Over the weekend, Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin repeatedly painted Barack Obama as a socialist. In his weekly radio address, McCain said, “At least in Europe, the socialist leaders who so admire my opponent are upfront about their objectives.” Palin said Obama’s tax plan is “a little bit like socialism.” At a campaign rally in Westerville, Ohio, John McCain suggested Barack Obama has a secret economic agenda.

Sen. John McCain: “After months of campaign trail eloquence, we’ve finally learned what Senator Obama’s economic goal is, as he told Joe he wants to, quote, 'spread the wealth around.' Spread the wealth around. He believes in redistributing the wealth, not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs and opportunities for all Americans. Senator Obama is more interested in controlling who gets your piece of the pie than he is in growing the pie.”

At a rally before over 100,000 supporters in St. Louis, Missouri, Barack Obama defended his tax plan.

Sen. Barack Obama: “John McCain is so out of touch with the struggles you’re facing, he must be the first politician in history to call a tax cut for working people 'welfare.' Well, let me tell you, the only welfare in this campaign is John McCain’s plan to give another $200 billion in tax cuts to the wealthiest corporations in America, including $4 billion in tax breaks to big oil companies that ran up record profits under George Bush. That’s who John McCain’s fighting for. I’m fighting for you. And we can’t afford four more years like the last eight.”