HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — A pugnacious John McCain repeatedly questioned the character and veracity of Barack Obama on Wednesday night, portraying the Democrat as an extremist in both his policies and choice of personal associates. Obama parried in their final presidential debate by suggesting the Republican was more focused on attacks than addressing the concerns of Americans.
The 90-minute session was by far the liveliest and most caustic encounter between the two men. It was not immediately evident, however, whether anything occurred at New York's Hofstra University to change the dynamic of the race, which appears to favor Obama with less than three weeks until election day.
McCain was the aggressor from the start. The Arizona senator sought to distance himself from the unpopular White House incumbent more explicitly than ever. "If you wanted to run against President Bush," McCain told Obama, "you should have run four years ago."
Undeterred, Obama responded, "If I've occasionally mistaken your policies for George Bush's policies, it's because on the core economic issues that matter to the American people -- on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities -- you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush."
McCain cited differences with fellow Republicans on spending and other issues, challenging Obama to cite where he had broken with Democrats. The Illinois senator said the first major bill he backed in Washington was to limit lawsuits, "which wasn't very popular with trial lawyers," a major Democratic constituency. He noted that he had also differed with his party on education and environmental policies.
"Sen. Obama," McCain responded dryly, "your argument for standing up to the leaders of your party isn't very convincing."
But the night's most vigorous exchanges involved a cast of the campaign's walk-on characters.
Asked about the increasingly nasty tone of the race, McCain cited remarks made last weekend by Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a hero of the civil rights movement. Lewis expressed concern about the slurs used at some McCain rallies and invoked Alabama's segregationist governor, the late George Wallace.
McCain called Lewis' comments "very unfair and totally inappropriate" and chided Obama for not repudiating them. "Every time there's been an out-of-bounds remark made by a Republican, no matter where they are, I have repudiated them," McCain said.
