FACTBOX: McCain throws a wrench in campaign

(Reuters)- Republican White House hopeful John McCain injected another surprise into the U.S. presidential race on Wednesday, suspending his campaign and calling for the first debate with Democrat Barack Obama to be postponed to address the financial crisis. Here are some ways this could be resolved: * The debate scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT/0100 GMT on Friday could go ahead as planned. The University of Mississippi, which is hosting the event, said it was not advised of any change. The U.S. Commission on Presidential Debates said it would hold the first Obama-McCain meeting as scheduled. * McCain could return to the U.S. Senate and try to help forge a deal on the Bush administration's $700 billion bailout plan, even though Senate leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, has said it would not be helpful for McCain to come back. "We need leadership, not a campaign photo op. If there were ever a time for both candidates to hold a debate before the American people about this serious challenge, it is now," Reid said. * Obama could stay in Florida where he is preparing for the debate on Friday which is devoted to foreign policy and national security. "I think the message is, if you need us, if I can be helpful, I'm prepared to be there at any point," he said. * Obama could use the surprise to take further swipes at McCain's suitability for the White House. "Presidents are going to have to deal with more than one thing at a time," Obama said on Wednesday. "It's not necessary for us to think that we can do only one thing, and suspend everything else." * Democrats could continue accusing McCain, who made the surprise choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate and called for Securities and Exchange Commission Christopher Cox to be fired, of a "political stunt" and "grandstanding" to try to regain lost ground in opinion polls. * President George W. Bush could convene a meeting with the Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress, Obama and McCain to hammer out a deal on the bailout, as McCain has urged. Democrats say a summit attended by both presidential nominees would be more likely to slow the sense of progress toward a bailout deal that built up on Wednesday. (Writing by Patricia Wilson, Editing by Howard Goller) ʘ