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  Home Page » News » Kyl Allard Stump For McCain At Colorado University

Kyl, Allard stump for McCain at Colorado university

by Solomon Banda
Associated Press Writer LAKEWOOD - Stumping for John McCain in this swing state, Arizona GOP Sen. Jon Kyl told a crowd of Colorado university students that Barack Obama isn't a socialist but believes in the "tenets of socialism" by wanting to raise taxes for those making more than $250,000.

Kyl's Tuesday address to Colorado Christian University students mirrored the McCain campaign's emphasis on associating Obama with socialism for comments that he wants to "spread the wealth."

Kyl, a Republican, quoted President John F. Kennedy, a Democrat, as saying that "a rising tide lifts all boats" to insist that GOP plans not to raise taxes will benefit the country. The quote is attributed to Kennedy during a visit to Pueblo in August 1962.

"It's not that Barack Obama is a socialist, but he subscribes to socialist tenets," Kyl said.

McCain has said he'll keep taxes low to create wealth. Obama says his plan will cut taxes for 95 percent of taxpayers - those earning less than $250,000 - and is geared to helping the middle class.

Kyl and fellow Republican Sen. Wayne Allard of Colorado are touring the state as both campaigns target voters in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada in the days before Election Day. President Bush won all three states in 2004, and both sides view their 19 electoral votes as key to reaching the 270 needed to win the presidency.

Colorado has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate only three times since 1948.

"If my neighbor makes more money than I do, it's OK, I'm happy for them," Kyle told students at the school's Beckman Center. "And if I'm not (happy for them), then there's something wrong right here," he said, pointing to his heart.

Kyle and Allard said the difference comes down to creating opportunity for all versus government spreading wealth.

Allard, who is retiring from the Senate, shared some of the challenges he faced with taxes as he built his veterinarian practice after graduating from Colorado State University in 1968.

"Your opportunity to ever be in business for yourself is going to diminish" if Obama wins, Allard claimed. "Your opportunity is with John McCain and Sarah Palin."

The senators billed their campaign stop as part of a "Western Values Tour," but they focused on keeping intact Bush administration tax cuts and McCain's stand on Iraq, including his support for the U.S. troop surge there and his refusal to set a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Zach Ondrak, president of the university's College Republicans, said about 75 students at the 900-student campus registered to vote during a voting drive. Students shared information on how to vote by mail in other states.

Blake Burget said he has already voted by mail in his home state of Oklahoma.

"It's really about the values and what they hold for us as Christians," Burget said of the GOP, adding that both senators gave a good representation of what the party believes in.