Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:25 AM
By Alan Johnson

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

GREEN, Ohio -- Fueled by new urgency in the waning days of the presidential campaign, Republican John McCain showed his fighting side yesterday, excoriating Democrat Barack Obama on taxes and national security.

"I'm an American and I choose to fight. ... America is worth fighting for. We never run from history. We make history," McCain said during a rally here.

"I know you're worried," McCain added. "But what America needs now is a fighter. Someone who will put all their cards on the table."

Speaking from a sun-splashed stage set up on the football field where the Green High School Bulldogs play under the Friday night lights, McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, revved up about 10,000 enthusiastic supporters with a combination of patriotic appeals and red-meat politics.

The Republican duo brought back country singer Lee Greenwood, clad in a red, white and blue flag shirt, who sang God Bless the U.S.A., a patriotic song that became popular during the first Gulf War. They evoked memories of President Reagan with his description of America as a "shining city on the hill," and repeatedly questioned how an untested Obama would handle an international crisis.

"I will not be a president that needs to be tested," McCain said. "I have been tested. Sen. Obama has not."

It was the kind of performance many Republicans have been hoping to see from the former prisoner of war.

"It's about time he got fired up. He should have done this a long time ago," Dick Deitrick, 60, of Canton, said. "Sometimes people don't understand words. This is what they understand," Deitrick said, making a fist with his left hand.

His friend Dr. Chester Bartram, 66, of North Canton, agreed that McCain must ramp up his campaign to have a chance of winning on Nov. 4. He said he and a group of men include prayers for McCain at a meeting they hold weekly.

"At this point, we think prayer is the only way we can deliver it," he said. "The media seems to have already handed the election to Obama."

McCain and Palin showed no signs they think the election is over, however.

Palin was particularly feisty, saying she wanted the autograph of Gretchen Wilson, a country singer who performed at the rally. Wilson's most recent hit is Redneck Woman.

"Someone called me a redneck woman once," Palin said. "You know what I said? 'Why, thank you.' "

Palin continued lashing out at Obama on the tax issue, saying had has "hidden his agenda," which she said is to spread American wealth by redistributing taxes.

"Barack the Wealth-spreader," she called him.

Obama "will punish hard work ... and stifle the entrepreneurial spirit that made this the greatest country on Earth. It is a choice between a politician who puts his faith in government and a leader who puts his faith in you."

"Sarah Palin and I will not raise your taxes, my friends," McCain chimed in later. "We want you to get wealthy."

Meanwhile, Palin's detractors were having a field day yesterday with a report on Web site Politico.com that said the Republican Party spent $150,000 in two months on clothes, hair styling and accessories for Palin and her family from stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

"I was put off by it," said Wanda Routier, a hockey mom in Hewitt, Wis. "I mean, I know they have an image to project, but that's a lot of money when we're talking about the economy the way it is! And the burden on ordinary Americans."

Another hockey mom defended Palin. "I can certainly imagine her clothes would cost that much," said Page Growney, a mother of four in New Canaan, Conn. "What did you want to see her in, a turtleneck from L.L. Bean?"

Back on Ohio's campaign trail, McCain said his Democratic opponent is "more concerned with a tax plan that is fair than one that grows jobs and our economy. I'm not going to let that happen. In this country, we believe in spreading opportunity, not spreading wealth."

Bill Garwood, a 37-year-old volunteer firefighter from Nova, Ohio, came to the rally with his wife, Kim, a postal worker, and his two children, Evan and Garet.

"I just wanted to see what they had to say. My life is half over, but I just have to think of my kids, what kind of life they're going to have. It's not going to be like how it was for us when we were growing up."

Kim Garwood said she was impressed with Palin.

"She's a great role model," she said. "I would be proud to have her as vice president."

Earlier yesterday, Palin campaigned solo in Findlay, speaking to several thousand people at the University of Findlay.

She quickly launched into attack mode, stinging Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden for his comments that as president, Barack Obama would be testing by an international crisis.

She said Obama "wants to sit down with some of the world's worst dictators with no preconditions," and send troops into Pakistan "invading the sovereign territory of a trusted partner in the war in Iraq."

"He wants to wave that white flag of surrender first. ... I want a president who isn't afraid to use the word victory when he talks about the wars America is fighting."

Palin also added some names to the GOP lexicon, referring to Colombian immigrant Tito Munoz of Grand Junction, Col., as "Tito the Builder." She said the campaign also has run into Ed the Dairy Man, Ann the Nurse and Corrina the teacher.