Obama plans closing argument in Ohio

Washington: US presidential candidate Barack Obama plans a speech on Monday in Ohio to say that rival John McCain has not been transparent about policy changes.

Obama is projected as near or above the 270 electoral votes needed to become the 44th US president and the first African American to hold the job.

Obama revealed plans for the bold summing up in the campaign's final week after drawing huge crowds in Colorado on Sunday.

"In his speech, Senator Obama will tell voters that after twenty-one months and three debates, Senator McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he'd do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy," his campaign said in announcing what it called a "closing argument" speech in Canton, Ohio.

Obama, during a campaign speech on Sunday, said the "Bush-McCain philosophy put our country on the wrong track."

"We cannot have another four years that look just like the last eight. It's time for change in Washington, and that's why I'm running for president of the United States," he said.

McCain, meanwhile, vowed a comeback, and said he believes he is going to win the "very close'' presidential race.

"We've closed in the last week. We'll continue to be very competitive in many of the battleground states," McCain told NBC television on Sunday.

At another campaign, he said the Democratic ticket is determined to increase taxes. "We can't let that happen," he said.