McCain, Obama Spar On Economy

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

This is All Things Considered from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

Senator BARACK OBAMA (Democrat, Illinois; Democratic Presidential Candidate): Today, we meet at a moment of great uncertainty in America.

Senator JOHN MCCAIN (Republican, Arizona; Republican Presidential Candidate): I don't have to tell you that we are facing the greatest financial crisis of our lifetime.

BLOCK: On the campaign trail today, the economy again dominated an increasingly heated debate between John McCain and Barack Obama. Both candidates promised to help homeowners who can't keep up with their mortgages. In Ohio, Obama said the McCain plan is the wrong way to do it.

Senator OBAMA: Senator McCain actually wants the government to pay the full face value of mortgages on the books even though they're not worth that much anymore. So banks wouldn't take a loss, but taxpayers would take a loss. It's a plan that would guarantee that you, the American taxpayers, would lose.

BLOCK: And in Wisconsin, McCain fired back.

Senator MCCAIN: He is opposed to us helping the homeowners of America. Do you want to help the homeowners of America, or do you want to help Wall Street? That's the question here. And I want to help the homeowners of Wisconsin and all over this country. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.