McCain attack

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 16, 2008

JOHN McCain came out fighting in the liveliest and most contentious debate of the race for the White House as he sought to get his faltering campaign back on track.

With less than three weeks until election day, the Republican presidential candidate repeated some of his campaign's most negative attacks to Barack Obama's face as he questioned his alleged links to a US terrorist.

Mr McCain, whose stumbling response to the economic crisis has seen him plummet in national polls, also insisted his presidency would not continue President George Bush's unpopular policies.

An initial CNN poll showed 58% thought Mr Obama won the third and final debate of the election. Most US political pundits also thought he won the first two.