Barack Obama and John McCain offered more details Tuesday about what they would do to help the nation's financial institutions, with both demanding remedies that provide greater oversight and taxpayer protections. Both are struggling with the fallout from the financial crisis and the $700 billion bailout plan. Obama conceded that as president he might be compelled to defer pieces of his spending plan if the economy worsens. McCain has been forced to reexamine his long-held view that free market solutions work best, and now finds himself calling for tougher regulation.

For all their disputes, the candidates' plans are nearly identical in key respects. Both said they are uncomfortable with the sweeping powers the Bush proposal would give to the secretary of the treasury. They recommended creation of an independent oversight board.

Each is calling for measures that would permit taxpayers to recoup some of the public money sunk into the deal. Obama wants to impose a "financial stability fee" -- charged to financial institutions -- that would be used to repay households for the massive public outlay. Both say that Wall Street executives should not be able to collect excessive payouts as a result of a bailout.

Yet differences remain. Obama said he would like to see an economic stimulus package for families struggling to pay bills and stave off foreclosure. McCain, speaking at a Dow Corning Corp. solar panel factory in Freeland, Mich., said he would not support such a stimulus package. "I don't think anything should be added to this legislation," he said. "This legislation should stand on its own."

He criticized Democratic leaders in Congress who have indicated they may not support the proposal until McCain also signs on to provide bipartisan support. "For the Democrats to say that their vote is going to be gauged on my vote frankly doesn't do them a great deal of credit," he said.

With the markets reeling, Obama conceded he may need to postpone parts of his $130 billion-a-year spending plan. Over the course of the campaign, Obama has promised to spend, among other things, $6 billion a year to improve the nation's bridges, roads and dams; $500 million a year to help religious and community groups provide summer education; $2 billion to aid displaced Iraqis; and $15 billion a year to develop cleaner energy sources.

He also wants a middle-class tax cut that would amount to about $80 billion a year.

He said some plans won't be deferred, including new education spending, energy research, a health care overhaul and his tax cut, Obama vowed. But he said he would re-evaluate his agenda once he takes office.

"It would be irresponsible of me to say I'm not going to take into account what things look like should I take office," he said. "And one of the big question marks ... is whether we have an economic recovery or we slide deeper into a recession. That will have a big impact on what federal revenues are and what the budget looks like. So all those things are going to have to be taken into account."