Scripting News: McCain to suspend campaign? (Scripting News)
anonontheashram
· 1 year ago
It's a very smart move. it gives Senator McCain time to bone p on the economy and ths appear more Senatorial (in the Roman defniition) during tghe debate. And it throws the bal to Senator Obama's knees where he can very easily miscue.
jim Forbes
jbenson2
· 1 year ago
I agree 100%. This is a big deal.
McCain can hold off on his debate, act on the crisis and come out looking decisive for the American public's best interests.
einarvollset
· 1 year ago
BBC reporting it too.
Marti_L
· 1 year ago
I think this is a curious move. McCain is not a strong debater, so in calling for a postponement he looks cowardly. Also odd that he is suspending his campaign when the polls show him behind and he has less money for campaigning. Will be very interesting to see how this plays out!
CeeBee
· 1 year ago
This reminds me of when Carter wouldn't leave the White House to campaign while the hostages were being held at the embassy in Iran. We know how well that strategy worked for him.
ScottHa
· 1 year ago
This IS interesting. I think he's trying to look magnanimous. It's an incredibly clever move.
mike del muro
· 1 year ago
F'n grandstander. Yeah, the economic crisis will not be solved before January. He sees the numbers and is regrouping.
Shannon Ahern
· 1 year ago
Not to be alarmist, but it's almost too late to be alarmist, really. It seems to me we are on the road to "civil unrest" over the Great Depression 2.0, and suspension of the election is likely a goal of these people.
einarvollset
· 1 year ago
CNN reporting that Obama contacted McCain first.
ShannonA
· 1 year ago
Not to be alarmist, but it's almost too late to be alarmist anyway, at this point. It seems to me that claiming "civil unrest" followed by suspension of the election is the goal here.
mathewballard
· 1 year ago
What I posted on Twitter: McCain is suspending his campaign. I hope Obama will do the same. As right now, figuring out what to do about the economy is #1 priority.
I'm glad to see that congress is taking this seriously.
einarvollset
· 1 year ago
Puuuuuuleeeaaaase.
einarvollset
· 1 year ago
Sorry. That was immature. But it stands.
aarchitect
· 1 year ago
Does he think this crisis can be "resolved" in a weekend or is he just giving up? I thought the Republicans think that national security is centered on the "war on terror /islamic extremists /shiite insurgents/ taliban/ Al-Qaeda"? It's looking to me more like a ploy to press Congress to agree to Bush & Paulsen's plan with looking at the consequences or options. A quick resolution helps Bush, but it helps McCain more.
I hope Obama doesn't fall for it. It is really just another distraction from the real news that McCain is really in bed with the perpetrators of this disaster.
Theo Bell
· 1 year ago
I agree with ShannonA. Also, this seems to be a ploy to "one up" the Obama campaign as to say "look at me, look what I am doing." What a McShame.
pete
· 1 year ago
It's an empty, arrogant gesture. By inviting Obama to join him, he's just trying to disassociate himself from Bush and distract Obama. A presidential candidate doesn't get to decide that fixing the economy is more important than keeping to the election schedule. Also let's not forget all the other Dems and GOPs on the Hill who have a little more time on their hands to work on this than McCain does. He will be seen as being afraid of the debates and making undecided voters wait.
andyswan
· 1 year ago
Puts Obama in a corner and *appears* the leader. Smart move and for some reason I believe its authenticity as well.
Now hopefully they don't put Gov't in charge of anymore financial institutions and we'll be OK
einarvollset
· 1 year ago
I call BS on this. He's loosing, he knows it so he's throwing another Hail Sarah.
einarvollset
· 1 year ago
Rep Joe Barton (R-Texas) saying "Paulson bill dead on arrival" and that "this will take weeks". Does that mean McCain is gonna suspend until after November? Didn't think so. McCain shoots from the hip again. Dolt.
andyswan
· 1 year ago
Control the news cycle. Control the message. BE the president.
From this point forward, the "economic focus" label belongs to McCain, as even CNN will have to use his name, "focus on economy" and "suspend campaign (politics)" in its headlines...unless Obama is deft enough to claim a stake in this movement ASAP and "follow the leader"
Greg
· 1 year ago
That some pretty wishful (and delusional) thinking.
Until McCain goes back to campaigning before the economic crisis is solved.
Chris
· 1 year ago
Until McCain shows up at the debate and resumes campaigning before the economic crisis is solved.
BillKosMD
· 1 year ago
White House acknowledges that it could use McCain and Obama's help, via Dana Perrino.
Anonymous Fraud Fighter
· 1 year ago
I think very telling. Mr. McCain--and Mr. Obama--were both elected to terms that do not expire until January of 2011, and both have been ignoring their elected duties for the last 18 months to pursue higher office. Where were they over the last 18 months, and why do the 90 minutes it takes to debate matter so much?
This is nothing more than a stunt by McCain, in my opinion (in other words, that's how I react to it myself).
If he really cared--and the same goes for Obama--he would have led by example... by doing the work he was elected to do in the first place.
Sorry, but the notion that 90 minutes of his time is now not available to debate is absolutely absurd. Both of these guys should be ready to debate on a moments notice. If you think for second that McCain’s handlers didn’t play this scenario out last Friday, and then privately poll on it, you’re nuts.
You want to be President of the United States, you debate anytime, anywhere, anyhow. You want my vote, you drop your handlers, roll up your sleeves, and tell me what you really think and are going to do once you’re elected.
andyswan
· 1 year ago
"Obama was trying to work out an agreement between the campaigns privately when McCain decided to go public."
Diplomacy in action!
vruz
· 1 year ago
this is VERY BAD news.
anything that delays the normal procedure of democracy is BAD NEWS.
let's hope for the best.
nielsteunis
· 1 year ago
Yes, Obama called McCain first, and McCain didn't want to let Obama have the bipartisan leadership mantle. So he one-upped him. The real question is what McCain will say to his Republican colleagues who are now denounced a bail out and are less likely to help find a solution. Will he get ahead of them and make them turn around. What exactly is going to accomplish here? If he cannot persuade the Republicans to rally around a solution—and they are not very likely at this point—than his leadership credentials will be destroyed.
soobie
· 1 year ago
This is a ploy from McCain camp. They certainly could do the debate but he is running scared. Republican party depending on stunts now.
James Burgos
· 1 year ago
It's sounds like the right thing to do, but it stinks of political shrewdness. This bailout reeks of a conspiracy. The whole mess feels like the Bush administration's parting gift to John McCain. How better could they lend an assist to his campaign and simultaneously proliferate their agenda than by pulling out the economic equivalent of Osama Bin Laden's head on plate?
I don't claim to know dick about the economy, but it doesn't take an economist to understand that handing over a bazillion dollars, with or without oversight, to the same bastards that got us in this mess, would be a blunder of Faustian proportions—the likes of which our country may never recover from.
John McCain is an opportunist, that's all there is to it. He is a politician, this is an election, he's down in the polls, what else can he do. Like his choice of Palin for VP, suspending his campaign is a shrewd but brilliant move. But guess what, our country and our government is capable of multi-tasking. The business of the people must proceed uninterrupted.
Nonetheless, the pieces appear to be falling into place. The bailout proposal, the congressional hearings, McCain's suspended campaign, Bush's address to the nation, and what appears to be the inevitable vote to approve the bailout, will go down in history as the moment that the evil-doer's pulled the rug from under the American people's feet once and for all.
I'm just saying.
Beutelevision
· 1 year ago
Think about all the debate watch parties organized by Obama's team that would be disrupted...
dhmspector
· 1 year ago
You missed the obvious: this was a ploy to get the utterly explosive fact that his campaign manager, Rick Davis, was receiving $15,000/month in a no-work lobbying deal off the front pages. A deal that looks like -- from the reporting done by Newsweek -- a clear case of influence peddling...
THAT"S the reason he pulled this stunt -- no other.
Theo Bell
· 1 year ago
Excellent point and I did miss it!
Steve Mays
· 1 year ago
Will there ever be a better excuse for calling off ("postponing") the general election?
variablizer
· 1 year ago
Tweet: Obama campaign should suggest a town hall-style debate in WaRshington DC, Friday night. Topic: The economic crisis.
"If I can be helpful, I can be anywhere, anytime."
Beutelevision
· 1 year ago
In the press conference, Obama's answers were direct and concise. Looks like he will do well in the debates.
Jeremy Hartley
· 1 year ago
My Theory is that McCain is simply doing this as a ploy. My reasons are simple. Ever since about midday European time Huffington Post was leading with the story about McCain's Campaign Manager taking $15k a month from Freddie Mac up until last month, even though McCain had just claimed otherwise. This was clearly a nightmare scenario for McCain. And then suddenly this story has been removed from sight and all eyes are on this McCain withdrawal from debates etc.
It's a political ploy that's all it is, and it's about controlling the news cycle. Same as when they announced Palin.
sferris
· 1 year ago
Stupid McCain ploy. He hasn't shown up in Congress for months on any votes. Now he's going to fly to back to Capitol Hill and tell everyone what they need to do when he hasn't played any direct role in the negotiations to date. John McCain has simply demonstrated today why he's unsuited for the presidency.
My guess is the public will see through this gimmick. Obama has called McCain's bluff. It will be interesting to see if McCain goes through with the debate.
What if they threw a debate and Obama showed up alone? That would be some riveting television. I'm not sure whether or not it would run afoul of the equal time rule because McCain would have had the opportunity to get his time, but turned it down.
This is crisis campaigning from McCain. His competitiveness is in crisis, not the bailout legislation. If anything, McCain's presence (and the urgency of his need to get back on the campaign trail) will lend undue haste and slop to a debate that needs to be careful, protracted, and nonpartisan.
That is, if you believe the crisis mongers in the White House, Treasury, and the Fed. They have cried "wolf at the door" too many times for me. Like Dave has said earlier, we can't trust them to fix things for our benefit...
einarvollset
· 1 year ago
..and the other shoe drops: VP debates to be "rescheduled" to some "yet to be determined" date:
Clearly, this is cheap gamesmanship from a man who does not want to be judged by the American people in a debate at just the time when he is being perceived, accurately, as ill-equipped to discuss or even understand the economy (which is bound to come up, even though Friday's debate is ostensibly about foreign policy).
McCain is also trying to imply that he, John S. McCain, is vital to our economic future while Obama is a side player. But of course he is NOT a vital player in these negotations -- in fact, with Phil Gramm as his chief economic advisor, he's one of the last people who should be involved. And none of the people who ARE essential to these talks is affected by the debate schedule in the slightest.
(what does "suspending a campaign" look like, anyway? Cancelled public appearances, perhaps, but his ads and his surrogates will still be out there.)
McCain is pandering to the same people who think he's a populist regulation advocate (i.e., low-information conservatives) and hoping to come out as a shining patriot. I think the public and the press are seeing through his "Country First" games and will realize what a desperate ploy this really is.
Greg
· 1 year ago
The public is more cynical on the economy with each passing day. People will see McCain's move for the political ploy it is. Who really thinks that McCain in DC will help matters?
Judy C
· 1 year ago
I think this is bullshit - his numbers are dropping, he is foundering on the campaign trail and Palin is useless unless it is a photo op. My guess is his health is failing. He has not been able to communicate clearly on the campaign even in the most controlled situations.
badcowboy
· 1 year ago
How can he be president if he can not multitask and deal with multiple issues and events at once. I would highly suggest that if he needs to be in Washington that he send his number 2 (Sarah Palin) in to debate in his place - she should be ready to step into the president's shoes in a moments notice.
mahboud
· 1 year ago
Why is McCain worried? The Fundamentals don't need him to be strong.
midnightcheese
· 1 year ago
Not to jump the gun, but this sounds like a disaster just waiting to happen for our democracy. Next you'll have pressure coming down on Obama to suspend his campaign as well. What happens if the economic situation still isn't 'resolved' in November? This would be 100 times worse than Florida was in 2000.
im4gadgets
· 1 year ago
<< trying to decide which is a bigger stunt; McCain delaying the debate or this blog talking about it.. ;-)
BillKosMD
· 1 year ago
Now, they're reporting that Obama called McCain first about issuing a bipartisan statement.
All Comments
jim Forbes
This is a big deal.
McCain can hold off on his debate, act on the crisis and come out looking decisive for the American public's best interests.
I'm glad to see that congress is taking this seriously.
I hope Obama doesn't fall for it. It is really just another distraction from the real news that McCain is really in bed with the perpetrators of this disaster.
Now hopefully they don't put Gov't in charge of anymore financial institutions and we'll be OK
From this point forward, the "economic focus" label belongs to McCain, as even CNN will have to use his name, "focus on economy" and "suspend campaign (politics)" in its headlines...unless Obama is deft enough to claim a stake in this movement ASAP and "follow the leader"
This is nothing more than a stunt by McCain, in my opinion (in other words, that's how I react to it myself).
If he really cared--and the same goes for Obama--he would have led by example... by doing the work he was elected to do in the first place.
Sorry, but the notion that 90 minutes of his time is now not available to debate is absolutely absurd. Both of these guys should be ready to debate on a moments notice. If you think for second that McCain’s handlers didn’t play this scenario out last Friday, and then privately poll on it, you’re nuts.
You want to be President of the United States, you debate anytime, anywhere, anyhow. You want my vote, you drop your handlers, roll up your sleeves, and tell me what you really think and are going to do once you’re elected.
Diplomacy in action!
anything that delays the normal procedure of democracy is BAD NEWS.
let's hope for the best.
I don't claim to know dick about the economy, but it doesn't take an economist to understand that handing over a bazillion dollars, with or without oversight, to the same bastards that got us in this mess, would be a blunder of Faustian proportions—the likes of which our country may never recover from.
John McCain is an opportunist, that's all there is to it. He is a politician, this is an election, he's down in the polls, what else can he do. Like his choice of Palin for VP, suspending his campaign is a shrewd but brilliant move. But guess what, our country and our government is capable of multi-tasking. The business of the people must proceed uninterrupted.
Nonetheless, the pieces appear to be falling into place. The bailout proposal, the congressional hearings, McCain's suspended campaign, Bush's address to the nation, and what appears to be the inevitable vote to approve the bailout, will go down in history as the moment that the evil-doer's pulled the rug from under the American people's feet once and for all.
I'm just saying.
THAT"S the reason he pulled this stunt -- no other.
http://twitter.com/variablizer/statuses/933484338
It's a political ploy that's all it is, and it's about controlling the news cycle. Same as when they announced Palin.
My guess is the public will see through this gimmick. Obama has called McCain's bluff. It will be interesting to see if McCain goes through with the debate.
He's missed more Senate votes than ANY other senator. Now he has to get back because his vote matters...RIiiight...
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110...
This is crisis campaigning from McCain. His competitiveness is in crisis, not the bailout legislation. If anything, McCain's presence (and the urgency of his need to get back on the campaign trail) will lend undue haste and slop to a debate that needs to be careful, protracted, and nonpartisan.
That is, if you believe the crisis mongers in the White House, Treasury, and the Fed. They have cried "wolf at the door" too many times for me. Like Dave has said earlier, we can't trust them to fix things for our benefit...
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/24...
No I totally agree, I mean, christ, why does she need to debate at all? She doesn't speak to the press..
McCain is also trying to imply that he, John S. McCain, is vital to our economic future while Obama is a side player. But of course he is NOT a vital player in these negotations -- in fact, with Phil Gramm as his chief economic advisor, he's one of the last people who should be involved. And none of the people who ARE essential to these talks is affected by the debate schedule in the slightest.
(what does "suspending a campaign" look like, anyway? Cancelled public appearances, perhaps, but his ads and his surrogates will still be out there.)
McCain is pandering to the same people who think he's a populist regulation advocate (i.e., low-information conservatives) and hoping to come out as a shining patriot. I think the public and the press are seeing through his "Country First" games and will realize what a desperate ploy this really is.