HUNTINGTON — Rocky and Rod, morning show hosts with Rocky ‘n’ Rod’s Radio Ranch on WDGG-FM, 93.7 The Dawg, had a special visitor at 9 as Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called in to the morning show.
 

Rocky and Rod peppered the Senator with some light, day-in-the-life questions about traveling the country from the best cuisine to how the family is holding up, and what Obama’s girls are going to be for Halloween’s trick or treat.
 

Rod asked about Obama’s family first.
 

“These girls are hanging tough and that is a testament to Michelle,” Obama said about his wife and two daughters. “Michelle has worked on keeping their lives as normal as possible back home in Chicago. They seem to be thriving mainly watching Nickelodeon. They aren’t listening to Sean Hannity. Hannity isn’t on Nickelodeon.”
 

Rocky asked about what the kids are going to be for Halloween, and Obama’s prediction seemed to be another year of fairy princess gear.
 

“They’re much more concerned about their costumes than anything else,” Obama said laughing. “I keep trying to convince them to be something scary, I say, it’s Halloween and you’ve got to scare people.”
 

Asked how he did in the second debate Tuesday night with Sen. John McCain, Obama said he thought it went fine.
 

“I hope people had the chance to listen and to see the difference,” Obama said. “After eight years of one set of economic policies that did not work, we need to move in a fundamentally different direction.”
 

Obama said they’re focusing on telling folks how they want to cut waste, and how they will make a tax cut for the poor and middle class.
 

 “We’re trying to focus on those bread and butter issues and focus on what I am supposed to do and then democracy is supposed to work and everybody will have a chance to have their voices heard,” Obama said.
 

Rocky asked about his favorite cuisine on the road, and Obama said it usually comes down to wolfing a burger down before he has to be somewhere to speak.
 

 “I won’t lie, I eat an awful lot of burgers and wish I could say I was sampling more of the local cuisine,” Obama said chuckling. “I usually have about 20 minutes to eat. I am becoming, though, a pretty good expert on ribs and all the varieties there are out there. I was just in Asheville, N.C., and there was some outstanding barbecue and dry rub.”
 

After asking about the Tri-State’s barbecue options, Obama said he thinks he has a good chance in Ohio, although he knows Ohio is always close.
 

“One of the things now is that Ohio is frustrated and a lot of people have been promised things but nothing has changed and Ohio has lost thousands of jobs and people are skeptical of both parties,” Obama said. “I think people in Ohio will say we tried what Republicans had to offer for eight years and that hasn’t worked so well,” Obama said. “Let’s give those Democrats a chance and see if they can bring some jobs back.”
 

Obama said he feels  America can build a new economy by focusing attention on energy.
 

 One thing I think that can drive the economy is to make a whole new energy-driven economy with things like clean coal, and that also means wind, and solar and bio-fuels. We should be building the fuel-efficient cars here in the U.S. and not just in Japan and South Korea. I think it speaks to manufacturing and not just service jobs.”
 

Obama is appearing at 7:30 p.m. today on the campus of Shawnee State University. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the free event.
 

Go online at www.wdgg.fm to hear the interview from earlier today, and go online at www.herald-dispatch.com for the latest political coverage and coverage of Thursday night’s event in Portsmouth.

 

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