McCain touts plan to create jobs, help workers

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PHOENIX, Jul 7 (AP): Republican presidential candidate John McCain acknowledged the steep drop in U.S. jobs and said he would help the economy by cutting taxes, encouraging free trade, building nuclear power plants and launching other initiatives.

Economic problems under the Bush administration pose a major challenge to McCain and fellow Republicans running for House and Senate seats this fall. In remarks prepared for an event in Denver on Monday, McCain tried to confront the issue with a can-do spirit.

More than 400,000 jobs have been lost since December, he said, adding, "Americans are worried about the security of their current job, and they're worried that they, their kids and their neighbors may not find good jobs and new opportunities in the future."

He cited a list of previously announced proposals that he said are better-suited to helping the economy than are plans by Democrat Barack Obama.