McCain suspends campaign temporarily and asks for postponement of debate

[exopolitician]

Political  theatre at it's finest. I really hope people don't buy this bullsh*t.

there is no reason Obama and McCain can't suspend campaigning until this bill gets passed this weekend.  they can reschedule the debate to Tuesday.

I think whatever this is should have happened awhile ago instead of two days before the debate. I guess its a good idea but then again it just seems rather silly.

[ps79]

A few things:

You've got to give the old man credit for pulling another dramatic stunt. First Sarah Palin, now this. It shows he'll do whatever to win. I think it might be benificial for him, voters love this kind of strong leadership and bipartisan efforts.
To suspend the whole campaign is a little overdramatic, and wanting the debate to be postponed is just lame. If he was brave he would've suggested the coming debate to be about the economy and the bailout plan as well. But McCain needs the full dramatic effect to turn this campaign upside down and score some points.

[TomC]

Political  theatre at it's finest. I really hope people don't buy this bullsh*t.

there is no reason Obama and McCain can't suspend campaigning until this bill gets passed this weekend.  they can reschedule the debate to Tuesday.

There is no reason they should. The President always has both political and executive responsibilities. For McCain to deal with matters in DC is one thing; for him to suspend his campaign shows he can't handle both. Obama made a bipartisan move about the bailout bill; McCain tried to one up him. We'll see if it works. Maybe it will. I think it makes McCain look either panicked, wishy washy, or both.

[MODU]

Political  theatre at it's finest. I really hope people don't buy this bullsh*t.

there is no reason Obama and McCain can't suspend campaigning until this bill gets passed this weekend.  they can reschedule the debate to Tuesday.

I think whatever this is should have happened awhile ago instead of two days before the debate. I guess its a good idea but then again it just seems rather silly.

I assume that both candidates thought the bill would be finalized and ready to be voted upon before today, which is why Obama and McCain talked about doing a joint statement.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Why would Mccain want to ditch the debate on foreign policy? That makes no sense. In any case the debate will be postponed and not canceled right?

Because he wants the debate to be about foreign policy and not about the Wall Street Meltdown.

If it's on foreign policy, all he has to do is sit there and say "I support Israel, we are all Georgians, and the Surge is working." The market is far, far more complicated, his understanding is weaker, and there's a much greater chance he'll trip up.

[cinyc]

Why would Mccain want to ditch the debate on foreign policy? That makes no sense. In any case the debate will be postponed and not canceled right?

Simple: McCain needs to go big or he risks going home - losing the election.

This is a bold move at a time when (McCain spin) Washington needs a bipartisan reformer like John McCain to bring both sides together on the bail out package.  Obama's just another partisan Democrat who is putting his campaign first.  

Obama spin: McCain can't multitask.   We can do both.

Obama camp:  "The debate is on."

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

Obama's going to have fun debating an empty podium while Senator McCain is in Washington trying to get things done.

[Iosif]

Agree to the suspension, but suggest the debate go ahead with the economy as the main issue.

That's what the Obama camp should do.

[KeyKeeper]

No, this is a bad idea.

[cinyc]

Agree to the suspension, but suggest the debate go ahead with the economy as the main issue.

That's what the Obama camp should do.

Talk versus action, my friends.  Talk versus action.

[Torie]

The Dems won't pass a bail out without McCain's support. He is a critical part of the mix. Thus his first duty is to be a part of the mix, rather than campaign or prepare for the debate. End of story. If Obama prefers to campaign, and whine, rather than get into the trenches with McCain on this critically important decision to be made, that is his choice.


McCain not only made a good political move, but also a public spirited one. Kudos to the maverick!

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

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

[TomC]

Haha- Barney Frank:

"Despite McCain's denunciation that the current proposal has "no consensus" and cannot pass, Frank said he would keep working with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson."

"I'm not particularly focused on Senator McCain. I really don't care," he said. "I guess if I wanted expertise there [from the GOP ticket], I'd ask Sarah Palin."

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Agree to the suspension, but suggest the debate go ahead with the economy as the main issue.

That's what the Obama camp should do.

Talk versus action, my friends.  Talk versus action.

And this is what it's always been about. Obama wants to change things, but he'd rather campaign and talk rather than actually work. I think he's in the race just to hear himself talk. What is going to do if he gets elected? He has no other office to run for after the Presidency!

[MODU]

Agree to the suspension, but suggest the debate go ahead with the economy as the main issue.

That's what the Obama camp should do.

Talk versus action, my friends.  Talk versus action.

That would be "ACTA NON VERBA."

[Eraserhead]

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

lol. Good. That'll certainly help him.

[TomC]

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

lol. Good. That'll certainly help him.

Well, it'll save money.

[Iosif]

Agree to the suspension, but suggest the debate go ahead with the economy as the main issue.

That's what the Obama camp should do.

Talk versus action, my friends.  Talk versus action.

The American people deserve to hear a debate about the economy and this bailout. Both senators can spare a couple of hours for that. Move it to DC if need be.

This is an interesting situation. Obama can't agree to the delay because (a) it benefits McCain and (b) it'd be portrayed as a McCain victory, even though McCain campaign would never claim it.

But Obama can't show up to an empty podium in Mississippi, he'd look silly. Similarly McCain can't just not show up to a scheduled debate, he'd look silly.

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

[cinyc]

Haha- Barney Frank:

"Despite McCain's denunciation that the current proposal has "no consensus" and cannot pass, Frank said he would keep working with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson."

"I'm not particularly focused on Senator McCain. I really don't care," he said. "I guess if I wanted expertise there [from the GOP ticket], I'd ask Sarah Palin."

Oh yes.  Barney Frank - who blocked any Fannie Mae reform, in part to benefit his former "spouse" Herb May, Fannie Mae's former director of housing initiatives.  He's one to talk.  

[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.

[cinyc]

Agree to the suspension, but suggest the debate go ahead with the economy as the main issue.

That's what the Obama camp should do.

Talk versus action, my friends.  Talk versus action.

The American people deserve to hear a debate about the economy and this bailout. Both senators can spare a couple of hours for that. Move it to DC if need be.

This is an interesting situation. Obama can't agree to the delay because (a) it benefits McCain and (b) it'd be portrayed as a McCain victory, even though McCain campaign would never claim it.

But Obama can't show up to an empty podium in Mississippi, he'd look silly. Similarly McCain can't just not show up to a scheduled debate, he'd look silly.

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

1) The debate is supposed to be on foreign policy, not the economy.
2) McCain can afford to just not show up to a scheduled debate if he's successfully doing the people's business in Washington.  Acta non verba, as Modu said.

[exopolitician]

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.

[Eraserhead]

Obama is speaking now.

[cinyc]

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

lol. Good. That'll certainly help him.

Free publicity is better than paid publicity.  Save the money for ads to run another day.

[Brittain33]

Oh yes.  Barney Frank - who blocked any Fannie Mae reform, in part to benefit his former "spouse" Herb May, Fannie Mae's former director of housing initiatives.  He's one to talk. 

According to DOMA, the Federal Government does not recognize any relationship between Barney Frank and Herb what'shisname. So it's all above board.

[Eraserhead]

Obama says that he's still debating.