U.S. presidential hopefuls trade barbs on economy

Source: Xinhua | 03-28-2008 08:04

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presidential hopefuls waged verbal wars against each other Thursday on economic policy.

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton delivers a campaign speech on the war in Iraq at George Washington  University in Washington, Mar. 17, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama (D-ILL.) laid out their proposals to reinvigorate the economy as they attacked the plan advocated by Republican presumptive nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona as "ineffective."

Clinton's campaign also attacked Obama's economic address as "just words" and accused him of copying her plan.

The former first lady said McCain's plan "does virtually nothing to ease the credit crisis or the housing crisis."

"He'd rather ignore the credit crisis and the mortgage crisis --or blame middle-class families instead of offering solutions on their behalf," Clinton said during campaigning in Raleigh, N.C.

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama speaks to supporters during  a campaign stop at the University of  Charleston in Charleston, West Virginia,  Mar. 20, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

Speaking from New York, Obama said earlier in the day that the United States must address "the immediate crisis in the housing market" in order to recharge the economy.

"McCain recently announced his own plan, and it amounts to little more than watching this crisis happen. While this is consistent with McCain's determination to run for George W. Bush's third term, it won't help families who are suffering, and it won't help lift our economy out of recession," Obama said.