The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Albuquerque

US presidential candidates jostled for the mantle of change Sunday as more bad economic news threatened to deepen electoral dissatisfaction with the state of the nation.

Republican contender John McCain touted his reputation as a maverick willing to buck his party on critical issues as he toured battleground states with newly-crowned vice presidential pick Sarah Palin.

The running mates spoke of their history of fighting corruption and "pork-barrel spending" and they vowed to reach across the aisle to reform Washington. "I understand who I work for. I don't work for a party, I don't work for a special interest and I don't work for myself. I work for you," McCain told a rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"We're going to win this election and let me offer a little advance warning to the old big spending, do-nothing me-first country second Washington crowd: change is coming. Change is coming."

But Democratic rival Barack Obama ridiculed McCain's promise of change as he tied the Arizona Senator to the failed policies of the Bush administration and his decision to appoint lobbyists to run his campaign.

"Suddenly he's the change agent," Obama said at a campaign stop in Terre Haute, Indiana Saturday.

"He says I'm going to tell those lobbyists that their days of running Washington are over," Obama said.