McCain Visits Colombia While Obama Encourages National Service

Republican presidential contender John McCain spent much of Wednesdayfar from the U.S. campaign trail. McCain was in Colombia where hepraised the government of President Alvaro Uribe for its druginterdiction efforts, but also urged the government to improve itshuman rights record. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has morefrom Washington.

Obama, meanwhile, was in Colorado Wednesday speaking about the importance of volunteerism and national service.

Obamahas proposed expanding government funded national service programs likeAmericorps inside the United States, as well as a plan to employmilitary veterans in the rapidly expanding field of renewable energy.

Obama also spoke about how his service programs would have an impact overseas.

"Andwe are going to grow our foreign service, open consulates that havebeen shuttered and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renewour diplomacy," said Obama. "We cannot to continue to rely only on ourmilitary in order to achieve the national security objectives that wehave set. We have got to have a civilian national security force thatis just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded."

Obama'sspeech was the latest in a series of events this week focused onAmerican values. Obama previously touched on patriotism and faith ashe seeks to tie his campaign into some of the ideals of Americancitizenship in time for the July 4 Independence Holiday on Friday.

Politicalanalysts say Obama has been moving steadily toward the middle of thepolitical spectrum in recent weeks as he tries to counter Republicancritics who say he is too liberal.