WASHINGTON, September 3, 2008 (AFP) - Democrat Barack Obama Wednesday went on the attack against John McCain saying the Republican White House campaign had no economic policies and was out of touch with the hardships Americans face.

'John McCain's campaign manager said that this election is not going to be about the issues, it's going to be about personalities,' Obama said on a campaign stop in New Philadelphia, Ohio.

'Which probably explains why last night when they were speaking all these speakers came up, you did not hear a single word about the economy.'

The Republicans finally managed to get their convention off to a full start on Tuesday, after the first day on Monday was muted by concerns over Hurricane Gustav which battered Louisiana.

A string of speakers focused on McCain's service to the country during his time in the military and paid tribute to other servicemen in wars past and present.

'Not once did people mention the hardships that folks are going through,' Obama told the Ohio rally, referring to the country's economic downturn.

'Not once did they mention what they're going to do about keeping jobs here in Ohio? Not once did they mention about what are we doing about these retirees losing their pensions?'

McCain was out of touch with the reality faced by most Americans, Obama argued, saying: 'I don't think that John McCain's a bad man, I think he just does not get it.'

He again lambasted McCain for comments suggesting that only those making over five million dollars a year were rich.

'I don't measure progress how some fortune 500 CEO is doing,' Obama said. 'That's not how I measure progress. I measure progress by whether or not you can find a job to pay for people all across Ohio and all across America.'

A new poll released Wednesady showed that Obama and McCain are in a dead heat in Ohio, a key swing state which could determine the 2008 race for the White House.