His Democratic rival, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, and others raised the issue again Wednesday in a televised debate.

But Obama wasn't backing off the comment when he spoke Thursday evening before thousands of supporters at a rally at East Carolina University.

"People are angry and frustrated," Obama said. "They're frustrated about losing jobs. They're frustrated about seeing their communities deteriorate. They're frustrated by not being able to afford college. They're frustrated about schools that aren't working.

"But let me tell you something -- this campaign started because we want to transform that frustration into hope."

Obama took a break from campaigning in Pennsylvania Thursday to make two appearances in North Carolina. He held a town hall meeting at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh at noon and then spoke at the rally in ECU's Williams Arena.

The Greenville appearance was the Illinois senator's first campaign stop in eastern North Carolina, although his wife, Michelle, recently spoke in Rocky Mount.

Beginning his 45-minute speech, Obama noted that some have questioned why he has not waited to run until he had more experience.

"We are fighting two wars right now -- a war that we have to win, in Afghanistan against al-Qaida and going after Osama bin Laden, and one war that I believe should have never been authorized and never been waged," he said. "Our troops have performed magnificently in both, but that war in Iraq has costs us billions of dollars and thousands of lives, and there's no end in sight."

The U.S. economy has been undermined by the $10 billion a month that's being spent on the war, he said.

"People are having to work harder and harder to get by. They're also having to pay higher prices for gas and higher prices for groceries and higher prices for health care and higher prices for college. People were borrowing on their mortgages and then the housing market collapsed ... Meanwhile, 47 million people don't have health insurance. And if you have insurance, you've seen your premiums and co-pays go up and up and up," he said.

On the campaign trail, Obama said he has met thousands of people who must decide whether to pay their rent or medical bills; who have lost plant jobs, salaries, pensions and health care and are now competing with their kids for Wal-Mart jobs; and who feel forgotten.

But the biggest challenge, he said, may be the political system no longer works. Special interests, lobbyists, partisanship and negative campaigning have all subverted Congress' ability to solve problems.

"That's what this election has to be about -- changing who Washington is accountable to," he said. "That's why it's not enough to change the political parties in the White House. We have to change how business is done.

"We don't need someone who knows how to play the game in Washington; we need someone to put an end to the game-playing in Washington."

Obama said that voters are "hungry for a different kind of politics, ... not tearing each other down but lifting the country up. They want politics with straight talk and a honest conversation with the American people, not spin and P.R. and double talk."

That is why he said he made a commitment not to take money from political action committee money or registered lobbyists, he said. His campaign is running on $10, $20 and $50 donations.

It has also driven his campaign's effort to register new voters, over 78,000 so far.

Obama contends that he could lead the country to a stronger economy, better education and a healthier environment, but the first step will have to be dealing with the financial drain in Iraq.

"I was opposed to this war in 2002 and I will put an end to this war in 2009," Obama said to thunderous applause.

If elected, his top priority will be to keep U.S. citizens safe, he said. "I won't hesitate to strike against those who would do us harm."

But he would also honor the commitment to the troops by equipping them, maintaining their proper rotations and providing for their safety and health, even after deployments have ended, he said.

"I want to end the fever of fear that has gripped our foreign policy. I want to restore the power of diplomacy, not just with those we like but those we don't," Obama said.

The United States would continue to fight terrorism and to lock down the nuclear threat, but it also should "lead in helping poor countries build schools and dig wells and put together a public health system that can prevent HIV/AIDS," he said. "We will also lead on ending the genocide in Darfur."

He would seek to make the nation an example for the rest of the world. It should believe in due process and law.

"We'll have a president who was taught the Constitution, believes the Constitution and will obey the Constitution," he said.

mshaw@wilsontimes.com | 265-7878