The New Nation - Internet Edition

BBC Online

US Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin has accused the Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, of associating with terrorists.

She said he had been "palling around" with an ex-member of US-based militant group Weather Underground, which opposed the Vietnam War in the 1960s. Obama once served on a charity board with a member of the group, but he has denounced its activities. A Democratic spokesman accused the Republicans of gutter politics.

"What's clear is that John McCain and Sarah Palin would rather spend their time tearing down Barack Obama than laying out a plan to build up our economy," Hari Sevugan said.

Commentators say Mrs Palin's attack forms part of a broader Republican strategy to attack Obama's character.

Speaking to supporters in Colorado and later in a Los Angeles suburb, Alaska Governor Palin said the time had come to take the gloves off.

Quoting a New York Times article, she attacked Senator Obama over his link to Bill Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground, which waged a violent campaign against the Vietnam War. The group was blamed for a number of bombings in the US in the 1960s.

Mrs Palin described Obama as someone who saw the US "as being so imperfectt he is palling around with terrorists who would target their own country".

Meanwhile, viewing figures show a record 69.9 million people tuned in to watch Mrs Palin take part in Thursday's televised vice-presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Republican US presidential candidate John McCain has pulled his staff out of Michigan, conceding a key battleground state to Democrat rival Barack Obama. The campaign team said it would stop advertising in the state, and McCain cancelled a planned visit next week.

Campaign officials said they wanted to concentrate on states he had a better chance of winning.But analysts say it is a blow to the McCain camp, which had fought hard to return the state to the Republicans.

The overall environment we face is probably the worst environment for any Republican in 35 years Mike DuHaime, political director, McCain campaign.

The Democrats won the state only narrowly at the last election, and McCain had a strong showing in polls early in the campaign.