U.S. Republican presidential nominee John McCain proposed Wednesday to delay his first debate with Democratic opponent Barack Obama to focus on the financial crisis, but Obama said he will go ahead.

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama speaks to the audience during a rally at Veterans Memorial Park in Manchester, New Hampshire, Sept. 13, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

“I am calling on the president to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress, including Senator Obama and myself,” he said.

McCain’s announcement came just hours before President George W. Bush was scheduled to address the nation on the troubled state of the U.S. financial system — a problem for which his administration has proposed a 700-billion-U.S.-dollar bailout.

However, Obama, who is in Florida preparing for the debate, said the debate should not be postponed.

He said his campaign and that of McCain were still working on a joint statement the bailout plan.

Americans need to watch a debate between him and McCain “now more than ever,” Obama added.

“It’s my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who in approximately 40 days will be responsible for dealing with this mess,” Obama said.

“It is going to be part of the president’s job to deal with more than one thing at once,” he added.

Organizers of U.S. presidential debates confirmed the Sept. 26 debate will go ahead.

The Commission on Presidential Debates, CPD, has notified University of Mississippi, the host of the Sept. 26 debate, to proceed as scheduled.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet