Barack Obama and John McCain clashed repeatedly over the causes and cures for the worst economic crisis in 80 years Tuesday night in a debate in which Republican McCain called for sweeping action by the government to directly shield many homeowners from mortgage foreclosure.

“It’s my proposal. It’s not Sen. Obama’s proposal, it’s not President Bush’s proposal,” McCain said in the debate that he hoped could revive his fortunes in a presidential race trending toward his rival.

That came after McCain accused him of foolishly threatening to invade Pakistan and said, “I’m not going to telegraph my punches, which is what Sen. Obama did.”

The debate was the second of three between the two major party rivals, and the only one to feature a format in which voters seated a few feet away posed questions to the candidates.

They were polite, but the strain of the campaign showed. At one point, McCain referred to Obama as “that one,” rather than speaking his name.

“It’s good to be with you at a town hall meeting,” McCain also jabbed at his rival, who has spurned the Republican’s calls for numerous such joint appearances across the fall campaign.

They debated on a stage at Belmont University four weeks before Election Day in a race that has lately favored Obama, both in national polls and in surveys in pivotal battleground states.

Not surprisingly, many of the questions dealt with an economy in trouble.

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