"Sarah Palin is the attack dog, but she's distracting us from what we should be really focusing on," said David Cruz, who lives in Lancaster city.
After the Palin rally ended Saturday afternoon, Cruz and about 25 others stood in front of Clipper Magazine Stadium to protest the Republican vice- presidential nominee's visit and show support for Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama.
"We should be focusing on the economy," Cruz said.
Several protesters in the crowd held up Obama campaign signs toward traffic on North Prince Street. Some motorists honked in apparent support of the protest.
"These are serious times and we need serious people," said Todd Baxter, of Manheim Township. "We don't need people [like Palin] who are folksy. We tried that with Bush and see where that got us."
The protest was part of a series of statewide "pushback" events to counter the McCain campaign's economic message, said Abe Amoros, communications director for the state Democratic party.
"[John McCain's] message has been very erratic in the past few weeks," he said. "McCain just wants to make the wealthiest wealthier."
Amoros said the fact that Palin was campaigning in a traditionally Republican stronghold like Lancaster is indicative of desperation in the McCain camp.
"I think it means they're in very big trouble," Amoros said. "They're struggling."
Polls show McCain-Palin trailing nationally and by 12 to 15 points in Pennsylvania.
Democratic state Rep. Mike Sturla, who gave a short speech at the protest, fired back at accusations that Obama's economic policy is socialist.
"I don't know how tax breaks for 95 percent of the public is socialist," he said.
He also took a few swipes at the McCain campaign.
"I can't imagine how they can say they want to continue with the economic policies that have been going on for the past eight years and keep a straight face," he said.
"We've stuck with that too long."
Sturla was hopeful Lancaster County would swing for Obama, but was confident he would win the state overall.
"Will we win Lancaster County? I'm not sure," he said. "But he'll definitely win the state."
Paul Franz is a Sunday News staff writer. Contact him at pfranz@lnpnews.com or at 295-5063. 
