Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks about the economy at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, North Carolina, 27 Mar 2008

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama Thursday both spoke about their plans to help the nation's struggling economy.

At a campaign event in North Carolina, Clinton vowed to change what she called "wrong-headed" economic policies and help the middle class get through a difficult economic period, if elected president.

The New York Senator promised to keep more jobs in the United States and said she believes at least five million more jobs can be created from promoting the renewable energy industry. 

In New York City, Obama promised relief for struggling homeowners and regulatory changes to Wall Street if he is elected.

Barack Obama speaks about the economy in the Great Hall at Cooper Union in New York, 27 Mar 2008

The Illinois senator pledged to address the economic crisis with a $30 billion stimulus package that includes incentives for lenders and buyers to refinance existing mortgages.

In a statement, Arizona Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee, said what is not needed in the housing crisis is a multi-billion dollar bailout for big banks and speculators, as he said Senators Clinton and Obama have proposed.
 
He said there is a tendency for liberals to seek big government programs that, as he put it, "sock it to American taxpayers" while failing to solve the problems we face.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.