Economy dominates McCain, Obama debate
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Second debate ... Barack Obama and John McCain (AFP: Stan Honda)
Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama clashed repeatedly over the financial crisis in their second presidential debate, but strove to show voters they cared about their economic fears.
Senator McCain was under intense pressure to throw his sliding campaign a lifeline, as he trails Senator Obama by widening margins in national polls and in battleground states with time running out before the November 4 election.
After days of intensely nasty campaign trail rhetoric, the two senators strolled onto the stage in Nashville, Tennessee, smiling broadly, and shook hands, both patting the other on the arm before their "town-hall" style debate.
But the tension was clearly boiling just below the surface, as both senators laced their answers with attacks on each other's proposals and records.
Senator McCain, who was widely criticised for rarely looking at Senator Obama during their first debate two weeks ago, may have let his dislike of his opponent emerge again in a point likely to be discussed exhaustively after their showdown.
The Arizona senator said he voted against an energy bill laden down with tax breaks for big oil firms.
"You know who voted for it? That one" he said, in a sharp comment directed at Senator Obama.
In another swipe, Senator McCain hit Senator Obama on taxes.
"Nailing down Senator Obama's various tax proposals is like nailing jell-o to the wall," he said.
Senator Obama repeatedly made a show of "correcting" Senator McCain's interpretation of his record and proposals, and hit his top talking point of tying the Republican to the unpopular economic legacy of President George W Bush.
"I believe this is a final verdict on the failed economic policies of the past eight years promoted by President Bush and supported by John McCain," Senator Obama said.
Senator McCain laid out a plan to buy up bad mortgages in the United States and renegotiate loans at diminished values to ensure people caught in the foreclosure crunch could keep their homes.
"Is it expensive? Yes. But we all know, my friends, until we stabilise home values in America, we're never going to start turning around and creating jobs and fixing our economy," he said.
Presidential performance
Both candidates made clear efforts to speak to their audience directly, crossing the red-carpeted stage at Belmont University to stand a few feet away from the questioner, holding hand-held microphones.
"I understand your frustration and your cynicism," Senator Obama said, like Senator McCain looking in the eye of individuals in the group of undecided voters posing the questions, and by extension addressing Americans in their homes.
The rivals packed their answers with attacks on each other's policies in the early exchanges, but also tried to keep their tones and body language positive.
Senator McCain accused Senator Obama of "taking a hike" on looming problems at the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage giants which had to be bought up by the Government.
Gallup's daily tracking poll on Tuesday (local time) reflected the high stakes for Senator McCain, giving Senator Obama a nine-point lead nationally, while the Democratic nominee is also widening his edge in key battleground states.
The McCain campaign, sensing the fast-running electoral clock, made a strategic turn in the run-up to the debate, sharply attacking Senator Obama's character and suggesting he did not share basic American values.
Senator McCain's running mate, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin, has led the Republican assault, charging the Democratic nominee with associating with terrorists - a reference to his past acquaintance with 1960s radical William Ayers.
Senator Obama hit back by pointing to Senator McCain's ensnarement in a devastating 1980s financial scandal, when the savings of many retired people controlled by jailed savings and loans tycoon Charles Keating were wiped out.
The debate comes amid financial turmoil and growing concern about the US economy.
It went ahead as many Americans watched their market-linked pension portfolios tumble.
The Dow plunged 508.39 points, or 5.11 per cent, to a five-year closing low of 9,447, following a 369-point slide on Monday (local time).
New polls meanwhile showed Senator Obama with a clear lead over his rival, with the Gallup survey pushing him to a lead of 51 per cent to 42 and a CNN poll putting the Illinois senator on a 53 per cent lead over 45 per cent for Senator McCain.
But a CBS poll suggested that the race has tightened from a nine-point Obama lead to a four-point gap since last week's vice presidential debate between Governor Palin and Senator Joseph Biden.
- AFP
