Republican John McCain made a final, seven-state burst of campaigning Monday while Democrat Barack Obama eased back to three states — a contrast underscoring the state of play heading into today’s historic election.
“After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George W. Bush, 21 months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are one day away from changing the United States of America,” Obama told a rally in Florida.
For McCain, the final days of the race came down to rallying his party’s base and appealing to undecided voters with a promise to change the government.
“I’ve been fighting for this country since I was 17 years old, and I have the scars to prove it,” McCain said at a stop in Tennessee. “And if I’m elected president, I’ll fight to shake up Washington. And we’ll take America in a new direction, from my first day in office until my last. I’m not afraid of the fight! I’m ready for it!”
Obama has led McCain in every national poll since late September. In the waning days of the race, some polls have shown the contest narrowing.
Obama’s final campaign stops took him to Florida, North Carolina and in Northern Virginia, all three states that President Bush won four years ago that the Democrat may win today.
Obama’s schedule was a sharp contrast to McCain and to candidates in prior elections, who traditionally spend the last couple of days in a frenzied, 24-hour flyaround to as many states as possible.
Both candidates will wrap up their campaigns at home — McCain in Arizona and Obama in Illinois.
One politician staying out of sight was President Bush, who had no public schedule and planned to host a small, private, election night dinner at the White House.
“President Bush remains hopeful that John McCain will pull it out tomorrow night and will win the election,” White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said. “But he also is realistic about the political environment that we’re in.”
