WASHINGTON, June 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presumptive
Democratic presidential Barack Obama and his Republican rival, John McCain,
heated up their debates over economy on Tuesday as they speed up their
competition for the White House.
Arizona Senator McCain attacked
the Illinois Senator's economic proposals that as he said could raise taxes and
cut American jobs.
U.S. Republican presidential candidate
Senator John McCain speaks during a townhall meeting in Kenner, Louisiana
June 3, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo) Photo
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"You work hard in small businesses to grow and create
new jobs and opportunities for others," he told a conference of the National
Federation of Independent Business. "The federal government shouldn't make your
work any harder."
In response, Obama told reporters later the day that
McCain was trying to mislead public about his economic policies, saying that he
would eliminate the capital gains tax "for the small businesses and startups
that are the backbone of our economy."
He also said that he would cut taxes for 95 percent
of the country's workers should he be elected, while only suspend Presidential
George W. Bush's current tax cut on the richest Americans whose annual incomes
are above 250,000 U.S. dollars and account for 5 percent of the country's total
population.
Obama accused McCain of aiming at
an extra of 300 billion-dollar tax breaks and "loopholes for big corporations
and for the wealthiest Americans, and he hasn't even explained how he'd pay for
it."
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate
Obama speaks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
policy conference in Washington, U.S., June 4, 2008. (Xinhua
File Photo) Photo
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Economy has been topping American voters' concerns
and remaining a focus of debates in the 2008 presidential nomination race.
Obama's campaign said on Monday that the candidate
has reached out to an economic adviser, Jason Furman, who used to help his
rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, to bolster his capability to score on the
economic issue.
He also kicked off an economic tour to campaign in
the states whose economy have been badly hit or threatened by the rising oil
price and increasing job losses.
The Democratic candidate got a boost in winning over
working-class voters on Tuesday, when the United Auto Workers International
Executive Board endorsed him for believing he can rebuild the U.S. manufacturing
base and assist the auto industry.
WASHINGTON, June 10 (Xinhua) -- About 20 names have been
listed as potential running mates of the Democratic presumptive presidential candidate, Barack
Obama, a Senator said on Tuesday.
Kent Conrad, a Senator from North Dakota, told reporters
that some of those on the list are current senior officials, some others are
former lawmakers and others are "former top military leaders." Full story
WASHINGTON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. senator Hillary
Clinton formally conceded the epic Democratic nomination contest on Saturday to
senator Barack Obama, who clinched the nomination earlier this week.
Speaking to a large crowd of supporters at a rally in
Washington DC, Clinton said she endorsed Obama, and "throw my full support
behind him." Full story
WASHINGTON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S.
presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has reached out to an
economic adviser that used to help his rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, to bolster
his capability to score on American public's top concern, Obama's campaign said
on Monday.
Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters that Obama has
hired Jason Furman, a 37-year-old expert on fiscal policy to be his economic
policy director. Full story
WASHINGTON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential
hopeful John McCain proposed to have 10 town-hall-style forums with his
Democratic rival Barack Obama starting June 12, the Los Angeles Times reported
Thursday.
McCain said he wanted "no process questions from
reporters, no spin room." Full story
