Obama and McCain Lock Heads on Friday's Debate

24 September 2008 @ 05:52 pm EDT

Democrat Barack Obama finds the Friday presidential debate more important than John McCain's decision to postpone it in order to deal with the financial crisis at hand.

GOP candidate John McCain leaves the podium in New York after announcing his staff would work with Barack Obama's campaign and the debate commission to delay Friday's debate. (Gerald Herbert/AP)

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McCain said Wednesday he wants to suspend his campaign starting tomorrow and return to DC to work on building a consensus for a course of action to deal with the financial crisis.

Obama said "it's more important than ever" that the country hear from its next president.

"It's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who, in approximately 40 days, will be responsible for dealing with this mess," Obama said at a news conference in Clearwater, Fla.

The candidates are in a tight race to prove to Americans who is better fit to lead the country through financial turmoil. McCain took action and said he would stop all advertising, fundraising and other campaign events to return to Washington and work for a bipartisan solution.

Meanwhile, Obama said he would continue ahead with his debate preparations

"It's time for both parties to come together to solve this problem," McCain, 72, said in a statement. "We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved."

Meanwhile, organizers of the first 2008 US presidential debate said it would go ahead as planned.

"We have been notified by the Commission on Presidential Debates that we are proceeding as scheduled," said the University of Mississippi, which was to host Friday's encounter between McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.

"We are ready to host the debate, and we expect the debate to occur as planned," it said in a statement.

"At present, the University has received no notification of any change in the timing or venue of the debate."

The first of this election's three scheduled debates between the White House contenders is due to be held in Oxford, Mississippi on Friday evening.