Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are trading sharp barbs, as they campaign in critical states ahead of next Tuesday's election.
In North Carolina today (Wednesday), Obama said the country cannot take four more years of the same old politics and policies. He said McCain has not been a maverick, but rather a "sidekick" to the unpopular Republican President George Bush.McCain told supporters in Miami, Florida that Obama's economic proposals will increase taxes and hurt the economy.
The Arizona senator said he has a plan to cut taxes and create jobs.Later, after a national security meeting in Tampa, McCain questioned whether Obama could protect Americans from terrorists and other grave threats. He said the Illinois senator has given voters no reason to believe he could.
An average of the latest polls (compiled by RealPolitics.com) shows Obama's lead nationally has dipped by roughly one percent, to about six percentage points.