McCain suspends campaign temporarily and asks for postponement of debate

[J. J.]

I read in an abcnews article that Obama called Mac this morning and called for a joint statement on principles.  Mac called back at 2:30 and said he was suspending his campaign and heading back to D.C.

that's a tad different than what you stated

We'll have to see what happens. The Obama camp is already pushing back on the McCain camp's statements and is demanding to debate.

Not quite, not yet.  There is a danger.  He says debate the market slumps tomorrow and it's Obama's fault.  

This is actually a great time for both candidates to look bipartisan.

[J. J.]

McCain has to take risks at this point, so it makes sense he'd do this.

Surprised he hasn't resigned from the Senate, actually.

McCain doesn't have to take risks; he's a gambler.

It probably pays off.

[J. J.]

Most of you don't get it.  This is McCain's "I shall go to Korea."  He's running against an Adlai Stevenson type; he's a military hero.  We're in 1952.

[J. J.]

I think you've misread your own historical example, J.J. Going to Korea was about applying Eisenhower's experience to the mess created by the Democrats. It worked for him because he had credibility on foreign policy while the Democrats had none.

Most people would agree McCain's in the opposite position. He's weak on the economy and is, whether justified or not, closely associated with the incumbent administration who's policies and oversight are being blamed for the current crisis.

A better example might be McGovern's visit to Vietnam after he'd secured the nomination in 1972. An all-but-forgotten event, it did nothing to dispel the impression of McGovern as soft on military issues and foreign policy. It was a publicity stunt that failed badly.

No, this is on a par with Eisenhower, because it goes with two strengths McCain has, bipartisanship and leadership.  This isn't really about the economy; it's about leadership.  McCain looks like a doer; Obama looks like a talker.

[J. J.]

So I assume you are predicting a McCain surge in the tracking polls in the next couple days?

No, two things have to happen.  1.  The legislation has to pass.  2.  The markets have to react favorably.  Those are the first two things.  There has to a sense that McCain has been a leader in solving a crisis.  It will take several weeks for that effect.  I would say a consistent lead in the tracking polls after that, probably mid October, assuming it's solved this weekend.

J.J., I'm hoping your just trolling.  This is making McCain look either very panicky or very calculating.  It is not making him look presidential at all.   If McCain wanted to look like a doer as you put it, he'd be laying out a clear idea of what he thinks the bailout should look like.  Instead, what ideas he does have on the subject are being hopelessly blurred in the public perception by this stunt.

Solving a crisis, with bipartisanship, is almost the definition of being president.  He just had to provide the leadership, and the Democrats are handing him that on a silver platter.

No panic, but a great deal of calculation, and I would add cynicism.  There is nothing dainty about this, nor was there the Palin choice.  This is hardball.  

[J. J.]

Apparently they didn't need John

The Hill reports

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So what will he do in Washington now? How will he give the impression he solved the crisis when it appears they can do it without either Obama or McCain

Will McCain not debate now? will he say that he cant debate until the bill is signed, even if it looks like it will sail through?

Because, they still won't vote for it without McCain voting for it, and that applies to members of both parties.  "Ideally" and "reality" are two different things.