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He avoided any criticism of Republican rival John McCain in the service speech, reserving that for much-applauded remarks he delivered by satellite to the United Steel Workers. Introduced by John Edwards, his former opponent for the Democratic nomination, Obama told the union's annual conference in Las Vegas that he respects McCain's accomplishments "even if he chooses to deny mine" but that the Arizona senator has little more to offer than a continuation of Bush's "tough luck, you're on your own" administration.

"We cannot afford to let John McCain serve out George Bush's third term," he said. "It's not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush ninety-five percent of the time."

Obama later paid a private visit to the U.S. Air Force Academy and Peterson Air Force Base and raised money for his campaign at a $1,000-per-person event at a luxury hotel.

As an unexpected entry in the battleground column for this November's election, Colorado is one of the chief places where Democrats see a chance to turn a reliably red state into a blue one.

In 2004, Democrat John Kerry made a play for the state but lost it 52 percent to 47 percent to Bush. But Obama chose it as one of the states where he is airing the opening television ads of his general election race. Its biggest city, Denver, was chosen to host the Democratic convention in August.

And Obama's choice of Colorado Springs, a home base for religiously oriented organizations and businesses, for his Colorado stop showed the degree to which he is courting Republican religious voters and trying to make McCain compete for their affections.

The visit brought Obama onto the turf of James Dobson, the popular and influential evangelical leader of Focus on the Family with whom Obama has sparred. A religious political action committee supporting Obama also has a new pro-Obama radio aid to highlight his faith -- and is airing it on Christian radio in Colorado Springs.

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