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Obama, McCain clash on economy in final debate

(Agencies/Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-17 09:02

US Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) reacts to almost heading the wrong way off the stage after shaking hands with Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) at the conclusion of the final presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, October 15, 2008. [Agencies]

HEMPSTEAD, US -- The war of words was intensified as US presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama argued about who has a better economic plan in their final debate Wednesday night at Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.

McCain asked his Democratic opponent Obama to clarify his relationship with Bill Ayers, a former 1960s radical who belonged to the Weather Underground.

"Mr. Ayers is not involved in this campaign, he has never been involved in my campaign, and he will not advise me in the White House," Obama said.

McCain's campaign has charged that Obama's association with Ayers should cause voters to question his judgment. Ayers was a founding member of the radical Weather Underground, a group that was involved in bombings in the early 1970s, including attacks on the Pentagon and the Capitol.

McCain and Obama went back-and-forth Wednesday over the negative rhetoric that has dominated the campaign trail in recent days.

McCain accused Obama of spending "more money on negative ads than any campaign in history." Obama hit back, saying that McCain's campaign had been running exclusively negative ads, and that the public found McCain to be running a more negative campaign than Obama.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., answers a question during a presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008. [Agencies]

Earlier, McCain shot back as Obama tried to liken him to the current president, telling his rival "I am not President Bush."

"If you want to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago. I'm going to give a new direction to this economy and this country," the Arizona senator said at the start of the third presidential debate.

McCain's remarks came after Obama charged that McCain is pursuing the same kind of policies as Bush.

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