McCain still confident of winning poll

Washington, Nov 4 : Despite lagging behind his Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in opinion polls, Republican candidate John McCain has said that he was still confident of his victory in today's presidential poll.

He predicted his victory at a rally of about 5000 supporters in GOP-friendly northeastern Tennessee.

Above cell phone cameras on upraised hands and children perched on parents' shoulders, the crowd waved signs saying, "Support our troops," ''Save Our Coal" and "Remember Sept. 11 - vote security."

"I am not afraid to fight," McCain told them. We are going to win this election," The News quoted McCain as saying.

In a 20-minute speech, McCain promised to win in Iraq and Afghanistan and make sure "our troops will come home in victory and honor and not in defeat." He promised to cut taxes, create jobs and "make the government live on a budget just like you do."

Drawing supporters from nearby North Carolina and Virginia as well, McCain said he was committed to finding new sources of energy, but he also supports offshore drilling and clean coal technology. "I am not going to let the coal industry go bankrupt," he said.

McCain said both he and Barack Obama disagree with President Bush's economic policies, but that Obama "thinks taxes are too low and I think spending is too high".

His partymen and Senators also boosted McCain's confidence on the election eve. Senator Lamar Alexander, on a cross-state re-election plane tour of his own, spoke on McCain's behalf at the airport rally at Tri-Cities Aviation. So did Sen. Bob Corker and former Sen. Fred Thompson, all Republicans, added the paper.

"Let's fight for John McCain like he has fought for our country," Thompson said while referring to McCain's service as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.

ANI