UPDATED: The Maine Republican Party said they distributed 6,500 tickets to the event. 

See also:

• In Bangor, Palin focuses on government spending, energy

• Sarah Palin in Maine: Palin greeted by Snowe

• Sarah Palin in Maine: She has arrived

• Sarah Palin event: Introductions

• Sarah Palin event: The setting

• Sarah Palin event: Protestors

BANGOR - Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has riled up crowds lately by attacking Barack Obama's past, but when she spoke to nearly 6,500 people at the Bangor International Airport, she focused mostly on what she and presidential nominee John McCain would accomplish if elected.

She said McCain has asked her to specialize in energy policy, cutting government spending and developing policy to help children with special needs.

Palin’s plane touched down about 200 feet from the podium in Hanger 11 at the airport. U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe met her on the tarmac and introduced her.

“These are serious times, and they require serious leadership,” Snowe said. “The only way you can tackle the monumental issues of the time is by having the courage to work with each other instead of against each other. That’s exactly what McCain-Palin will do.” She then warned of the dangers of a “one-party-rule” in Washington.

This was the third significant visit by the McCain-Palin ticket this year. McCain was in South Portland in July, and last weekend Palin’s husband, Todd Palin, made several stops in Northern Maine.

“I see the NRA hats and all those good things that remind me of home,” Palin told the crowd.

On the economy, she said the McCain ticket had a plan to help college students pay their tuition, a plan for affordable healthcare, and work education reform.

She said the ticket will confront the $10 trillion debt and balance the budget by the end of their first term. “It’s not fair to pass it on to our grandkids,” she said.

Palin said she is qualified. In Alaska she said she eliminated personal property taxes, and “annoying little things” such as small business licensing fees. “We want you to create jobs. We want the community to grow and thrive,” she said.

“I’m looking at the kids in the audience. This is for the next generation of Americans,” Palin said. “Our nation is facing tough economic times. We need someone tough who’s ready to lead on day one. Someone with experience, courage, good judgment and truthfulness -- we need John McCain.”

On energy, Palin said there needs to be a focus on nuclear power and coal. She said that 700,000 new jobs could be created by building nuclear power plants.

If elected, she said she would place a special focus on children with special needs. “They need more funding. These families can know they have a friend and advocate in the White House.”

“It’s nonsense to send $700 billion into foreign countries and ask them to ramp up energy sources when the money could be circulated here, and create jobs for you,” she said. “We need American energy sources produced by American workers.”

Palin did draw a few contrasts between the McCain ticket and Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and vice presidential nominee Joe Biden. “You have a choice between politicians who put their faith in government and a leader who puts his faith in all of you,” she said.

She said the Obama ticket would raise taxes and “redistribute hard-earned money.”

She said the McCain ticket represented “Joe the plumber” – an Ohio man who found himself the topic of Wednesday night’s debate. Palin said Democrats “Think like that other Joe, that six-term senator from Delaware.”

She also indirectly referenced ACORN, a group recently accused of committing voter fraud. “We need a leader who won’t tolerate voter fraud,” she said.

“For a campaign that says it’s all about the future our opponents sure do like to think about the past,” Palin said. “When you look to the past that’s where you find blame. We are looking toward the future because that’s where you find solutions.”