McCain to attend Friday debate with Obama

Republican presidential candidate John McCain will take part in a debate with Democrat Barack Obama on Friday after determining significant progress has been made on a Wall Street bail-out, his campaign said.

Campaign spokesperson Brian Rogers said in a statement that after the debate in Oxford, Mississippi, McCain will return to Washington to resume negotiations on the rescue plan.

Meanwhile, Obama said on Friday that talks between lawmakers and the White House over a proposed $700-billion financial bail-out were yielding progress and a deal is possible.

“I am optimistic that we can get something done.

I think there is real progress being made, this morning [Friday] and last night,” the Democratic candidate said, a day after talks at the White House on the proposal broke down in acrimony.—Reuters