Dueling Change Claims Become Latest Battleground

Laura Meckler reports from Colorado Springs, Colo., on the presidential race John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin cast themselves as the real agents of change at a raucous rally that drew thousands of people to an airplane hanger Saturday. “If you want real reform and you want change, send a team of mavericks,” McCain said. Palin, who was a little-known governor of Alaska when chosen for the ticket just eight days ago, made the same case. And she tossed in a new barb at her Democratic vice presidential opponent, Joe Biden . “Sen. Biden can claim many chairmanships across many, many years, and certainly many friends in the Washington establishment, but even those admirers would not be able to call him an agent of change,” she said. The goal is clear: try to steal the mantle of change from Sen. Barack Obama , who won the Democratic nomination promising change in a year when voters appear to be clamoring for it. In the July Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, 55% of voters said ... (link)