First Debate's Fate Unclear As Obama Resists McCain's Call to Postpone

Sen. Barack Obama, campaigning in Dunedin, Fla., said, "It is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once." (By Jason Reed -- Reuters)

Gamesmanship was part of McCain's surprise announcement -- Obama had called the senator from Arizona yesterday morning to discuss issuing a joint statement of principles on the bailout plan, much of which the two agree upon. Instead of making the statement, McCain informed Bush of his plans to halt campaigning and return to Washington.

The sequence of events touched off an immediate battle over whether McCain's actions were an example of his "country first" motto of bipartisan cooperation or a political stunt from a candidate who has fallen in the polls.

The reaction did not portend the bipartisan approach that both candidates say is necessary to solve the crisis.

Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who Tuesday that McCain "needs to let us know where he stands," flatly rejected the idea of the candidates returning to join the deliberations. "It would not be helpful at this time to have them come back during these negotiations and risk injecting presidential politics into this process or distract important talks about the future of our nation's economy," he said. "If that changes, we will call upon them. We need leadership; not a campaign photo op."

Bush led Republicans in embracing McCain's gesture, and his call to Obama made it impossible for the Democrat to decline.

"We are making progress in negotiations on the financial markets rescue legislation, but we have not finished it yet," press secretary Dana Perino said. "Bipartisan support from Senators McCain and Obama would be helpful in driving to a conclusion."

Added House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio): "I strongly support Senator McCain's proposal for a bipartisan leadership meeting of both Houses of Congress, including Senator McCain and Senator Obama."

But faced with the prospect of McCain returning to Washington and trying to claim credit for negotiating a bailout deal, Boehner and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) issued a joint statement saying they already have made bipartisan progress.

"Our shared goal is to make the proposal more accountable to taxpayers," they said. "Working in a bipartisan manner, we have made progress. We agree that key changes should be made to the Administration's initial proposal."

McCain aides said the senator's motives were pure.

"You didn't hear a hint of a partisan attack or posturing in that statement," senior adviser Mark Salter said. "He really wants he and Senator Obama -- leadership, throw in the chairmen, the administration -- to lock themselves in a room for the next 100 hours or however long it is between now and Monday morning, and achieve some kind of consensus on something that will have the Congress's support."

Several polls -- both nationally and in key states -- showed sharp movement toward Obama over the past two weeks. A Washington Post-ABC News national poll had an 11-point shift, about matched by a nine-point move in a Fox poll. New CNN polls in Pennsylvania and Colorado also showed a significant turn toward the Democratic nominee.