ProgressOhio

Republican presidential candidate John McCain, looking to bolster his economic credentials, promised on Tuesday to find an answer to the U.S. housing crisis but came under fire from Democrats for failing to back a specific approach.

McCain, who has been criticized as weak on the economy, said he was open to a variety of solutions to ease problems in U.S. housing markets and called for quick meetings of mortgage lenders and accountants to begin to tackle the issue.

"I will not play election year politics with the housing crisis. I will evaluate everything in terms of whether it might be harmful or helpful to our effort to deal with the crisis we face now," the Arizona senator told business leaders in southern California.

"Instead of offering a concrete plan to address the crisis at all levels, McCain promised to take the same hands off approach that President Bush used to lead us into this crisis," Democratic Party chief Howard Dean said.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said McCain was "suggesting that the best way to address the housing crisis is to sit back and watch it happen -- which is just further evidence that he would continue President Bush's failed economic policies."

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