McCain suspends campaign temporarily and asks for postponement of debate

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Drudge says that McCain is taking all his TV ads off the air

Does that include the RNC buys?

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

Drudge says that McCain is taking all his TV ads off the air

Does that include the RNC buys?

not sure, but the RNC will probably pull ads also.  McCain can NOT afford to be running ads while claiming to have suspended his campaign

[cinyc]

Obama says that he's still debating.

If the Obama campaign had any sense, they'd suspend the campaign and get Obama back to Washington ASAP.

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

Obama says that he's still debating.

If the Obama campaign had any sense, they'd suspend the campaign and get Obama back to Washington ASAP.

[humder]

 Watching the Obama statement, this is a fascinating game of political chess.

[Eraserhead]

Obama says that he's still debating.

If the Obama campaign had any sense, they'd suspend the campaign and get Obama back to Washington ASAP.

Dear god no.

[exopolitician]

This is so confusing. Suspending a campaign isnt necessary....but the issue certainly needs to be addressed and put in the spotlight. I dont know what to think.

[Alcon]

This is somewhere between totally brilliant and slightly stupid, probably near the former.

What's Obama's statement say?

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

Watching the Obama statement, this is a fascinating game of political chess.

please summarize when he finishes...thanks

[MODU]

A suspension and a change of debate topic would be the best compromise.

How about change it from a foreign policy debate to a roundtable discussion on the economic discussions going on in Washington, and have them explain why they support or object to different parts of the bill?  That way it will be more informative than a debate, it will come across as non-partisan, and might actually be beneficial.

I like this better than suspending a campaign over all of this.

There are days where I think we would do better at running campaigns/the country than 'the professionals.'

[humder]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

 Obama wants the campaign and debates to go on and says the President needs to be able to multi-task.

[TomC]

Wait. McCain is still planning on speaking at Bill Clinton's Global event, but the economy is in too much trouble for him to participate in a Presidential debate?

[Rowan]

Smart move imo. McCain should just not show up on Friday, and have him standing on the floor of Congress with a bill in his hand ready to deliver to the president. That would be a brilliant political strategy. All TV Networks would cut to McCain, and the event would look fantastic(politically speaking).

[humder]

http://thepage.time.com/2008/09/24/obama-reacts-to-mccain-proposal/

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

You must be logged in to read this quote.

 Obama wants the campaign and debates to go on and says the President needs to be able to multi-task.

really?  then that's lame because the American people care much more about their pocket book than a campaign.  We basically have a 5 alarm fire raging and we need all hands on deck.

[Alcon]

http://thepage.time.com/2008/09/24/obama-reacts-to-mccain-proposal/

Early reaction: Obama's fallen into his same old trap again.

[Wiz in Wis]

http://thepage.time.com/2008/09/24/obama-reacts-to-mccain-proposal/

Early reaction: Obama's fallen into his same old trap again.

Because McCain can't walk and chew gum at the same time?

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

http://thepage.time.com/2008/09/24/obama-reacts-to-mccain-proposal/

Early reaction: Obama's fallen into his same old trap again.

yep, I don't understand this guy.  Obama had nothing to lose by going along with McCain's proposal.  But, now, Obama is taking an unnecessary risk

[cinyc]

Obama says that he's still debating.

If the Obama campaign had any sense, they'd suspend the campaign and get Obama back to Washington ASAP.

Dear god no.

Look at the optics.  Assume Obama doesn't go to Washington and continues to talk, talk, talk:
1) McCain goes to Washington and bailout deal is agreed to - McCain is the white knight who saved the economy is a bipartisan manner.

2) McCain goes to Washington and the bailout deal falls apart - the market plummets.  McCain tried to get Democrats and Republicans to work together, but they're too dysfunctional.  If only Obama had put country first and come to Washington, things would be better.

Game.  Set.  Advantage - Senator McCain.

Your move, Senator Obama.

[Alcon]

http://thepage.time.com/2008/09/24/obama-reacts-to-mccain-proposal/

Early reaction: Obama's fallen into his same old trap again.

Because McCain can't walk and chew gum at the same time?

p.r. trap.

No consistent theme for response, seems defensive, seems caught off-guard -- not exactly good when your theme is "I'm more on-the-ball."

Granted I haven't seen the video, but that's the vibe the transcript gives me.

Edit: cinyc's ridiculous talking point summation gets the general idea.

[Keystone Phil]

Smart move. The debate is still happening but McCain gets to claim that he offered to "put politics aside."

[Wiz in Wis]

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

[Eraserhead]

I really hope McCain doesn't show up to the debate. that would be hilarious.

[Nym90]

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.

[Keystone Phil]

I really hope McCain doesn't show up to the debate. that would be hilarious.

He wouldn't do that but if he did, it wouldn't matter anyway. The networks wouldn't cover Obama vs. podium.