McCain says he’s down but not out, will keep fighting

John McCain had a simple message for voters during a rally today in Mesilla: I may be down, but I’m not out.

“There’s 10 days to go and we’re a few points down (in the polls). Pundits have written off the race,” McCain told a rowdy crowd of about 4,000 on the plaza in Mesilla. “… I’ve never been one to back down when the stakes are high.”

McCain sought during the rally to paint himself as a fighter. He referenced the fact that, before his surprising win in the New Hampshire primary earlier this year, pundits said he wouldn’t become the GOP nominee.

But he didn’t give up then, and McCain said he’s not giving up now.

“We need a new direction, and we have to fight for it,” he said. “I’ve been fighting for this country since I was 17 years old, and I’ve got the scars to prove it.”

McCain’s rally in Mesilla was one of four high-profile political events today in New Mexico. The day began with McCain speaking to a crowd of about 1,500 people in Albuquerque. About the same time McCain spoke in Mesilla, Hillary Clinton urged hundreds of people to support Barack Obama at a rally in Sunland Park. Tonight, Obama spoke to 45,000 people at a rally in Albuquerque.

Clinton defeated Obama in New Mexico’s Feb. 5 caucus by scoring a huge win in southern New Mexico. Many conservative Democrats who voted for Clinton are the swing voters Obama and McCain are battling for in New Mexico.

Clinton had a message for them at today’s rally:

“I know that there are a lot of people here who supported me when I ran, and I’m here with a very simple message,” she said. “I want you to support Barack Obama as hard as you supported me.”

McCain isn’t giving up on Clinton supporters. Today’s was his second campaign event in Doña Ana County and, at today’s rally, he sought to connect with voters by citing western issues.

“I know land, I know water, I know Native American issues,” the Arizona senator said. “I know how western states are growing with dynamic strength. Sen. Obama does not understand these issues.”

McCain urged supporters to vote, and said he needs to win New Mexico.

Republicans express optimism

Many who spoke before McCain at the rally shared his optimism. Though Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce and 2nd Congressional District candidate Ed Tinsley are trailing in the polls, Doña Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez introduced them as the state’s next senator and the district’s next congressman.

Tinsley, who spent hours working the crowd before McCain arrived, praised the GOP presidential nominee for, in the final days of the campaign, “staying true to form. He’s not giving up. He’s coming back.”

Tinsley said McCain was right on the surge in Iraq, and said McCain and the Republicans need a similar surge.

“We need you to surge to the polls, get your friends to the polls, get out to vote, and we can win this thing,” Tinsley said. “…This is the election of our lifetime. We cannot afford to lose. We must keep fighting, in the spirit of John McCain, never, never, never give up.”

Pearce went on the attack against Obama, saying, “redistribution of wealth is not American.”

“We cannot have Barack Obama. We need the pro-growth policies of Republicans in the White House and in the U.S. Senate,” Pearce said.

Grammy Award-winning singer Vikki Carr sang “America” for the crowd before saying that her Catholic faith helps her “know what is right and what is wrong. So that’s what you have to remember when you go to vote.”

“Let it please be him. Oh God, let it please be him,” Carr said of McCain.

McCain was joined on stage by U.S. Sens. Pete Domenici of New Mexico and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Graham called McCain “the most tested man in American politics, the most qualified man to be our commander in chief in this time of war.”

‘Let the voters weigh in’

McCain focused most of his speech on the economy and attacking Obama as someone who “is more interested in controlling wealth than creating wealth.”

“I’m going to create wealth for all Americans by creating opportunity for all Americans,” McCain said. “… Sen. Obama’s tax increases would put even more people out of work. We’ve seen this movie in other countries. It doesn’t work.”

McCain also spoke about increasing drilling and the number of nuclear power plants as a way to boost the economy, end dependence on foreign oil and combat terrorism. And he took a shot at Obama over a report that a staffer had already written a draft of a potential Obama inaugural address for a book published over the summer.

“An awful lot of voters are still undecided, but he’s decided for them,” McCain said, adding that he hopes Obama will donate the draft to the Smithsonian so it can be displayed next to the infamous “Dewey Defeats Truman” newspaper.

“I prefer to let the voters weigh in before presuming the outcome,” McCain said in pledging to fight until the end.

In an interview at the rally, Mark Van Dyke, chairman of the Republican Party of Doña Ana County, said he’s “about as optimistic as I’ve ever been.” He cited a tightening of the presidential race in several new polls and the high level of activity in Doña Ana County in support of Republican candidates.

“I’ve never seen this kind of activity, not even in 2004. It’s really amazing,” Van Dyke said.

You can listen to McCain’s Mesilla speech by clicking here and watch video from the event here. I’ll update this post later with additional photos, so check back.

Update, 11 p.m.

Here are some additional photos, starting with more images of McCain: