Obama Brings Economic Message to N.Va.

Video

Obama: 'America Already Has One Dr. Phil'

Speaking in Fairfax, Sen. Barack Obama blasted remarks made by former Sen. Phil Gramm, Sen. John McCain's top adviser on the economy, that America has become a nation of whiners.

» LAUNCH VIDEO PLAYER

He accused Obama of supporting programs that require tax increases.

"When I see that Senator Obama has dusted off all the old liberal big government policies of the '60s and '70s, I think he's Jimmy Carter II," he said.

Hundreds lined up yesterday morning outside Robinson to attend the Obama event, which was billed as a town hall meeting geared toward economic issues and women. The event was not one of the raucous, concert-like rallies that Obama has held across the country, aside from the signature chant of "Yes, we can!" that occasionally erupted in the crowd.

Both candidates have been highlighting plans to boost the economy this week. Obama spoke at length yesterday of his support for legislation to ensure equal pay for men and women who do the same jobs.

"We take it for granted that women are the backbone of our families," Obama said. "But we also want to make sure that women are the backbone of our middle class. We won't truly have an economy that puts the needs of the middle class first until we ensure that, when it comes to pay and benefits at work, women are treated as the equal partners that they are."

Obama has been seeking for weeks to improve relations with older white women who supported Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for president and felt personally stung by her defeat. But some of the women who showed up yesterday said Obama had little to worry about.

"See the color of my hair? See the color of my skin? See how old I am?" said Carole Richard, 76, who is white and a retired gerontologist from Fairfax. "Obama is a breath of fresh air."