Obama, McCain join battle over economy

WASHINGTON (AFP) — White House foes Barack Obama and John McCain Monday feuded over the limping US economy, each searching for an edge on a potentially defining campaign issue, four months before the election.

Against a backdrop of rising job losses, soaring energy and food costs and a housing crisis, each candidate accused the other of misleading Americans over their tax policies, and of plotting strategies that would hinder growth.

"Americans are having a tough time, but we've been through worse, and beaten longer odds," Republican hopeful McCain said in Denver, Colorado, as he unveiled his "jobs first" agenda.

Democratic candidate Obama, kicking off a week of expected turf wars over the economy in key battleground states, meanwhile ridiculed his rival's fiscal credentials.

"Senator McCain said earlier this year that America has made "great progress economically" over the past eight years," Obama said.

"He believes we're on the ...