Obama vows to reverse Republican legacy

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Denver: in late September in the first of three debates. The two are running neck-and-neck in polls.

After the speech, the McCain campaign fought back.

“Tonight, Americans witnessed a misleading speech that was so fundamentally at odds with the meager record of Senator Obama,” McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement. “The fact remains, Obama is still not ready to be president.”

The speech included some of the most direct attacks on McCain by Obama since the general election campaign started. Obama, whose patriotism has been the subject of Internet attacks, said the candidates should be able to disagree without destroying each other’s character.

“I’ve got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first,” Obama said.

Obama, an early opponent of the Iraq war, promised to “end this war in Iraq responsibly” but said he would finish the fight against al Qaeda in Afghanistan and would be willing to use U.S. military power when necessary.

“As commander-in-chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm’s way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home,” Obama said.

He chided McCain, a staunch advocate of the Iraq war, for saying he would pursue Osama bin Laden to “the Gates of Hell.” Obama said McCain’s focus on Iraq had let al Qaeda and bin Laden escape in Afghanistan.

“John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell — but he won’t even go to the cave where he lives,” he said.