10/03/2008 09:05:16 PM MDT
PUEBLO — John McCain visited this Democratic stronghold Friday, making indirect appeals to Latinos and promising he would "never, ever" try to take more of Colorado's water.
The Republican presidential hopeful spoke to a crowd of more than 2,000 at the Massari Arena on the campus of Colorado State University-Pueblo.
He entered the arena as Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" (theme to the movie "Top Gun") played, and supporters leapt to their feet, chanting, "USA! USA!."
"How about Sarah Palin last night?" McCain began to wild applause, referring to the vice presidential debate Thursday night.
"Viva la Barracuda!" McCain said in reference to his running mate's nickname from her high school basketball days. Palin is scheduled to hold a private fundraiser on Saturday in Centennial.
In the town-hall style gathering that has come to symbolize the McCain campaign, the candidate on Friday repeated many of same themes he has touched on throughout the season, including the question of his experience vs. that of his rival Sen. Barack Obama.
"Sen. Obama has the rhetoric, not the record," he said.
Democrats fired back later, saying in a news release that "John McCain's town hall in Pueblo was loaded with the kind of lies, distortions, evasions and pandering that has come to dominate his increasingly erratic and desperate campaign."
McCain made a splash with the crowd when he talked about one of the most controversial topics in Colorado.
"As a citizen of the great state of Arizona," McCain said, "I want
to say on behalf of all my fellow citizens: Thank you for the water."
In August, McCain said in an interview with The Pueblo Chieftain that the Colorado River water compact should be "renegotiated," a comment that brought immediate attacks from the state's top Democrats and even a terse response from Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Bob Schaffer.
McCain later said he did not support a renegotiation of the water compact.
He elicited applause when he emphatically told the audience in Pueblo , "I will never, ever see the renegotiation of the Colorado River compact."
Democrats said it was backpedaling.
McCain on Friday also reiterated his support for "clean coal
technology," and said, "We've got to drill offshore, and we've got to drill now."
On Iraq, McCain said he wanted to bring home troops "with victory and honor."
"My friends, the surge is succeeding in Iraq, and that's a fact," McCain said.
McCain was introduced by Vera Ortegon, a Pueblo city councilor who
appealed to the area's significant Hispanic population. She said Hispanics share many values with McCain, a love of country and a belief that "life starts at conception."
Neither she nor McCain mentioned immigration reform during their remarks.
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