Obama re-launches his campaign in desperate bid to win back voters lost to the Palin Effect

The Democrat nominee fired back at claims that he was 'too soft' by intensifying his personal attacks on John McCain.

And after being blindsided by polls showing women flocking to support the Republican vice presidential hopeful, Mr Obama stepped up his crusade to win equal pay for women.

Battle of the political stars: Barack Obama is relaunching his campaign to bring back voters lost to Sarah Palin

A series of television ads will push the gender equity message in an attempt to halt the loss of female voters.

The new fighting spirit comes after Democrat leaders complained the Obama camp was not aggressive enough in combating Republicans energised by Mr McCain's selection of the Alaska governor as his running mate, and ex-President Bill Clinton gave his tips on how best to handle 'the Palin effect' at a private meeting with Mr Obama.

'Today is the first day of the rest of the campaign,' said Mr Obama's top adviser David Plouffe yesterday. ' We will respond with speed and ferocity to John McCain's attacks and we will take the fight to him, but we will do it on the big issues that matter to the American people.'

Relaunch: Mr Obama's new campaign will be more aggressive

His campaign released a television advert mocking Mr McCain, 72, as an out-of-date, computer-illiterate golfing buddy of the Bush family.

It includes unflattering footage of the Arizona senator in the 1980s, wearing giant glasses and an unfashionable suit, interspersed with shots of a disco ball, a clunky phone, an early computer and a Rubik's Cube.

'Things have changed in the last 26 years. Mr McCain hasn't,' says the ad.

Mr McCain has admitted that he relies on his wife and staff to work the computer for him and that he does not use email.

Mr Obama, 47, was expected to set his tough new tone in a speech last night in New Hampshire after a series of campaign gaffes.

Game on: Mr Obama and Mr McCain suspended their campaigns to honour September 11 - but now both sides are on the attack

His attempts to woo women voters were not helped by Republican claims this week that he was referring to mother-of-five Mrs Palin, 44, when he used a phrase about 'putting lipstick on a pig'.

His blunder-prone number two, Joe Biden, then admitted that Hillary Clinton was 'better qualified' than him to be Mr Obama's running mate.

Worried Democrats fear Mr Obama has struggled to find his voice since being caught on the hop by Mrs Palin's selection and Republicans ended their convention last week with a volley of harsh personal attacks on him and a wave of new momentum.

The emergence of the staunchly conservative Mrs Palin, who has dominated U.S. coverage again with a series of TV interviews over the last two days, seemed to knock Mr Obama off stride and has left him trailing in the polls.

Not to be outdone, the McCain campaign has released its own 'attack' ad.

'He was the world's biggest celebrity, but his star is fading,' says a narrator referring to Mr Obama. 'So they lashed out at Sarah Palin. How disrespectful.'

A McCain spokesman also criticised Mr Obama's push for equal pay, claiming that he pays his own female staff less than male employees.