Today on the presidential campaign trail

Obama calls for temporary moratorium on foreclosures, two-year tax break for small businesses ... McCain unveils new stump speech, criticizes Bush economics ... Clinton's answer to GOP chant with 'jobs, baby, jobs' ... Palin mistakes fans for protesters at Va. rally ... Biden says McCain lurches from one bad idea to another and attacks Obama to distract voters

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Obama offers new proposals to help economy

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP)--Democrat Barack Obama proposed more immediate steps Monday to heal the nation's ailing economy, including a 90-day moratorium on home foreclosures at some banks and a two-year tax break for businesses that create new jobs.

With the economic turmoil weighing down his Republican presidential rival, Obama also proposed allowing people to withdraw up to $10,000 from their retirement accounts without any penalty this year and next.

Obama said his proposals, with a price tag of $60 billion over two years, can be enacted quickly, either through the government's regulatory powers or legislation that Congress could pass in a special session after the election.

"I'm proposing a number of steps that we should take immediately to stabilize our financial system, provide relief to families and communities and help struggling homeowners," Obama told a crowd of 3,000. "It's a plan that begins with one word that's on everyone's mind, and it's spelled J-O-B-S."

Obama delivered his economic message in Toledo, a struggling blue-collar city in a state that could be critical to Obama's presidential hopes. Polls show a close race between Obama and Republican John McCain in Ohio, which decided the 2004 presidential election. At stake are 20 electoral votes.

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