John McCain, has bowed to pressure from among his own supporters and announced he will attend today's presidential candidate debate. Mr McCain had said he would skip the debate in Oxford, Mississippi, so he could work with President Bush and congressional leaders on a plan to rescue the US financial system. But today his campaign said he would take part, after talks to rescue the US economy broke down.
The debate against Barack Obama is a widely anticipated showdown that was cast in doubt by US financial chaos and extraordinary political maneuvering.
Talks on a $700 billion rescue plan stalled after a White House meeting called by Bush with congressional leaders as well as the two presidential candidates collapsed on Thursday into rancorous disagreement.
Democrats on Friday blamed House Republicans for turning on Bush and supporting Mr McCain in an effort to get the bailout package rewritten.
Mr McCain has relented after members of his own party began to criticise him for stalling on the debate.
Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and a McCain supporter, said the Republican made a “huge mistake" by even discussing canceling the debate.
“You can’t just say, ’World, stop for a moment. I’m going to cancel everything,”’ he said.
Mr Obama, meanwhile, was preparing to fly out of Washington. The Democrat said he and Mr McCain should be able to handle the 90-minute forum and the financial crisis at the same time.
The debate will be the first of three and comes as the candidates are locked in a tight race.