Obama talks economy in rural America

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Likely Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is visiting rural America, where aides say he can focus on the U.S. economy and win back critical votes.

Reviving his stump in non-major metropolitan areas gives Obama a chance to draw distinctions between his economic plan and that of his likely Republican presidential challenger Sen. John McCain of Arizona, The Washington Times reported Monday.

"This election is about whether or not we are going to sustain and maintain the American dream for the next generation," Obama told voters in Reno, Nev., during a town hall Sunday. An Obama presidency would push "an economy that's working not just for some, but for all," he said.

The U.S. senator from Illinois is trying to appeal to lower-income white voters who supported him early in the primary-and-caucus season, but later migrated to primary rival Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, the Times said.

But he has to do more than just talk, said Dave Saunders, who has helped develop a rural strategy for Democratic candidates with rural strategy.

"He needs to get out there and tell them the American worker deserves a shot, because they don't watch cable news," Saunders told the Times.