U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama argued about who has a better economic plan in their final debate Wednesday night at Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.

Obama said that "nobody likes taxes ... but we've got to pay for the core investments that make this economy strong."

"Nobody likes taxes? Let's not raise taxes then," McCain shot back.

McCain accused Obama of being a "class warrior" and asked why Obama would raise taxes on anybody during an economic crisis.

Obama countered that both he and McCain want to cut taxes, but that his plan would cut taxes for "95 percent of American families," more than McCain's plan.

McCain insisted that the government needed to help keep people in their homes, "putting a floor" under falling home ownership in the face of the mortgage crisis.

Obama charged that McCain's plan could end up being a giveaway to "the banks" rather than to homeowners.

The debate, comes as Obama, a Democrat from Illinois, continues to make gains in the polls.

Obama currently leads McCain, a Republican from Arizona, by 8 percentage points, according to CNN's average of national surveys.

Obama on Wednesday also made some gains in key battleground states, according to CNN's Electoral Map.

It's the pair's final face-off before the Nov. 4 Election.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2008)