Campaigns try to frame bailout debate

"All we must do to achieve this is temporarily set politics aside, and I'm committed to doing so," McCain said in New York.

It was an echo of the acceptance speech he delivered in St. Paul, Minn., less than a month ago: "After we've won, we're going to reach out our hand to any willing patriot, make this government start working for you again," he said then.

But there was more to it.

McCain's statement marked the second time in a matter of weeks that he used a dramatic gesture to shake up the race for the White House.

The first was his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as vice presidential running mate, a pick that energized conservatives and helped fuel a post-convention surge in public support.

But the gains in public opinion surveys have now dissipated, and most polls show Obama with the same relatively modest lead he held before the summer. One, the Washington Post-ABC survey, gave the Democrat a nine-point advantage, with a commanding lead among voters who said the economy was the top issue.

And while McCain has insisted Palin is ready to take over as president, he made no mention of including her in the crisis meetings he wants in Washington. One aide said he did not intend for her to be present.

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Obama was next to step before the cameras, telling reporters that he had initially called McCain to suggest a joint statement that would make clear both presidential hopefuls supported legislation to stem the economic slide.

Where McCain talked about bipartisanship, Obama provided specifics across party lines.

"I also need to give credit to Republican Sen. Tom Coburn, who had called me suggesting that a joint statement might be useful," he said.

He also said he had urged Democratic congressional leaders not to pursue efforts to add an economic stimulus package to the bailout. Similarly, he said the attempt to give bankruptcy judges the power to rewrite mortgage terms, another Democratic priority, "is probably something that we shouldn't try to do in this piece of legislation."

Then came the jab at his rival.

"My hope is, is that Sen. McCain is going to be talking to Republicans and sending them the same message, that there are some issues that they may be concerned about or things that are priorities for them, but what we shouldn't do is try to get everything done in this package."

Nor was Obama taken with McCain's call to defer the debate until agreement had been reached on legislation.

"You know, presidents are going to have to deal with more than one thing at a time," he said. "It's not necessary for us to think that we can only do one thing and suspend everything else."

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