WASHINGTON — President Obama sought to rally support for his domestic initiatives, while Sen. John McCain called for Americans to support Iranian election protesters. The one-time presidential rivals both cited the spirit of the nation's founders in their Fourth of July radio and Internet addresses.

While McCain yesterday pushed for a more forceful international voice against Iran's leaders, Obama rallied support for his domestic programs.

Obama said an "unyielding spirit is what defines us as Americans" and led people during the nation's history to explore the West, persevere during the Depression and build a robust industrial economy.

"That is the spirit we are called to show once more," Obama said yesterday.

He said the same spirit will be needed to deal with problems "we cannot defer any longer," citing several areas:

• Revamping the education system and "build schools that prepare every child in America to outcompete any worker in the world."

• Overhauling the health care system "that is imposing crushing costs on families, businesses, large and small, and state and federal budgets."

• Making clean energy "the profitable kind of energy so that we can end our dependence on foreign oil and reclaim America's future."

McCain, an Arizona Republican, said the U.S. has a moral obligation to publicly denounce the Iranian government and support Iranians who feel cheated by the election.

"Today, we stand with the millions of Iranians who brave batons, imprisonment and gunfire to have their voices heard and their votes counted," McCain said. "They do not ask us to arm them or come to their assistance with anything other than public declarations of solidarity, and public denunciations of the tyrants who oppress them. We have a moral obligation to do so."

After quashing huge street demonstrations, Iran's leadership has been trying to erase any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by portraying the unrest as sparked by foreign meddling, not by public anger over the June 12 election, which the protesters said was fraudulent.

Obama has tried to balance being supportive of the protesters without giving the Iranian government more cause to crack down. GOP lawmakers have pushed the president to more forcefully denounce Iran's leadership.