Obama says Republicans distracting voters from economic issues

Washington, Sept.4 : Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has accused Republicans of trying to distract voters from economic issues.

Addressing a gathering of his supporters in Ohio on Wednesday, Obama seized on the McCain campaign's view that this year's presidential election is "not about issues."

Obama said the remark showed that the Republicans would rather engage him on personality than policy.

Campaign manager Rick Davis aired the Republican view during an interaction with editors of the Washington Post.

"This election is not about issues," Davis said. "This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."

Davis accused Obama of "misdirection" Wednesday in his attempts to criticize him for the comment.

Obama is expected to use Davis' Post quote as an example of how the McCain campaign is attacking him as a "celebrity" as a way to distract voters from issues. The campaign could hammer this theme in the coming days, potentially with TV ads.

ANI