Sep. 7--WASHINGTON -- If this year's presidential election turns on the economy, the Republicans are in big trouble -- and they seem to know it.

Amid the touting of John McCain's credentials to keep the nation safe and excitement over vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin at last week's Republican National Convention, there was a glaring absence of talk about the faltering economy, the jobless rate in states like Michigan and the wave of home foreclosures sweeping the nation.

Contrast that with what the Democrats and their nominee Barack Obama did at their convention in Denver the week before: Michigan's governor hosted a town hall meeting on the economy and at least three people from Michigan -- all union members -- talked from the main stage about the challenges they and their families are facing.

On the Republican side? McCain mentioned a Farmington Hills family in his speech and touched on his plans for creating jobs -- but, overall, his speech was more about bipartisanship (in sharp contrast to the partisan vitriol in many GOP speeches) and duty to country than fixing the economy.

"I was shocked that McCain didn't have anything of substance on the economy," said Joe DiSano, a political consultant in Lansing. "Voters are smart enough to know that tax cuts aren't the only solution."

Poll after poll has shown that Americans -- and Michiganders even more so -- say the economy is their top election-year issue.

But will it decide how people vote? Gordon Marble, 55, of Otisville in Genesee County typically votes Democratic. He is a UAW member and a GM/Delphi retiree -- by stereotype, he would be voting for Obama.

But he's undecided, and he says a lot of people -- him included -- question whether someone with Obama's relative inexperience on the national stage "can do all he's claiming he can do for the economy."

It will be up to Obama's forces marshaling in states like Michigan to overcome those worries. On Monday, Obama visits Flint before he is to return to metro Detroit -- Farmington Hills specifically -- trying to do just that.

Top election-year-issue

No one should be surprised that the economy could be a losing issue for the GOP this year. When the economy turns, the party in power -- that is, the party whose candidate won the White House -- typically gets more of the credit or blame.

But if Michigan is really going to be in play -- and the Republicans are seriously suggesting it can be with their numerous appearances and lots of money being spent on TV ads -- it begs the question how it can be won without the economy being more specifically addressed.