WASHINGTON--Less than an hour before President Bush addresses the nation over the economic crisis, at 9 p.m. eastern time, the president called Barack Obama to ask him to attend a meeting here on Thursday. Obama, in debate preparations in Florida, agreed. This comes as John McCain said he suspended his campaign--including Friday's debate--until Congress reaches a bailout deal. The McCain operative I just spoke to said he was unaware if Bush also called McCain in.

"A few moments ago, President Bush called Senator Obama and asked him to attend a meeting in Washington tomorrow, which he agreed to do. Senator Obama has been working all week with leaders in Congress, Secretary Paulson, and Chairman Bernanke to improve this proposal, and he has said that he will continue to work in a bipartisan spirit and do whatever is necessary to come up with a final solution. He strongly believes the debate should go forward on Friday so that the American people can hear from their next President about how he will lead America forward at this defining moment for our country," said Obama-Biden spokesman Bill Burton.