McCain suspends campaign temporarily and asks for postponement of debate

[Wiz in Wis]

"I'm not going to go behind closed doors in Washington... I'm gonna explain my economic ideas to the American people"

WIN

[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.

[Keystone Phil]

"I'm not going to go behind closed doors in Washington... I'm gonna explain my economic ideas to the American people"

WIN

"I'm refusing to do my job. That's not surprising, considering my record as a State Senator."

[ChrisFromNJ]

I expect Obama to be in Washington tommorow and early Friday, and then fly to the debate in Mississippi later that day.

Obama can do two things at once. He can be in Washington, working on getting this bailout bill passed, and then he can be in the debate later than night.

This is a terrible move by the McCain campaign.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Does anyone think that the Democrats in Congress will allow McCain to dictate the terms of the agreement. All Obama has to do is fly in for the vote and... TA DA...

Meanwhile, Obama gets the "multitasking" issue all to himself

i don't see how the "multitasking" claim is going to work.  Obama is basically saying, "I know our house is fire, McCain can go run off and fight the fire all he wants.  In the maintime, I can multitask, so I'll remain on call while I try to promote myself from hosedragger to Captian."

Futhermore, Obama missed a golden opportunity to be viewed fighting a heroic fight at the side of the former POW McCain.

[Lunar]

All Obama has to do is switch from running negative ads to running positive ones.  Don't hold any mass-rallies but hold town-hall seshes to talk about economic concerns.  It's not a trap.

[Alcon]

Futhermore, Obama missed a golden opportunity to be viewed fighting a heroic fight at the side of the former POW McCain.

If that happened, I think you'd probably be claiming that he just looks like he's following McCain, and that it's a worse option than what he's doing right now.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

"I'm not going to go behind closed doors in Washington... I'm gonna explain my economic ideas to the American people"

WIN

This isn't about making long winded speeches on how you believe the economy should be handled. This is about getting some package together before the markets absolutely plummet and we plunge into a deep recession. Making speeches about the economy isn't going to get anything done. He should've gone back to Washington and shown he could LEAD by working with leaders on this proposal, not say he wants to go about politics as usual. It's always McCain taking the lead and Obama following. I'm afraid of what Obama might do as President when there is no one else to follow.

[Likely Voter]

This is a smart but kind of dickish move by McCain. If it is true Obama reached out privately for them to work together on some kind of bipartisan statement, then why did McCain unilaterally go public.

Obama could have announced his willingness to work together with McCain this morning, but he kept it private (and I bet if McCain said no he would not have used that against McCain).

McCain has amazingly turned bi-partisanship into a partisan issue.

[ChrisFromNJ]

Here's another thing: this bill will not pass if it makes Barack Obama look bad. The Democrats control Congress, they have the numbers, and such a bailout will not pass if it paints Obama in the corner.

The more and more I think about this, the more and more I think the McCain campaign really ed up. They gambled and they will lose here. This might have worked if the GOP was still in charge of Congress.

[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.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Futhermore, Obama missed a golden opportunity to be viewed fighting a heroic fight at the side of the former POW McCain.

If that happened, I think you'd probably be claiming that he just looks like he's following McCain, and that it's a worse option than what he's doing right now.

no, obama called McCain first this morning, Obama could have spun today as a exchange of ideas with a final agreement to suspend campaigning.  He could have flown to D.C., drafted a McCain-Obama save-the-economy-from-depression-bill, and claimed equate footing and greatly padded his thin resume.

[daboese]

I guess this is just another gamble and distraction from McCain.
It can go both ways.

I thought the "fundamentals" of the economy were strong, who said this again?

[Brittain33]

This sounds like a lot of inside baseball so far to me, especially if the debate still happens.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Here's another thing: this bill will not pass if it makes Barack Obama look bad. The Democrats control Congress, they have the numbers, and such a bailout will not pass if it paints Obama in the corner.

The more and more I think about this, the more and more I think the McCain campaign really ed up. They gambled and they will lose here. This might have worked if the GOP was still in charge of Congress.

and if the Markets drop 25% come Monday because the Dem congress is pussyfooting around...?

[Joe Republic]

Here's another thing: this bill will not pass if it makes Barack Obama look bad. The Democrats control Congress, they have the numbers, and such a bailout will not pass if it paints Obama in the corner.

Ah, of course.  We'd all forgotten that the Democratic majority in Congress is a cohesive and boldly-led unit with effective handling of PR and unanimous support for Barack Obama.

[MODU]

Here's another thing: this bill will not pass if it makes Barack Obama look bad. The Democrats control Congress, they have the numbers, and such a bailout will not pass if it paints Obama in the corner.

The more and more I think about this, the more and more I think the McCain campaign really ed up. They gambled and they will lose here. This might have worked if the GOP was still in charge of Congress.

And if nothing gets done, who gets the blame?  The Democratic controlled Congress who doesn't want to hurt the fragile image of Obama.  Does that make any sense?

[Brittain33]

Futhermore, Obama missed a golden opportunity to be viewed fighting a heroic fight at the side of the former POW McCain.

If that happened, I think you'd probably be claiming that he just looks like he's following McCain, and that it's a worse option than what he's doing right now.

Yes.

Also, I don't see how having his name all over this bill, whether it saves America or not, does McCain any good when most Americans don't believe it will have that impact and hate anything that smacks of a bailout. He is putting lipstick on a pig, or playing a badly-dealt hand, or whatever you call it... but I don't think tying himself to the bailout bill is going to pay the dividends people think it will.

[memphis]

Why don't we just postpone the elections until things quiet down a bit? George Bush can govern indefinately. It's the patriotic thing to do

[Brittain33]

Here's another thing: this bill will not pass if it makes Barack Obama look bad. The Democrats control Congress, they have the numbers, and such a bailout will not pass if it paints Obama in the corner.

Ah, of course.  We'd all forgotten that the Democratic majority in Congress is a cohesive and boldly-led unit with effective handling of PR and unanimous support for Barack Obama.

Harry Reid has been uncharacteristically nimble on this issue today.

The Dems in Congress don't want to hand McCain ammunition he can use against them. Functionally, it means they're serving Obama's interests.

[ChrisFromNJ]

Here's another thing: this bill will not pass if it makes Barack Obama look bad. The Democrats control Congress, they have the numbers, and such a bailout will not pass if it paints Obama in the corner.

The more and more I think about this, the more and more I think the McCain campaign really ed up. They gambled and they will lose here. This might have worked if the GOP was still in charge of Congress.

And if nothing gets done, who gets the blame?  The Democratic controlled Congress who doesn't want to hurt the fragile image of Obama.  Does that make any sense?

If nothing gets done, both sides get blamed equally, and the focus is back on President Bush.

Advantage? Democrats.

[Wiz in Wis]

America thinks the republicans on this board are wrong

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=54d651a7-a62b-4420-bb32-9dd6b2df8c02

[MODU]

Here's another thing: this bill will not pass if it makes Barack Obama look bad. The Democrats control Congress, they have the numbers, and such a bailout will not pass if it paints Obama in the corner.

The more and more I think about this, the more and more I think the McCain campaign really ed up. They gambled and they will lose here. This might have worked if the GOP was still in charge of Congress.

And if nothing gets done, who gets the blame?  The Democratic controlled Congress who doesn't want to hurt the fragile image of Obama.  Does that make any sense?

If nothing gets done, both sides get blamed equally, and the focus is back on President Bush.

Advantage? Democrats.

I would say that would be a disadvange to the Democrats, as they are the responsible party for putting together the package, compliments to all of their hearings on the matter.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

So let me get this straight. The Republican Presidential nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona is suspending his campaign temporarily due to the current economic woes and is hoping to do so with this Friday's Presidential Debate. What a joke. If Franklin D. Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover could still campaign in 1932, when the Great Depression was at its height I see no reason why Senator McCain cannot still campaign as well.

[ChrisFromNJ]

Here's another thing: this bill will not pass if it makes Barack Obama look bad. The Democrats control Congress, they have the numbers, and such a bailout will not pass if it paints Obama in the corner.

The more and more I think about this, the more and more I think the McCain campaign really ed up. They gambled and they will lose here. This might have worked if the GOP was still in charge of Congress.

And if nothing gets done, who gets the blame?  The Democratic controlled Congress who doesn't want to hurt the fragile image of Obama.  Does that make any sense?

If nothing gets done, both sides get blamed equally, and the focus is back on President Bush.

Advantage? Democrats.

I would say that would be a disadvange to the Democrats, as they are the responsible party for putting together the package, compliments to all of their hearings on the matter.

The incumbent presidential party always gets blamed for stuff like this. Most Americans don't care who is running the committees.