John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, said Thursday that the presidential debate planned for Friday should go on as planned.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain has proposed postponing Friday's debate with Democratic nominee Barack Obama so the two senators could focus on passing legislation to address the nation's fiscal crisis. Obama and the presidential debate commission have both said that they still plan to be in Oxford, Miss., for the debate Friday.

Brigid O'Rourke, a spokeswoman for the Boston senator, said Kerry believes the nation is facing important issues, like the fiscal crisis, so voters have to hear where Obama and McCain stand.

"Sen. Kerry, like Sen. Obama, believes that Friday's debate must go on," O'Rourke said. "Now more than ever, the American people need to hear the differences between the two candidates. They need to know how their next president plans on dealing with the critical issues facing our country - from the economy to global climate change, to bringing our troops home from Iraq and recommitting to Afghanistan, to ensuring that America is once again respected in the world."