McCain hits hot buttons; Obama stays cool

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- The two major-party U.S. presidential candidates hit the campaign trail Thursday in battleground states with less than three weeks until the general election.

Democratic nominee Barack Obama traveled to New Hampshire while Republican candidate John McCain visited Downington, Pa.

During Wednesday's debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., McCain hit all the hot buttons issues -- taxes, healthcare, the economy, judicial appointments -- but Obama remained cool to the effort, an analysis Thursday in the New York Times reported.

McCain began Wednesday's debate on the offensive while Obama seemed flatter, the analysis said. However, the Arizona Republican grew angry as he challenged Obama about his ties to 1960s radical William Ayers, the University of Illinois at Chicago education professor who co-founded the Weather Underground militant ant-war group.

McCain's body language was as edgy as his voice at times, the analysis said. He rolled his eyes, interrupted Obama, sighed and raised his eyebrows during Obama's turns to speak. Obama, the Times analysis said, also had a bit of a non-verbal edge when he reacted to McCain's comments by smiling, shaking his head and sometimes chuckling.