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US candidates return to campaign US rivals back on campaign trail
(about 7 hours later)
After clashing in their second televised debate on Tuesday, both US presidential candidates have returned to the campaign trail. Barack Obama's campaign has dismissed a $300bn plan by John McCain to help struggling homeowners for being "costly and out of touch".
Senator McCain is planning joint campaign appearances with running mate Sarah Palin in the key northern swing states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Both men were back on the campaign trail after a TV debate on Tuesday.
His campaign has released an ad attacking Senator Obama's character and suggesting he is just not presidential. With the ailing US economy a key issue for voters, Mr McCain fleshed out his plan for the government to buy up loans from troubled homeowners.
Mr Obama got a boost when a new poll showed him ahead on all main issues. Mr Obama accused his rival of copying Bush administration policies that "led us into this mess in the first place".
He will be campaigning in Indiana, a state once regarded as safely Republican but which now seems within his reach as polls swing in the Democrats' favour. The candidates swiftly endorsed a coordinated action by the Federal Reserve and central banks in other countries to cut in interest rates by 0.5% to stimulate world growth.
The Democratic candidate plans to concentrate on the issue of health care, where polls suggest he has a bigger lead than on any other issue. Senator Obama called for Congress to pass another economic stimulus package, and was boosted by a new poll showing him ahead on all main topics, with a substantial 13% lead on the key issue of the economy.
The Obama camp's new ad attacks Mr McCain's health care proposal for taxing employer-based insurance plans, the type held by the majority of American workers. class="bodl" href="#table">See full list of issues being tracked
Issues swing Senator McCain urged the adoption of the plan to help home-owners that he proposed during the second of three debates in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday.
A new monthly poll from Rasmussen suggested that the Democrats were now more trusted than the Republicans on all 10 issues that they have been tracking for the past year. class="bodl" href="#table">See full list of issues being tracked Economic focus
On Wednesday, the Arizona senator held joint campaign appearances with running mate Sarah Palin in the key northern swing states of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The dream of owning a home should not be crushed under the weight of bad mortgages John McCainRepublican presidential candidate At a rally in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Mr McCain called his home ownership resurgence plan "a critical first step our country must take to get through this time of crisis".
He said the loans of homeowners who had seen their home's value fall below their debt would be structured into affordable mortgages.
Mrs Palin, meanwhile, said Mr Obama's efforts to tie Mr McCain to Mr Bush were "starting to wear pretty darn thin".
"Last night Senator McCain talked about real and pragmatic solutions," said Mrs Palin. "Barack Obama talked about why he'd rather run against George Bush."
The Obama campaign dismissed Mr McCain's financial proposal as "more costly and out-of-touch than we ever imagined".
"John McCain wants the government to massively overpay for mortgages in a plan that would guarantee taxpayers lose money," said Jason Furman, Mr Obama's senior economic advisor.
'No bamboozling'
Meanwhile, the Democratic candidate focused on his healthcare plans during a rally in Indiana, a state once regarded as safely Republican but which now seems within his reach as polls swing in the Democrats' favour.
Polls suggest the Illinois senator has a bigger lead on health care than on any other issue.
Linking the economic proposals of Mr McCain to those of President George W Bush, Mr Obama said it was "a time for resolve and steady leadership".
Palin's criticism of Obama was blunter than her running partner's
He added that his rival thought Americans would not notice the downsides of the McCain campaign health-care proposals.
"We're not going to be hoodwinked," said Mr Obama. "We're not going to be bamboozled. We're not going to let him get away with it."
A new monthly poll from Rasmussen suggested that the Democrats were now more trusted than the Republicans on all 10 issues that they have been tracking for the past year.
The Democrats have the biggest lead on domestic issues, such as health care, education and social security, but they are also now more trusted on foreign policy issues such as the War on Terror, immigration and Iraq.The Democrats have the biggest lead on domestic issues, such as health care, education and social security, but they are also now more trusted on foreign policy issues such as the War on Terror, immigration and Iraq.
US seniors are very concerned about health care
In earlier polls, Republicans had led on these issues.In earlier polls, Republicans had led on these issues.
And on the key issue of the economy, the Democrats now have a 13% lead over the Republicans.
With dramatic new developments overnight, including a coordinated worldwide cut in interest rates by 0.5% to stimulate world growth, the state of the economy is likely to remain the dominant issue in the election.
Both candidates quickly endorsed the coordinated action by the Federal Reserve and other central banks.
But Mr Obama also called for Congress to pass another economic stimulus package, while Mr McCain urged the adoption of his Homeownership Resurgence Plan which he proposed in the presidential debate to help mortgage holders.
A new Gallup poll also suggests that more voters are likely to vote for Mr Obama because of his economic tax plans, while on balance more voters have an unfavourable view of Mr McCain's economic policies.A new Gallup poll also suggests that more voters are likely to vote for Mr Obama because of his economic tax plans, while on balance more voters have an unfavourable view of Mr McCain's economic policies.
Most Americans believe that Senator McCain did not land a knock-out on Senator Obama during their second of three debates in Nashville, Tennessee. Polls suggest most Americans thought Mr Obama came out on top after the Nashville debate, with Mr McCain failing to land a knock-out punch.
CNN's poll of debate-watchers found 54% said Mr Obama had done the best job, compared with 30% for Mr McCain. Attack ads
CBS's poll of undecided voters suggested 29% thought Mr Obama the winner, with 27% for Mr McCain and 35% calling it a draw. With the 4 November election nearing, the campaigns have become more aggressive, launching new television adverts attacking their opponent's credentials.
Dirty fighting Joe Biden criticised attacks on Obama, his running partner
Meanwhile, Joe Biden, Senator Obama's running mate, has attacked the negative tone of the McCain campaign.Joe Biden says attacks on Mr Obama are mildly dangerous Mr McCain's team released an advertisement attacking Mr Obama's character and suggesting he is simply not presidential.
For its part, the Obama camp's new advertisement attacks the Republican's health care proposal for taxing employer-based insurance plans, the type held by the majority of US workers.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden, Senator Obama's running mate, has attacked the negative tone of the McCain campaign.
He said that attempts by his vice-presidential rival, Sarah Palin, to link Mr Obama to a former domestic terrorist was an effort to inject fear and loathing into the campaign.He said that attempts by his vice-presidential rival, Sarah Palin, to link Mr Obama to a former domestic terrorist was an effort to inject fear and loathing into the campaign.
Mr Biden called Republican effort to tie Senator Obama to 1960s radical William Ayers, now a Chicago professor, "mildly dangerous." Mr Biden - who was on Wednesday campaigning in Florida, another key swing state that has been hard-hit by the economic crisis - called the Republican effort to tie Senator Obama to 1960s radical William Ayers, now a Chicago professor, "mildly dangerous".
Mr Biden who took a few days off after the death of his mother-in-law, will be campaigning in Florida, another key swing state that has been hard-hit by the economic crisis.
The two campaigns are also arguing about spending plans, with the McCain camp accusing Mr Obama of planning $700bn more in spending programmes.
Meanwhile, the website RealClearPolitics, which tracks state-wide opinion polls, delivered more bad news to the McCain campaign when it suggested that the southern state of Georgia was no longer solid for the Republicans, while it moved both Minnesota and New Hampshire into the "solid Democratic" camp.

WHO IS MORE TRUSTED ON THE ISSUES?

WHO IS MORE TRUSTED ON THE ISSUES?

October 2008

October 2008

Issue Democrats (%) Republicans (%) Dem lead Importance of issue* Health care 54 34 20 59 Education 53 34 19 63 Economy 51 38 13 80 Social Security 49 37 12 54 Govt ethics/ corruption 40 30 10 69 Abortion 47 38 9 42 Taxes 47 42 5 57 Iraq 47 42 5 55 Nat Security/ War on Terror 47 44 3 64 Immigration 40 38 2 41 Source: RasmussenIssue Democrats (%) Republicans (%) Dem lead Importance of issue* Health care 54 34 20 59 Education 53 34 19 63 Economy 51 38 13 80 Social Security 49 37 12 54 Govt ethics/ corruption 40 30 10 69 Abortion 47 38 9 42 Taxes 47 42 5 57 Iraq 47 42 5 55 Nat Security/ War on Terror 47 44 3 64 Immigration 40 38 2 41 Source: Rasmussen
* % ranking issue as very important* % ranking issue as very important
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