White House hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain accused each other of playing politics with the financial crisis, stepping up their attacks one day after their first presidential debate ended in a virtual tie.

After a high-pressure encounter in Mississippi, where the two candidates clashed sharply on spending and foreign policy, Obama hit the campaign trail and McCain returned to Washington to work on a rescue package for the financial sector.

McCain, an Arizona senator who some Democrats feared would upset delicate negotiations, spent most of the day working the phones from his campaign office rather than joining talks on Capitol Hill.

In remarks delivered by satellite to a group of hunters and fishermen in Ohio, McCain said the debate illustrated his differences with Obama over Wall Street?s problems.

?It was clear that Senator Obama still sees the financial crisis in America as a national problem to be exploited first and solved later,? he said.

Obama, an Illinois senator, and his running mate Joe Biden, meanwhile, took turns criticizing McCain on the economy and his ties to unpopular President George W. Bush at a rally in North Carolina.

They also made digs at McCain for jumping off the campaign trail on Thursday to join bailout talks, a move some called a political stunt less than six weeks before the November 4 presidential election.

?George Bush has dug us into a deep hole. John McCain was carrying the shovel. It?s going to take time to dig ourselves out,? Obama said to a rally attended by about 20,000 people.

McCain spoke to Bush, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and congressional leaders, his campaign said. Obama spoke by phone to Paulson and Democratic lawmakers.

Several have said they were frustrated with Thursday?s theatrics when McCain rushed to Capitol Hill and attended a White House meeting with Obama that ended in acrimony.

Jeff MASON

Caren BOHAN