In a statement, Mr. McCain says he will stop campaigning after addressing former president Bill Clinton's Global Initiative session on Thursday and return to Washington to focus on the nation's financial problems.**********
The move put Mr. Obama in a bind.
Rejecting the idea would allow Mr. McCain alone to appear above politics, but agreeing to suspend campaigning and the debate could make Mr. Obama look like he's following Mr. McCain's lead.
UPDATE: Obama thrashed and wriggled...
Obama initially dismissed the gesture as unnecessary. "It is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once," he said at a late afternoon news conference called in response to McCain's appearance.In the end, however, it seems he was unable to spit out the hook.
After Obama agreed later in the day to return to Washington today, spokesman Bill Burton said the Democrat has been working all week with congressional leaders and administration officials "to improve this proposal, and he has said that he will continue to work in a bipartisan spirit and do whatever is necessary to come up with a final solution."*