CINCINNATI — With the help of two wildly popular women — country music singer Gretchen Wilson and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin — Republican John McCain packed a cavernous airplane hangar at Lunken Airport with 12,000 supporters for a rally with less than two weeks left before Election Day.

"Ohio are you ready to help us carry this state to victory? Are you ready to make John McCain the next president of the United States? And are you ready to send us to Washington to shake things up?" Palin said before introducing McCain.

McCain portrayed Democrat Barack Obama as a politician who will hike taxes and redistribute wealth and as someone who is not prepared to lead in crisis.

McCain noted that during the Cuban missile crisis he was a Navy pilot on the USS Enterprise, prepared to go into combat.

"I will not be a president who needs to be tested. I have been tested. Sen. Obama has not," he said.

McCain gave a 20-minute stump speech with his wife, Cindy, Palin, and Todd Palin on stage with him.

McCain said America is at a moment of national crisis that will determine its future and the country needs a fighter.

"I am an American and I choose to fight. Don't give up hope. Be strong. Have courage," McCain shouted. "...Nothing is inevitable. We never give up; we never quit. We never hide from history; we make history. Now let's go win this election."

There was plenty of talk Wednesday about "Joe the plumber" — Joe Wurzelbacher of Toledo — on both sides of the race for the White House. Palin and McCain talked about him as the everyday American who doesn't want his dreams of owning a business dashed by an Obama tax hike.

Obama, in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, said, "All I want to do is give Joe a tax cut. But let's be clear who John McCain is fighting for, he is not fighting for Joe the Plumber, he is fighting for Joe the hedge fund manager. John McCain likes to talk about Joe the plumber but he is in cahoots with Joe the CEO. So don't be fooled, don't let them hood wink you."

The candidates, their spouses, and their friends are criss-crossing the nation and focusing on the seven states that are considered a toss-up: Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Nevada, Florida and North Carolina. President Bush won all those states in 2000 and 2004.

Obama leads McCain by about 7 points nationally and by 2.8 percent in Ohio, according to an average of polls calculated by Real Clear Politics. According to a CNN/Time poll of likely voters released late Wednesday, Obama is leading in four states that went Republican in 2004, including Ohio where he is 4 points ahead.

A Quinnipiac University poll will be out today, Oct. 23.

Both campaigns have called on music stars to rally their crowds. Wilson, a Grammy Award winner, sang her 2004 hit "Redneck Woman" at Lunken. She also performed at the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn., after Palin's acceptance speech.

Bruce Springsteen performed an acoustic set at Ohio State University for Obama this month and Jay-Z will be in concert, with basketball star LeBron James as host, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, in Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena.

Obama, McCain and their running mates have visited Ohio 20 times since Sept. 5, according to an analysis of Washington Post data released Wednesday by FairVote.

Palin visited Findlay and the Canton area before the event at Lunken Airport and is to visit Hobart Arena in Troy today. Michelle Obama is scheduled to campaign in Akron and Columbus on Friday.

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1624 or

lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.