Obama derides McCain as for the rich

DENVER, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- In his first speech as the U.S. Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama chided Republican opponent Sen. John McCain as a candidate of the rich.

"For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy -- give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else," Obama, D-Ill., said Thursday night of McCain.

Obama touched just briefly on his status as the nation's first African-American nominee for president, focusing instead on a traditional appeal to Democrats and a denunciation of Republican rule, Politico reported.

In his 45-minute address to nearly 85,000 people in a football stadium, Obama also pleaded for a new tone in politics in which motives and character aren't attacked and politicians can move beyond the deadlock over old battles such as abortion and gun control.

"The times," Obama said, "are too serious, the stakes too high for this same partisan playbook."