Obama Adviser Under Fire Over Mortgage Deals

Republican presidential nominee, John McCain has criticized his Democratic rival for seeking Campaign advice from former Fannie Mae CEO, Jim Johnson, who the Republicans believe may have improperly received preferential treatment from a controversial mortgage lender.

Johnson, who is leading Sen. Barack Obama's search for a vice-president has come under increasing scrutiny following a report from the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal. The report states Johnson had received mortgages worth more than $7 million from beleaguered lender Countrywide Financial, including at least two loans below market average.

McCain in an interview with Fox News, said the situation suggested "a bit of a contradiction" with Obama's promises on the kind of campaign operation he would run.

McCain's comments come the same day as Obama hit the Bush Administration and Arizona senator on the economy, including a call for the introduction of new taxes on large profits generated by oil companies.