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| US rivals to spar in final debate | US rivals to spar in final debate |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Barack Obama and John McCain are set to face each other in the final televised debate before the US presidential poll. | Barack Obama and John McCain are set to face each other in the final televised debate before the US presidential poll. |
| With just three weeks to go before the election, Mr McCain badly needs a victory to dent his Democratic rival's growing lead in the opinion polls. | |
| The third debate is likely to centre on the state of the US economy, and both candidates revealed new economic rescue plans in the past few days. | The third debate is likely to centre on the state of the US economy, and both candidates revealed new economic rescue plans in the past few days. |
| Meanwhile, a new national poll puts Senator Obama ahead by 53% to 39%. | |
| The poll, by the New York Times and CBS News, suggests that Mr McCain's recent turn to negative campaigning has backfired. | The poll, by the New York Times and CBS News, suggests that Mr McCain's recent turn to negative campaigning has backfired. |
| The majority of those voters whose opinion have changed for the worse about the Republican presidential candidate cite his attacks on Mr Obama. | |
| Pugnacious John McCain is about to walk into yet another trap BBC North America editor Justin Webb Read Justin's thoughts in full | Pugnacious John McCain is about to walk into yet another trap BBC North America editor Justin Webb Read Justin's thoughts in full |
| Mr McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as running mate also drew criticism from those who have changed their minds about him. | Mr McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as running mate also drew criticism from those who have changed their minds about him. |
| Mr Obama was also ahead for the first time among men and among independent voters, two key groups he has been trying to win over. | Mr Obama was also ahead for the first time among men and among independent voters, two key groups he has been trying to win over. |
| Other polls, including two daily tracking polls, put Senator McCain between five and nine points behind Senator Obama. | Other polls, including two daily tracking polls, put Senator McCain between five and nine points behind Senator Obama. |
| 'New direction' | 'New direction' |
| The final debate will take place at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York, hosted by Bob Schieffer of CBS News. | The final debate will take place at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York, hosted by Bob Schieffer of CBS News. |
| But already the candidates have exchanged barbs on their latest economic proposals. | But already the candidates have exchanged barbs on their latest economic proposals. |
| Economic plans comparedLast chance to shine | Economic plans comparedLast chance to shine |
| Mr McCain has proposed an extra $52bn in tax cuts to help retired people whose savings have been hit by the credit crunch, while Mr Obama wants an additional $60bn emergency spending package to help states, the unemployed and companies to create jobs. | Mr McCain has proposed an extra $52bn in tax cuts to help retired people whose savings have been hit by the credit crunch, while Mr Obama wants an additional $60bn emergency spending package to help states, the unemployed and companies to create jobs. |
| Mr McCain attacked Mr Obama's plans as "more of the same" tax and spend, and warned that it would be a disaster to raise taxes during a recession. | Mr McCain attacked Mr Obama's plans as "more of the same" tax and spend, and warned that it would be a disaster to raise taxes during a recession. |
| He said that he was the candidate who would take decisive action to deal with the crisis. | He said that he was the candidate who would take decisive action to deal with the crisis. |
| "We cannot spend the next four years as we have spent much of the last eight, waiting for our luck to change. As president I intend to act quickly and decisively," he told voters. | "We cannot spend the next four years as we have spent much of the last eight, waiting for our luck to change. As president I intend to act quickly and decisively," he told voters. |
| But Senator Obama sought to tie John McCain to the "failed Bush economic policies" and said that putting a Democrat in charge was the only way to fix the economy's woes. | |
| "It will take a new direction. It will take new leadership in Washington. It will take a real change in the policies and politics of the last eight years," he said. | "It will take a new direction. It will take new leadership in Washington. It will take a real change in the policies and politics of the last eight years," he said. |
| The Obama campaign sought to characterise Mr McCain's plan as "too little, too late" and said that he was "ill-equipped" to lead during this crisis, saying his response "has careened, changing course within the span of a single day". | The Obama campaign sought to characterise Mr McCain's plan as "too little, too late" and said that he was "ill-equipped" to lead during this crisis, saying his response "has careened, changing course within the span of a single day". |
| Uphill task | Uphill task |
| The debate is taking place against a dark public mood, with deep worries about the direction the country is going in. | The debate is taking place against a dark public mood, with deep worries about the direction the country is going in. |
| More than 85% of voters think the country is going in the wrong direction, and 80% do not trust the government to do the right thing, according to the latest NY Times poll. | More than 85% of voters think the country is going in the wrong direction, and 80% do not trust the government to do the right thing, according to the latest NY Times poll. |
| The state of the economy now rates as overwhelmingly the most important issue for voters. | The state of the economy now rates as overwhelmingly the most important issue for voters. |
| With Mr Bush's poll ratings also at a record low, Mr McCain is finding he is facing an uphill task in separating himself from the current Republican administration. | With Mr Bush's poll ratings also at a record low, Mr McCain is finding he is facing an uphill task in separating himself from the current Republican administration. |
| And he has also lost the support of some well-known conservative commentators. | |
| Chris Buckley, the son of the founder of the right-wing political publication the National Journal, has endorsed Mr Obama - and been dismissed by his father's magazine. | |
| Meanwhile, the scale of the economic challenge facing whoever becomes president was demonstrated by the news that the US government's budget deficit hit a record high of $455bn in the current financial year that ended on 1 October - even before the cost of the $700bn bail-out is taken into account. | |
| The final US presidential debate will be available live in streaming video on the BBC news website, with full commentary, a blow-by-blow description, and analysis, from 0100 GMT. | The final US presidential debate will be available live in streaming video on the BBC news website, with full commentary, a blow-by-blow description, and analysis, from 0100 GMT. |
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| Will you be watching the debate? Have the presidential and vice presidential debates had any impact on the campaign? You can send us your views using the form below: | Will you be watching the debate? Have the presidential and vice presidential debates had any impact on the campaign? You can send us your views using the form below: |