Video analysis: Gerard Baker | Sketch - old and stiff McCain | Joe the plumber is debate hero | Obama - vote-winning 'terrorist' |

John McCain last night accused Barack Obama of "class warfare" as he sought to connect with voters on economic issues by presenting himself as the champion of a small businessman whom he called "Joe the Plumber".

In the third and final presidential debate, the Republican nominee came off the ropes to charge at his rival and throw a series of punches without delivering the knock-out blow needed to change the result of a contest that - according to polls - is heading for a decisive Democratic victory.

On no less than 20 occasions, Mr McCain referred to the plight of Joe Wurzelbacher, an Ohio plumber who had confronted Mr Obama over the weekend about plans to raise business taxes. Mr Obama, in a much circulated internet video, had told him: “I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”

Mr McCain demanded to know: "Why would you want to increase anyone’s taxes right now, anyone in America, when we’re having such a tough time? When these small-business people like Joe the Plumber are going to create jobs unless you take that money from him and spread the wealth around." He added that Mr Obama intended to "take Joe's money" just because he was rich.

The Democratic nominee, who himself eventually resorted to addressing Mr Wurzelbacher directly, replied that his proposal would cut taxes for households and businesses earning less than $250,000 a year. “Now, the conversation I had with Joe the Plumber, what I essentially said to him was, five years ago, when you weren’t in the position to buy your business, you needed a tax cut then. And what I want to do is to make sure that the plumber, the nurse, the firefighter, the teacher, the young entrepreneur who doesn’t yet have money, I want to give them a tax break now.”

He said: "Nobody likes taxes. But ultimately we've got to pay for the core investments" necessary for the economy." Mr McCain responded with sarcasm, saying: "If nobody likes taxes, let's not raise anybody's, OK?"

Last night's debate, in which the two candidates were seated at a round table at Hofstra University on Long Island in New York, marked the start of a 20-day finishing sprint to the election. It was widely seen as perhaps Mr McCain's last chance to make a significant dent in Mr Obama's lengthening lead, but snap polls last night suggested the Democrat had once again come off best after delivering another calm and measured performance.

The Republican spent much of the night clenching his jaw, grimacing, smiling with menace and occasionally rolling his eyes in frustration. Mr Obama played defence, repeating his his key campaign message that Mr McCain merely offers more of the same and has been using old Republican tricks to divert attention from "solving the big problems here in America".

This provided Mr McCain with a chance to distance himself from the current administration. “Senator Obama, I am not President Bush,” he declared. “If you want to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago. I want to take the country in a different direction.”

Mr Obama retorted: "If I've occasionally mistaken your policies for George Bush's policies, it's because on the core economic issues that matter to the American people - on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities - you have been a vigourous supporter of President Bush."

His alleged links with Bill Ayers - one of the founders of the Weather Underground group - has prompted Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, to accuse Mr Obama of "palling around with terrorists” who had conspired to firebomb government targets in the Vietnam war era.

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