By Margaret Talev | McClatchy Newspapers

Following a rally in Dublin, Ohio, Barack Obama and Joe Biden made brief statements to their traveling press corps about Hurricane Gustav, saying federal and local officials seemed to be coordinating their plans well at this point and urging residents of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region to follow instructions about evacuations. Obama also took a couple of questions about John McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Obama: "Even if you've ridden out this storm before, even if you think that it may pass over, even if you think that you can wait until the last minute, this is going to be potentially very, very serious and for your own safety, your family's safety people have to follow the instructions of the officials there."

Biden; "Do not ride out again. Ride out of town. Get out of town."

Q: What does it say about John McCain's judgment that he's chosen a vice presidential nominee with no known foreign policy or national security experience?

Obama: I think that Gov. Palin is a compelling person, she's got a great story. She seems to have a wonderful engaging personality and the fact that she got elected governor of Alaska shows she's got real political skills. I think that ultimately she subscribes to the same economic theories and foreign policy theories as John McCain does. I think those are the wrong theories for this country. I don't think that John McCain is offering something that can help middle class families paying the bills and send their kids to college and give them health care and I don't get a sense that the addition of his vice presidential choice is going to change the fact that he wants to take the country in the wrong direction.

Q: When the McCain campaign says Gov. Palin has more executive experience than the two of you combined, how do you respond to that?

Obama: You guys can take a look at Gov. Palin's record and Joe Biden's record and make your own judgments in terms of who you think has what it takes to be an outstanding vice president. I feel confident about my choice. I'll let John McCain talk about his.

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