McCain suspends campaign temporarily and asks for postponement of debate

[Sam Spade]

Actually, now I hear that Obama is saying they called McCain first to suspend the campaign this morning.  I'm amused.

[Sam Spade]

Brilliant, imo.  It's a headline grabber and plays perfectly into the Country First theme.  Despite my dislike for Rick Davis, he's a pretty smart guy.  Camp McCain one ups Obama again.

Why do you think Obama's people are saying - I did it first.  You're a smart guy, nick, always. 

[Sam Spade]

Obama camp:  "The debate is on."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/mccain-not-comm.html

[Sam Spade]

You see, here's the issue:

1) Yesterday, Democrats, because they're afraid of being attached to the increasingly unpopular bailout with Bush, essentially said, "this thing ain't passing unless John McCain comes back, gets involved and supports it."
2) So McCain accedes to their wishes, but on his own terms - suspending the campaign, postponing the debates, saying that this is the most important crisis since X.
3) So what is Harry Reid doing now - he says, well, John McCain we can work it out without you.
4) And Obama's saying, well look, the campaign can continue with McCain doing both things at the same time, and "if need me in Washington, I'll be in Washington."

Where do you think this leaves the candidates?  Do you think Obama's statement that McCain can do both things at the same time overcomes the impression he leaves that the crisis is not that important?  Meanwhile, the Congressional Democrats are left in a pretty bad position, actually.

[Sam Spade]

Ok, let's recap:

Republicans: Great idea! McCain scores!
Democrats: Lousy idea! What a maroon!

Any exceptions? Green avatars with leans don't count.

I kind of liked the original idea... 

[Sam Spade]

I will say something that I'm pretty sure all will take as rather non-partisan:

This whole election cycle (primary/general) has been altogether maybe the craziest election cycle I've ever seen.

[Sam Spade]

I will say something that I'm pretty sure all will take as rather non-partisan:

This whole election cycle (primary/general) has been altogether maybe the craziest election cycle I've ever seen.

1992?

Nothing like this.

[Sam Spade]

I will say something that I'm pretty sure all will take as rather non-partisan:

This whole election cycle (primary/general) has been altogether maybe the craziest election cycle I've ever seen.

Yep. But then you were not alive in 1968.

How true. 

[Sam Spade]

http://drudgereport.com/flash3cbm.htm

EXCLUSIVE: LETTERMAN MOCKS MCCAIN CANCELLATION
Wed Sep 24 2008 17:41:58 ET

David Letterman tells audience that McCain called him today to tell him he had to rush back to DC to deal with the economy.

Then in the middle of the taping Dave got word that McCain was, in fact just down the street being interviewed by Katie Couric. Dave even cut over to the live video of the interview, and said, "Hey Senator, can I give you a ride home?"

Earlier in the show, Dave kept saying, "You don't suspend your campaign. This doesn't smell right. This isn't the way a tested hero behaves." And he joked: "I think someone's putting something in his metamucil."

"He can't run the campaign because the economy is cratering? Fine, put in your second string quarterback, Sarah Palin. Where is she?"

"What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!"

Developing...

[Sam Spade]

This topic remained impressively civil until about page ten.  Can we please not take it downhill?  Please please please?  It takes two to tango

No.

[Sam Spade]

I see that Obama is following Bush (or McCain) or whatever to Washington.  This was basically the move that Obama had to make.

You see, prior to this, it became somewhat clear what was going on.  After reading Torie's and Vorlon's comments, it popped into my head that only two things could happen:

1) McCain goes to Washington, Congress passes bailout before Friday debate, McCain debates on Friday.
2) McCain goes to Washington, Congress doesn't pass bailout before Friday's debate, McCain cancels, saying he's doing "the people's work trying to save the economy".

Given that scenario, Torie was right.  McCain does hold all the cards.  Either Obama would cancel the debate or not, but if he didn't, McCain would either attend or not, and most importantly, hog the media spotlight.

However, when Obama said earlier that he was not going to go to Washington, it created a dangerous alternative scenario.  Specifically this:

I suspect that House/Senate Republicans will only accede to the Democratic measure only if McCain does. 

Given that, the likely result would be that the measure would be strategically agreed by Republicans to *sometime Friday, probably in the afternoon*.  If Democrats didn't want to go along, McCain would stay and do the bully pulpit from Washington.

However, if it were to be agreed to in that time period, McCain would fly down to the debate, which would be on foreign policy, his strong point.  He would be gambling that his expertise on the issues would get him through well enough without as much prep.

But more importantly, the next morning, the debate headlines would be lessened greatly by the agreement on the bailout news, with McCain probably towards the front lines.  So, in a sense, the debate would have less impact than it would have otherwise (and I think the timing of the debate doesn't help).  Therefore, if Vorlon's right, and the public is looking for a way to be confident in his abilities as CoC, that connection could be, in a certain sense, drowned out.

It was a weird gamble - and something that didn't connect until I determined the *postpone the debate stuff* was but a distraction.  But I think Obama agreeing to go to Washington eliminates this long-term dangerous alternative scenario, while giving McCain the day through his attention-grabbing.