Powell, money go Obama's way

— -- Barack Obama scored two campaign coups Sunday: a record-shattering month of fundraising and the backing of former Republican secretary of State Colin Powell.

The long-anticipated endorsement, which came with praise for Republican John McCain but harsh criticism of his negative attacks, gave Democrat Obama perhaps the campaign's most coveted endorsement.

"I think he is a transformational figure," Powell said of Obama, vying to become the nation's first black president, on NBC's Meet the Press. "He's crossing lines — ethnic lines, racial lines, intergenerational lines."

Powell, who supported the Iraq war despite misgivings, acknowledged Obama's thin résumé. But "he is surrounding himself with people who will be able to give him the expertise that he at the moment does not have," Powell said.

He criticized McCain's changing positions on the economy, his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, and a negative campaign against Obama that Powell said "goes too far."

Obama called Powell to thank him for the endorsement. In his speech here, he said Powell "knows, as we do, that this is a moment where we all need to come together as one nation."

McCain reacted stoically to the announcement from Powell, the first African American to lead the State Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "This doesn't come as a surprise," he said on Fox News Sunday, adding that he continues "to respect and admire Secretary Powell."

Obama's campaign said Sunday it raised $150 million in September and added 632,000 donors. His fundraising total is $604 million, breaking all presidential campaign records. He has received contributions from more than 3.1 million people.

McCain, relying on public financing that Obama spurned, had raised $240 million through August, about half of Obama's total. He is limited to $84.1 million for the general election.

He criticized Obama for backing away from a pledge to accept taxpayer funds. "History shows us where unlimited amounts of money are in political campaigns, it leads to scandal," McCain said.

In a sign of confidence, Obama is trying to expand his battlefield in the final two weeks. His visit here was in a county won by Bush in 2004 by about 3,400 votes. He plans stops this week in Florida, Virginia, Iowa and Ohio — all won by Bush in 2004.

Speaking to a North Carolina crowd of about 10,000 at a hockey arena, Obama complained about negative attacks from Republicans. "They will try to hoodwink you, to bamboozle you," he said.

He ran into resistance in Fayetteville at Cape Fear BBQ and Chicken, where he stopped to shake hands with a mostly older, white crowd enjoying lunch after church services. "Socialist, socialist, socialist!" shouted Diane Fanning, 54, until other customers shushed her.

Others were more friendly. "You're doing a great job," Betty Waylett, 76, told Obama. Waylett said she plans to vote for him even though she is a Republican.

McCain campaigned in Ohio on Sunday, visiting Columbus and Toledo. He plans visits early this week to Missouri, where the polls are essentially tied, and Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. The latter two states voted Democratic in 2004.

In Toledo, McCain had hoped to meet Joe Wurzelbacher, the plumber from nearby Holland, Ohio, whom he made famous in last week's debate by citing him as an example of an average Joe, middle-class voter. But "Joe the Plumber" was in New York doing interviews.

"Joe, if you're listening, I'm sorry you're being put through this," McCain said.