Obama goes after McCain on economy

Barack Obama, in one in a series of events courting blue-collar voters, is in Duryea, near Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to talk about creating more manufacturing jobs.

He told workers at Schott Glass, which makes and distributes special glass and glass-related systems, that seeing a successful manufacturing plant "gives you a sense of pride."

But, he pointed out that a Labor Department report out today showed another 84,000 jobs lost in August, increasing the total this year to 600,000, and leading to the highest unemployment rate in five years.

"People are anxious," Obama said.

He said President Bush and John McCain are ignoring the economy. At the just-concluded GOP convention, Obama said, speakers talked about McCain's record and talked about "me in less than respectful terms."

"They didn't say a thing about what's going on with the middle class," he said. "What they didn't talk about is you."

Obama mocked McCain and Bush for saying recently that the fundamentals of the economy are "strong."

"What's more fundamental than having a job?" Obama asked.