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McCain visits German restaurant in Ohio
Staff and agencies
By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer 1 minute ago
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Republican presidential candidate John McCain had his own German experience Thursday — at a restaurant in Ohio. He asserted that he was happy to devote his time this week to touring the nation‘s heartland.
As Barack Obama delivered a high-profile speech in Berlin, McCain said he was focusing his attention this week on economic issues, including soaring food and fuel costs. He has been busy campaigning and raising funds in key battleground states like Ohio.
At the same time, the Republican National Committee was running anti-Obama ads in Berlin, Pa., and other namesake villages in Wisconsin and New Hampshire.
He said he regretted not being able to make the trip to the drilling rig, a visit intended to emphasize his support for lifting of the ban on offshore drilling. President Bush earlier this month rescinded an executive order reinforcing the congressional ban, but Congress must act as well for the moratorium on Outer Continental Shelf drilling to be abolished.
On Europe, where Obama has been meeting with leaders, McCain said cultivating good relations with a new generation of European leaders was important. "A lot of these leaders are a lot more pro-American than their predecessors were," he said.
"All of us care about our children," McCain said. "I stand by my comments."
"It‘s clear Sen. Obama doesn‘t understand what‘s at stake here. It‘s pretty obvious he‘s taken this position to secure the nomination of his party."
"I have been a great admirer of the Dalai Lama," said McCain, a sharp critic of the Chinese crackdown in the Tibetan region.
German Village is in the 15th congressional district, held by Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce. It encompasses most of the city of Columbus and its southern and western suburbs. Pryce won in the last congressional election by a narrow margin.
He was overheard remarking on the "great sausages here." The restaurant‘s specialties are "Bahama Mama" bratwurst and cream puffs.
"Can we have a couple of cream puffs to go, too?" he asked.
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