McCain Reiterates Pledge to Balance Budget

October 9 - At a Wednesday campaign rally, John McCain maintained his commitment to balancing the budget, saying he would "confront" the national debt and balance the budget by the time he left office. Though McCain's statement left open the question of whether the budget would be balanced by the end of four or eight years, it did represent the first time McCain had mentioned the pledge since the financial crisis intensified and Congress signed a $700 billion rescue package.