Financial crisis may make election opening

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- This weekend's Wall Street crisis could enable one of the major-party U.S. presidential nominees to win by stating a clear financial policy, observers say.

The mortgage crisis-related problems of such Wall Street institutions as Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch have largely gone undebated in the presidential campaigns but an analyst told Washington publication Politico that will change and could provide an opening for nominees locked in a close race.

"This is the financial equivalent of Russia invading Georgia -- an unexpected event that calls for leadership and direction," James Rickards, senior managing director of research firm Omnis Inc., told Politico.

Candidates will no longer be able to put off discussing what kind of hard medicine will be needed to pull the country out of its financial crisis, Politico said.

"We will show McCain and Palin as the ticket who will take action on the economy and make sure the taxpayers aren't stuck with the bill," said an unnamed official for U.S. Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party nominee for president, and his running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

An official for Democratic Party nominee Sen. Barack Obama told Politico the market upheaval shows the country can't afford four more years of Republican policies.