Investor worries increase on Wall Street, Candidates scramble to show economic prowess to Main Street

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, and Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., shake hands before the start of the town hall-style presidential debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008 (AP Photo/Jim Bourg, Pool)

As fears of a global recession continue to rock Wall Street and domestic worries about the economy grow, both candidates are now focused on the economy more and more on the campaign trail.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Thursday said rival John McCain's mortgage rescue plan "punishes" taxpayers and rewards lending institutions that created the crisis, while McCain charged that his opponent's response showed a lack of concern for homeowners.

"He's opposed to us helping the homeowners of America," McCain said. "Do you want to help the homeowners of America, or do you want to help Wall Street? That's the question here." (washingtonpost.com)

Obama was steadfast in his disagreement of McCain's new 300 billion dollar plan for the government to buy up distressed home mortgages.

"Banks wouldn't take a loss, but taxpayers would take a loss," he said. "It's a plan that would guarantee that you, the American taxpayers, would lose by handing over $300 billion to underwrite the kind of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street that got us into this mess." (washingtonpost.com)

Tuesday night's debate in Tennessee did little if anything to help bolster support for either campaign. Most analysts say that Sen. Obama actually won the debate but not by a wide enough margin to win the hearts and minds of those undecided voters. Hopefully, the final debate on domestic policy next week at Hofstra University, will provide a brighter glimpse of what the next presidential administration will be like for the next four years. With only 24 days left until we decide the presidency, regardless of which candidate actually wins the race for the White House, the current economic and domestic outlook may cause the winner to actually envy the loser.