McCain seeks to delay debate, suspends campaign to focus on economy

NEW YORK (AP) - John McCain says he wants to delay Friday's foreign policy debate with Barack Obama and temporarily put aside their presidential campaign to focus on solving the nation's financial problems.

The Republican candidate says he wants President Bush to convene a leadership meeting in Washington that would include him and Obama. Saying it's "become clear that no consensus has developed" to support the administration's 700 billion-dollar rescue package, McCain says partisanship needs to be put aside to resolve the crisis.

McCain says time is "running out," and that if Congress and the administration fail to act, "every corner of the country" will be affected.

Barack Obama's campaign says he is inclined to go ahead with Friday's presidential debate, even though rival John McCain is calling for a delay.

McCain said Wednesday that he wants to stop all campaigning tomorrow and postpone the debate so they can work together on the financial crisis. But Obama campaign officials say the senator is inclined to move ahead.