Obama to preview economic rescue plan

Obama to preview middle class economic rescue plan By STEVEN R. HURST Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON -- Democrat Barack Obama is playing to his strength on today with plans to unveil an economic rescue plan for middle class Americans, bidding to extend his lead in the polls ahead of this week's final presidential debate with Republican John McCain. The scary U.S. economic picture has dominated the 2008 White House contest and those fears only grew last week as the stock market plunged nearly 20 percent, wiping away billions of dollars in retirement savings. Tens of thousands of Americans already have lost their homes to mortgage foreclosures and unemployment was on the rise. McCain, who is perceived as having reacted unevenly through the economic storm, acknowledged on Sunday that the issue was hurting his campaign.... [read full story]