuses McCain of seeking bailout photo-op

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama on Saturday accused rival John McCain of seeking a photo-op on the Wall Street bailout, not help for the middle class. 

“You see, I think Sen. McCain just doesn’t get it – he doesn’t get that this crisis on Wall Street hit Main Street a long time ago,” Sen. Obama (Ill.) said in a speech in North Carolina.

{mosads}“That’s why he’s been shifting positions these last two weeks, looking for a photo-op, and trying to figure out what to say and what to do,” Obama added.

McCain’s campaign strongly rejected the attack.

“While Barack Obama is desperately trying to redo the debate’s ‘spin-alley’ from the stump, John McCain is working to address a looming economic crisis,” said Sen. McCain’s (Ariz.) spokesman Tucker Bounds. “Frankly, it’s easy to see that Barack Obama is more focused on getting himself to Pennsylvania Avenue rather than getting relief to Americans on Main Street.”

In his first speech since Friday night’s debate on foreign policy and the economy, Obama sought to drive home the point that McCain would continue the policies of President Bush and ignore the problems of ordinary Americans.

“We talked about the economy for forty minutes, and not once did Senator McCain talk about the struggles that middle class families are facing every day right here in North Carolina and around the country,” Obama said.

“The truth is, through ninety minutes of debating, John McCain had a lot to say about me, but he had nothing to say about you,” the Democrat added. “He didn’t even say the words ‘middle class.’ Not once.”

Following the debate, McCain informed supporters in an e-mail that he would head back to Washington, where congressional leaders and the administration are working to find a compromise on a $700 billion Wall Street bailout package.

“All voices must be represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners,” McCain stated. “We cannot be interested in who would get credit for finding a solution and who would be blamed if an agreement cannot be reached. We must put our country first to solve this economic crisis. Because in the end, that’s what leaders do in times of crisis.”