Democrat Barack Obama said yesterday that the United States must be vigilant against attack during the transition to a new president, no matter whether he or Republican rival John McCain wins the November 4th election.
With less than two weeks until polling day, Mr McCain focused on the economy, the primary issue for most voters, and criticised Mr Obama for having "skewed" economic priorities.
Both candidates welcomed a White House announcement that the United States will host an international summit to talk about global economic turmoil beginning on November 15th.
Although the economy has been driving the campaign, Mr Obama took time out to rebut his rival's criticism of Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden for predicting an Obama administration would face a major international challenge as a test within six months of taking office.
At a news conference in which he admitted "Joe sometimes engages in rhetorical flourishes," Mr Obama cautioned that whoever replaces President George W. Bush will face threats and tests, in part because of Mr Bush's "bad set of policies" that resulted in two unresolved wars and an "economy in free fall."
"A period of transition to a new administration is always one in which we have to be vigilant," the Illinois senator said. "We have to be careful, we have to be mindful that as we pass the baton in this democracy, that others don't take advantage of it. That is true whether it's myself or Senator McCain."
But Mr McCain's campaign, which repeatedly has labelled Mr Obama (47) as being unready to be president, rejected the explanation.
"Joe Biden guaranteed a generated international crisis if Barack Obama is elected, and a smile-for-the-cameras press conference isn't going to mitigate the risk of an Obama presidency," said a McCain spokesman.
In a Reuters/C-Span/Zogby poll released yesterday, Mr Obama extended his lead over Mr McCain to 10 points.
Reuters