McCain's latest move; brilliant or insane?

[J. J.]

Brilliant.  It's his version of "I shall go to Korea."  He gets to look like a he's doing something.

If the bailout is adopted, McCain is the economic hero and a bipartisan.  If it fails, it's because Obama was too interested in his own ambitions to do the job to which he has been elected.

You seem to be under this bizarre impression that the bailout is popular.

No, but leadership and bipartisanship are.  This isn't about the economy.  McCain just transformed the issue.

"God I hate that bailout! But John McCain helped pass it - with Democrats! Who cares that I hate it - I'm gonna vote for that guy!"

Well, the polls tonight showed something like 34% hated it, 33 favored it, and remainder were undecided, so I question your premise.


Nothing succeeds like success.  I'll bet you don't remember the first Gulf War.  The country was split 50/50.  The local radio station was playing "Give Peace a Chance."  Three weeks later, there were pro war demonstrations and the local radio station was playing "God Bless the USA."  90% were in favor.

It has to work, however. 

[Politico]

Brilliant.  It's his version of "I shall go to Korea."  He gets to look like a he's doing something.

If the bailout is adopted, McCain is the economic hero and a bipartisan.  If it fails, it's because Obama was too interested in his own ambitions to do the job to which he has been elected.

You seem to be under this bizarre impression that the bailout is popular.

No, but leadership and bipartisanship are.  This isn't about the economy.  McCain just transformed the issue.

McCain just transformed the issue? You're trolling on this, right? There is no way to transform this issue into something positive for Republicans.

[Politico]

Now, if McCain had picked Mitt, he'd be on every news network right now pretending to be a savvy businessman, and the media would be eating it up.

Which might have gotten us to within five points of Obama. Romney would have been a big negative from the beginning.

I disagree. If McCain is forced to drop Palin, his only hope is Romney. It's pretty much over if he has to drop Palin for some reason, but there would at least be a glimmer of hope for Republicans with Romney coming in to try and muster victory. It would at least allow Romney to run again in 2012...

[opebo]

Brilliant.  Wonder who thought of it?  Can't have been McCain.

[Politico]

Just play an ad of McCain saying the economy is fundamentally strong one week, and then show an ad of him the next week saying he needs to suspend his campaign to save the economy. Such an ad, on top of a face-to-face debate with the charismatic candidate of change, will make people realize that McCain is really just a tired, confused old man who does and says what his "people" tell him to do and say.

[bgwah]

Leaning towards insanely retarded, but I don't really know yet.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I think it is a wise move that is being handled poorly.  Had he done this as soon as the market sunk, and actually went to Washington right away it would be fine.  Then resume for the debate.  But waiting for a week going on Rachel Ray (was it this week) and then deciding there is a crisis two days before the debate is odd.  The whole thing with Letterman and "rushing" to DC is classic. 

Candidates suspend their campaign all the time, whether it be for 9/11 or a hurricane, but the manner this has been done is strange, especially with the debates.

I agree with this thinking.

If McCain had done this STRAIGHT away, and not waited for a more politically expedient moment to make this mercy-dash for Washington to save the economy... which given his "strength" on these matters is kind of funny.

[HardRCafé]

If McCain is forced to drop Palin, his only hope is Romney. It's pretty much over if he has to drop Palin for some reason, but there would at least be a glimmer of hope for Republicans with Romney coming in to try and muster victory.

You just murdered any credibility you might have had hypothetically.

[daboese]

You know...I sometimes get discouraged by the state of the race after reading the forum. Then I realize that this place is an only slightly more sane left wing echo chamber like DU.

I don't know if I'd call the move brilliant (especially not the VP debate move) but I think it will help. America isn't like the forum, folks. Don't be shocked when they don't react in utter disgust over this proposal, guys.

Of course. The average American is not as interested in politics as we are. But that should concern every Republican here, to be honest.

Just play an ad of McCain saying the economy is fundamentally strong one week, and then show an ad of him the next week saying he needs to suspend his campaign to save the economy.

That will happen for sure.

There is another point to that move:
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/it-all-comes-down-to-experience/index.html?ref=opinion

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[JSojourner]

We'll find out when we look at the tracking polls in the next few days. I personally find it a disgusting political ploy, but who knows.

I agree completely.  I am sure it's a ploy.  But whether or not it's one that will pay off is unclear.  As I said elsewhere, I do not underestimate this guy. 

[JSojourner]

You know...I sometimes get discouraged by the state of the race after reading the forum. Then I realize that this place is an only slightly more sane left wing echo chamber like DU.

I don't know if I'd call the move brilliant (especially not the VP debate move) but I think it will help. America isn't like the forum, folks. Don't be shocked when they don't react in utter disgust over this proposal, guys.

First, I appreciate your evenhanded response to the move itself.  And I agree -- it could be brilliant.  Or not.  But either way, it's not doom for Mac's campaign.

What I am amazed at is the notion that this forum is a left wing echo chamber.  Where do you get that from?  I'm not saying this is the Fox News Message board or anything -- LOL -- but I'm seeing every bit as much support for McCain/Palin on this forum as for Obama/Biden.

Admittedly, I haven't figured out the Indies and where they all come down.  I do note that my four of my five favorite Green avatars (GM, Modu, Sam, Alcon and Verily) are McCain fans.  Al recently changed his av.  Verily's the only leftie in the bunch.  But yeah -- that's just anecdotal.

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

[Sam Spade]

You know...I sometimes get discouraged by the state of the race after reading the forum. Then I realize that this place is an only slightly more sane left wing echo chamber like DU.

I don't know if I'd call the move brilliant (especially not the VP debate move) but I think it will help. America isn't like the forum, folks. Don't be shocked when they don't react in utter disgust over this proposal, guys.

First, I appreciate your evenhanded response to the move itself.  And I agree -- it could be brilliant.  Or not.  But either way, it's not doom for Mac's campaign.

What I am amazed at is the notion that this forum is a left wing echo chamber.  Where do you get that from?  I'm not saying this is the Fox News Message board or anything -- LOL -- but I'm seeing every bit as much support for McCain/Palin on this forum as for Obama/Biden.

Admittedly, I haven't figured out the Indies and where they all come down.  I do note that my four of my five favorite Green avatars (GM, Modu, Sam, Alcon and Verily) are McCain fans.  Al recently changed his av.  Verily's the only leftie in the bunch.  But yeah -- that's just anecdotal.

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

I've never exactly been described as a McCain fan, JS.  I just prefer him over Obama, that's all.

[JSojourner]

You know...I sometimes get discouraged by the state of the race after reading the forum. Then I realize that this place is an only slightly more sane left wing echo chamber like DU.

I don't know if I'd call the move brilliant (especially not the VP debate move) but I think it will help. America isn't like the forum, folks. Don't be shocked when they don't react in utter disgust over this proposal, guys.

First, I appreciate your evenhanded response to the move itself.  And I agree -- it could be brilliant.  Or not.  But either way, it's not doom for Mac's campaign.

What I am amazed at is the notion that this forum is a left wing echo chamber.  Where do you get that from?  I'm not saying this is the Fox News Message board or anything -- LOL -- but I'm seeing every bit as much support for McCain/Palin on this forum as for Obama/Biden.

Admittedly, I haven't figured out the Indies and where they all come down.  I do note that my four of my five favorite Green avatars (GM, Modu, Sam, Alcon and Verily) are McCain fans.  Al recently changed his av.  Verily's the only leftie in the bunch.  But yeah -- that's just anecdotal.

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

I've never exactly been described as a McCain fan, JS.  I just prefer him over Obama, that's all.

Sorry Sam -- and that's true.  I know the same is true of GM.  That's what I meant.  Pro-McCain but not necessarily a devotee. 

[J. J.]

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

I think you only have to look at the first page of this thread to see that.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

BRILLIANT!!!

Not one person is going to say SCREW IT I'm not voting for McCain because of this......not gonna happen, period.

[Torie]

Hey, I prefer it when I heavily outnumbered by liberals. It gives me more to say, and makes my light shine more brightly in the relative darkness.

[daboese]

McCain is really the favourite of D. Letterman after yesterday.

http://www.411mania.com/politics/columns/86143

Nate of 538 thinks as well that this is a gamble, in order to make the debate tomorrow more important.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Nothing succeeds like success.

It has to work, however. 

But will there be enough time for a bailout to be shown to work, even if it does?  The only economic indicator that might show results quickly enough for people to believe it has worked before the election concludes is the stock market, and I can't see where we get a bull market that takes the Dow above 13,000 between now and November, even in the most optimistic of outcomes from the bailout.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

BRILLIANT!!!

Not one person is going to say SCREW IT I'm not voting for McCain because of this......not gonna happen, period.

Actually, I've already said that it has been enough for me to change my own opinion from Strong McCain to Lean McCain.  The screw hasn't completely come undone, but it has been loosened. If I'd been Lean McCain, this would have been enough to cause me to drop my support of him.

Still, I agree this will have more effect on those who had not already reached a decision than to cause those who have already made one reconsider it.

[JSojourner]

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

I think you only have to look at the first page of this thread to see that.

And there are plenty of other threads where the McCain crowd weighs heavily. 

I'm not saying Obama wouldn't win in an Atlasian election.  I'm just saying we're not talking about an island with two or three Republicans surrounded but a million marauding liberals.  Chicago, this ain't.

[cinyc]

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

I think you only have to look at the first page of this thread to see that.

Not only that, all you have to look at is the stupid hack polls that have been posted recently, like "Should McCain and Palin just drop out?",  and the stupid hack post names for articles that are much more neutral than the names suggest.

[daboese]

Not only that, all you have to look at is the stupid hack polls that have been posted recently, like "Should McCain and Palin just drop out?",  and the stupid hack post names for articles that are much more neutral than the names suggest.

In Europe, I wouldn't have anyone to discuss with. So I am glad that at least here are some McCain supporters.
And I don't even think some of the posters take their own polls seriously.

[Torie]

"It's not based on any particular data point. We just wanted to choose a really large number."

-- A Treasury spokeswoman, quoted by Forbes, on why the bank bailout will need $700 billion.

[NOVA Green]

Nothing succeeds like success.

It has to work, however. 

But will there be enough time for a bailout to be shown to work, even if it does?  The only economic indicator that might show results quickly enough for people to believe it has worked before the election concludes is the stock market, and I can't see where we get a bull market that takes the Dow above 13,000 between now and November, even in the most optimistic of outcomes from the bailout.

Agreed... failure will be more easily observable before the election than success.

[Keystone Phil]

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

No. There's no way I'm even entertaining this one. Sorry, dude. It doesn't even compare.