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What tougher times? Name them.

FDR - middle of the Great Depression.

FDR - peak of World War II - before D-Day when victory was still in doubt.

Abraham Lincoln - months before the Civil War was to formally break out (when it was clear that things were headed towards war).

Abraham Lincoln - at the height of the Civil War (and facing one of his own Generals in the election).

Truman/Eisenhower - at the height of the Korean War, when it was still in doubt, and when the Cold War was just ramping up (remember, we fought China during the Korean War).

James Madison - right after Congress declared war on Britain in June of 1812.

I would say what we face now is somewhere around George W Bush and the War on Terror, War in Iraq, and Nixon in '68 at the height of the Vietnam War, when we had Americans openly marching (rioting) in the streets, as far as difficulty.

Everything else on the list above was much more serious than what we face now, and yet people still campaigned and still debated.

Hell, Lincoln had to run against one of his own Generals when the North still didn't realize it had the advantage in numbers and equipment, and well before Sherman broke the Confederacy's back.

You've named all Presidents. Obama and McCain (and Biden) are not President (or Vice-President). They are Senators seeking the highest offices in the land. And because they are Senators, they should be actively involved in the plan to save this economy. And if that means postponing a debate, or temporarily suspending a campaign, they should be willing to do so. Country first, not public office.

The Depression started in '29. FDR was Governor of New York, and not running for President in '29. He was sworn in as President in '33, and ran for re-election in '37. There was the Recession of '37, and FDR initiated a spending program in the spring of '38. By '40, the government had begun spending on the military, and drafting men into the service.

FDR was reelected in the fall of '40. By June 6, 1941, he was already in office and wouldn't have had to debate anyone. In FDR's case, the Great Depression had already started. In McCain's case, he's trying to fend off another Great Depression from taking place.

Abraham Lincoln. He held no elected office when he ran for President in 1860, and the first real land battle of the Civil War didn't occur until July of 1861. There wouldn't have been any need to postpone any debates or suspend a campaign during the summer of 1860. And I can't find any record of any debates taking place in the election of 1864.

One note of interest: The primary for NY City Mayor, was supposed to have taken place on September 11, 20001, but was postponed until September 25th.