McCain, Obama get tough, personal in final debate

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — John McCain assailed Barack Obama's character and his campaign positions on taxes, trade and more Wednesday night, hoping to turn their final debate into a launching pad for a campaign comeback. "You didn't tell the American people the truth," he said.

Unruffled, and ahead in the polls, Obama parried each charge, and leveled a few of his own.

"One hundred percent, John, of your ads, 100 percent of them have been negative," Obama shot back in an uncommonly personal debate less than three weeks from Election Day.

"That's not true," McCain retorted.

"It is true," said Obama, seeking the last word.

McCain is currently running all negative ads, according to a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But he has run a number of positive ads during the campaign.