John McCain Will Attend Debate

Sen. John McCain will attend the first presidential debate Friday evening in Mississippi and has resumed his campaign following a brief suspension to focus on the economic crisis. "The McCain campaign is resuming all activities and the senator will travel to the debate this afternoon," the senator's campaign said in a statement. McCain's presence was in doubt earlier this week when he asserted he won't attend until a bailout package was set. Though Congress does not yet have an agreement in place, McCain believes enough progress has been made that he can participate in the debate. "He is optimistic that there has been significant progress toward a bipartisan agreement now that there is a framework for all parties to be represented in negotiations, including Rep. [Roy] Blunt as a designated negotiator for House Republicans," the statement continued. Both McCain and Sen. Barack Obama visited Washington Thursday to discuss the $700 billion bailout plan. The debate, which may focus on the crisis, will be held at the University of Mississippi at 9 pm/ET. - Joyce Eng Related: " Whoops! Letterman Catches McCain in Cancellation Lie " What to Expect From the Presidential Debate