ALBUQUERQUE — In a blistering speech at The University of New Mexico on Monday, Republican presidential candidate John McCain tore into his opponent Barack Obama, attacking the Democrat's honesty, experience, campaign contributors and roots in Chicago politics.

And McCain, speaking to a crowd of about 1,000 in the Student Union Building Ballroom, repeatedly tried to paint Obama as something of a mysterious stranger, asking repeatedly, "Who is the real Senator Obama?"

McCain seemed to be purposely trying to fuel lingering doubts some undecided voters have about Obama, who burst on the national scene only four years ago, the same year he was elected to the U.S. Senate.

"I didn't just show up out of nowhere," McCain said. "You all, America knows me. You know my strengths and my faults. You know my story, my convictions. You need to know who you're putting in the White House and where that candidate came from and what he or she believes in. And you need to know now, before it is time to choose. Even at this late hour in the campaign, there are essential things that we don't know about Senator Obama or the record he brings to this campaign."

Later in his speech, the Arizona senator said, "What does he plan for America? In short, who is the real Barack Obama? My friends, you ask such questions and all you get is another angry barrage of insults."

Monday's speech, described by some national reporters as McCain's harshest attack yet on Obama, fits the tone of McCain's most recent attack ad, which calls Obama "dishonorable" and "dangerous" and starts out asking, "Who is Barack Obama?"

Said McCain, "whenever I've questioned his policies or his record, he's called me a liar. ... Senator Obama will try to distract you from noticing that he never answers serious and legitimate questions.

"Let me reply in the plainest terms I know," McCain said. "I don't need lessons about telling the truth to the American people. And if I ever needed any improvement in that regard, I probably wouldn't seek advice from a Chicago politician."

The speech seemed aimed at the national media. Except to acknowledge retiring Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., who had spoken before McCain arrived, he barely mentioned the state. He also bucked political tradition by not mentioning any New Mexico candidates. Republican Senate candidate Steve Pearce was at the event, but didn't speak and wasn't name-checked by McCain.

He attacked Obama for accepting campaign contributions from executives of Fannie Mae (The Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (Federal Home Mortgage Corporation), both of which recently were seized by the government.

"He has received more money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac than any other senator in history, with the exception of the chairman of the committee overseeing them," McCain charged. "If Senator Obama is such a champion of financial regulation, why didn't he support these regulations that could have prevented this crisis in the first place? He won't tell you, but you deserve an answer."

The Obama campaign later responded with a list of 26 McCain advisers and fundraisers who have been registered lobbyists for the two mortgage companies.

McCain charged that Obama had "refused to disclose the people who are funding his campaign." He pointed to $33,000 "in illegal foreign funds from Palestinian donors."

Newsweek magazine reported earlier this year that two Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip paid $33,000 for a bulk order of T-shirts from the Obama campaign's online store. "The brothers had listed their address as 'Ga.,' which the campaign took to mean Georgia rather than Gaza. The campaign later returned the money," The Washington Post reported Monday.

While he spent a lot of time talking about Obama, one person McCain barely mentioned was President Bush. The only time he said the Republican president's name was when he said, "Both Senator Obama and I differ with President Bush's economic policies. (Obama) thinks taxes are too low. I think spending is too high."

How might McCain's attacks sway undecided voters in the swing state of New Mexico? One Corrales woman, who told reporters before the speech that she was undecided, said after the speech that she's leaning toward McCain.

Before the speech, Diana Diaz, 38, a pre-med student at UNM, said while most of her family supports Obama, she wants to hear more from both candidates.

After McCain spoke, Diaz said McCain's implication Obama "came out of nowhere" resonated. McCain never mentioned — and never has publicly mentioned — discredited Internet rumors that Obama has ties to Islamic terrorists. But Diaz said McCain's talk about Palestinian campaign contributions reminded her of Internet conspiracy theories that Obama is part of a terrorist plan to destroy America. While she said she's not sure whether she believes this theory, the Palestinian campaign contributions "makes me wonder."

Highlighting the intensity of the bad blood between the two campaigns, during the speech and immediately afterward, several protesters on both sides demonstrated outside of the Student Union Building. One woman held a sign saying "Fascists (sic) Pigs For McCain," while nearby a man held a sign equating Obama with Hitler.

But walking together as they left the speech were two women, one with McCain buttons, the other wearing an Obama sticker. Tracie Sawyer, 43, the McCain supporter, and Phoebe Tea, 36, the Obama fan, said the two are friends in Farmington despite their political differences.

"If Obama was here, I'd go see him too," said Sawyer, who volunteers for McCain in Farmington.

"Both sides need to respect the other," said Tea. She added that her husband supports McCain.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.