PHILADELPHIA -- At a rally yesterday in Montgomery County, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said the September unemployment report showing that the nation had lost 159,000 jobs was added proof that America needs new economic leadership.

Speaking to a crowd of 6,000 in Abington High School's football stadium, the Illinois senator accused his Republican rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, of favoring the same economic policies that have produced the rise in unemployment this year.

And Mr. Obama disputed the assertion made by Mr. McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, during Thursday night's vice-presidential debate that his own economic plans would kill jobs.

"When Senator McCain and his running mate talk about job killing, that's something they know a thing or two about," Mr. Obama said, "because the policies they're supporting are killing jobs every single day. ... Enough is enough."

Mr. McCain, campaigning yesterday in Colorado, also spoke about the employment report, saying the way to spur job creation is to keep taxes low, which he said he would do. "Unlike Senator Obama," the GOP candidate said, "I do not believe we will create one, single American job by increasing taxes, going on a massive spending binge and closing off markets. Our nation cannot afford Senator Obama's higher taxes."

Mr. Obama has said he would raise taxes only on families making more than $250,000 annually. But Republicans say he would be hard-pressed to keep that pledge, given the size of his campaign promises and his congressional voting record.

In talking about the causes of the nation's financial woes, Mr. Obama laid much of the blame on "a philosophy that views even the most common-sense regulations as unwise and unnecessary." His Republican opponent, he said, has embraced that philosophy.

"He hasn't been getting tough on CEOs," Mr. Obama said of Mr. McCain. "He hasn't been getting tough on Wall Street. Suddenly a crisis comes, and the polls change and, suddenly, he's out there talking like Jesse Jackson."

Republican former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, speaking on behalf of the McCain campaign, dismissed such talk in a conference call with reporters. "That's just rhetoric, and it's untrue," Mr. Giuliani said, citing efforts by Mr. McCain several years ago to crack down on the practices of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the quasi-governmental giant mortgage lenders. "That's just something Barack Obama says."

After the rally in Abington, Mr. Obama made a brief stop at Penny's Flowers in Glenside, with camera crews and reporters in tow. Yesterday was the candidate's 16th wedding anniversary, and he wanted something to bring his wife, Michelle, with whom he planned a celebratory dinner in Chicago last night.

"What a surprise!" the store's co-owner, Richard Pannepacker, said facetiously as the candidate arrived.

Mr. Obama opted for a dozen white roses, which store manager Mary Darcey wrapped for him. "This should be OK for the two-hour flight?" he asked. Assured that it would, he paid $47.70 with a credit card and then left to greet dozens of onlookers lined up on the street outside.

In another development, the McCain campaign yesterday released Ms. Palin's income tax returns for 2006 and 2007. The documents show that she and husband, Todd, paid $11,944 on a gross income of $127,869 in 2006 and $24,738 on income of $166,080 in 2007. They contributed a total of $8,205 to charity during those two years.

Mr. Obama yesterday was making his first visit to southeastern Pennsylvania since June 14, a long absence from the largest media market in a key battleground state. He is set to be back next week, for a fundraiser Friday night and a day of campaigning in Philadelphia next Saturday. In Pennsylvania, polls show him ahead by an average of about 8 percentage points.

Mr. McCain's strategists have indicated that they plan to expand their efforts in Pennsylvania now that they are scaling back in Michigan, another blue state they had hoped to win. "If you go back, Pennsylvania was closer than Michigan last time," Mr. Giuliani explained. "We think McCain's a great candidate for Pennsylvania because he has that independent spirit."

Pennsylvania's Sen. Bob Casey, who accompanied Mr. Obama yesterday, said the polls were encouraging, but that Democrats have a lot work to do with older voters who remain suspicious of Mr. Obama. "If we can do a little bit better with people over the age of 65, his lead will expand substantially," Mr. Casey said.