(Jake Turcotte)
Did John McCain throw the ultimate Hail-Mary?
By Jimmy Orr | 09.24.08
Call it what you will. Brilliant. A ploy. Patriotic. Gimmicky. All describe John McCain’s announcement to suspend his campaign and put the debate on hold in light of the nation’s financial crisis. Or in light of his campaign’s crisis — depending on your point of view.
The one thing that John McCain did today with this action is change the conversation.
It sure wasn’t going in his direction anyway. Poll numbers have dipped. The public is blaming the GOP for the financial meltdown. Questions about Sarah Palin being shielded from the press have turned in to rants from reporters for access. Tonight’s sneak preview of Palin’s interview with Katie Couric wasn’t all-star material. And McCain couldn’t get his campaign manager extracted from the Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac disaster.
Not even Biden
Media buys weren’t doing it. New initiatives and announcements weren’t doing it. Attacks on his opponent weren’t doing it. Even a treasure trove of Joe Biden gaffes couldn’t do it.
In one week Biden said his helicopter was forced down over Afghanistan — not due to hostile action but because of snow (he forgot to mention that). He also said that Franklin Delano Roosevelt went on TV back in 1929 to discuss the stock market crash (uh, no TV back then) and that he and Obama were not for clean coal (oops, Obama is for clean coal).
The offshoot of these gift-wrapped foibles? Nada. Zero. Snoozeville.
Let’s get radical
Nothing was getting through. Time to change the channel.
How about thinking outside of the playbook? What could be wacky enough to work? At this late stage in the game — how about suspending the campaign? It sounds crazy enough. And that’s what was done. Suspend the campaign. Cancel Letterman (he was to appear tonight). Head back to Washington. Get to work. “Country first.”
Whether or not it’s a ploy — it all depends on your point of view. David Letterman thinks it “smells.”
“This is not the John McCain I know, by God,” Letterman told his audience after the last-minute cancellation. “It makes me believe that something is going haywire with the campaign. I don’t know. Somebody’s gotten to him and somebody said, “You know what, blow Letterman off. He’s a lightweight.””
The debate may still go on. It depends on what happens tomorrow.
Hail Mary
This just may be John McCain’s third Hail Mary in two months. The Paris Hilton commercial (casting Obama a Hollywood celeb) was called a Hail Mary. The selection of Sarah Palin was called a Hail Mary. And both of these events were greeted by skepticism before they were called astute — at least by many pundits.
More importantly they accomplished the goal of changing the conversation.
McCain was able to go on offense after the Hilton commercial. All the talk turned into Obama being a celebrity and “was he ready to lead?”
By selecting Sarah Palin, any hope of an extended post-convention Obama love-fest was derailed.
Both moves were game-changers.
And now, suspending the campaign and nixxing the debate may be the ultimate one.
President Bush
The whole thing gets even more interesting. In a news conference this afternoon to announce the suspension of his campaign, McCain said the President needed to reach out to both candidates.
“I am calling on the president to convene a meeting with the leadership of both houses of Congress, including Sen. Obama and myself,” said McCain. “It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem.”
The Obama campaign announced tonight that the President had indeed called the Democratic nominee and invited him to a meeting tomorrow. Obama couldn’t turn it down.
“Senator Obama has been working all week with leaders in Congress, Secretary Paulson ,and Chairman Bernanke to improve this proposal, and he has said that he will continue to work in a bipartisan spirit and do whatever is necessary to come up with a final solution,” Obama spokesman Bill Burton said.
Obama had to go. And Obama, through Burton, reiterated his call that the debate go on tomorrow night. But it does look like he’s following John McCain.
End result? As the late, great Tim Russert would say, “It’s too early to call.”
<< Biden slams McCain on national security (stays on message) | MainComments
2. Cindy | 09.24.08
McCain is afraid. He’s a lousy at debating and Palin is unprepared. They should go on with the debates. Grow at set…both of you (McCain/Palin) The show must go on….
3. treetracker | 09.24.08
The next thing McCain will do is take credit for everybody coming to a deal. Doesn’t matter that the deal will be almost done before he arrives. If he gets elected, I sure hope he’ll be able to multi-task, ’cause it doesn’t appear now that he is capable of that. Oh, I forgot, he is still able to change his message in the same day…does that count as multi-tasking? LOL
4. My 1 Cent | 09.24.08
McCain quotes of 2008.
“I don’t believe we are headed for a recession”.
“The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should, but I’ve got Greenspan’s book”.
“I believe the fundamentals of this country are strong & I believe they will remain strong”.
John McCain admitted he “doesn’t really understand economics” and then pointed to his adviser and former Senate colleague, Phil Gramm - whom he had brought with him to the meeting - as the expert he turns to on the subject.
What is he GOING TO DO in Washington to help this economic disaster?
6. Judi | 09.24.08
Frankly, it’s disgusting. This man will stoop to anything to win the election. What a turkey!
7. Tom H. | 09.24.08
I wonder if by suspending “his campaign” that includes the RNC ads and all of the various proxy groups that make up the majority of his real campaign. For those that aren’t aware, McCain is basically getting around all of the “campaign finance reform” that he’s such a big fan of by using these loopholes. His campaign is actually just as big as Senator Obama’s, except that he’s getting the $85M in taxpayer funds as well. So, if Senator Obama shut down his campaign he would have nothing out there, while McCain would actually be giving up almost nothing.
I also found it amusing (if it weren’t so sad) that McCain’s campaign just so happened to suggest that it should be postponed to the night of the VP debate. Apparently they found out that Palin is much less prepared than they even imagined and they hope to get rid of the VP debate to hide it or at the very least buy her some time to prepare a little more.
8. Jon B | 09.24.08
This is pathetic.
McCain is a gambler. His decision making is suspect, he takes too many gamble for my liking. McCain will gamble with our futures if he is president.
9. Col Joseph Bento US ARMY RET | 09.24.08
Game Changers? Nah more like the next knee jerk run away from your problem move from Senator Mc Same. His puppet masters Rove, Schmidt, and Davis not letting his last knee jerk decision out of a cocoon because they are afraid of what she might say now they don’t want him to stand next to a man with a better temperament on national TV this Friday. Like Senator Obama said now is the time to get to look at who we are going to pick to clean up this latest mess brought to you by the George W. Bush Republican years.
10. pawprints | 09.24.08
Lousy at debating? I don’t THINK so. The only thing Obama does better is read from teleprompters. If you want someone who can think on his feet, you want Senator John McCain. THe debates will come, and we shall see. It doesn’t matter if they start Friday or next week.
11. Andrew O | 09.24.08
Unfortunately for the AMERICAN PEOPLE, this crisis is happening in the middle of a presidential election campaign, which mean that resolving the problem gets obscured in the midsts of both sides jockeying for position and trying to get the upper hand. The Obama campaign knows very well that if its candidate had proposed the exact same thing - it would have been VISIONARY, RESPONSIBILE, STATESMANLIKE AND TRULY REFLECTIVE OF HIS LEADERSHIP QUALITIES AND BIPARTISAN NATURE.
For once, the politicians, media and bloggers should just shut up, listen and stop to think. I’m not a big fan of former President Bill Clinton, but since leaving office there have been many moments when he has made me proud. Today in his interview with Larry King (taped yesterday), he showed the kind of level-headedness that has been sorely missing from most of the political spin and analysis. Regarding the present financial crisis he said:
“First of all, we should all be humble here. No one knows for sure what all the answers are. No one knows for sure what is going to work. No one knows for sure whether any of us who were in positions of responsibilities in the past could have done something we didn’t do to change the outcome of this.”
Bill Clinton knows that the crisis has been slowly building from the time of his administration. The mess we’re in is a bi-partisan mess. It is happening on a Republican administration watch, but has Democratic Party fingerprints and DNA all over it.
Whomever you are supporting in the present presidential campaign… don’t look for the one who is pointing his finger. Look for the one who is able to acknowledge his own party’s contribution to the present crisis. If your candidate is unable to tell the truth now, he will not tell you the truth when he is in office either.
12. Jim Price | 09.24.08
To Stanton Rabin : are you just stupid or just plain ignorant.Sounds like
you have issues with your father.Are you completly unaware of the financial
crisis that America is facing right now ? Get A lIFE !! I am sure the first
debate can wait until Congress can fix this problem. Obama should have his
butt in DC as well.
13. Jill | 09.24.08
I think it was great that McCain wanted to help get a deal brokered on the bailout. It’s only one of the greatest challenges our country has faced!! Come on, wake up!! What’s more important? A debate, which can be rescheduled, or making sure this bailout plan is a good one and gets passed quickly?! “The show must go on” comment is funny because that’s what presidential debates usually are, a “show”. Fixing this economic mess is much more important , it’s reality and it’s going to affect every American.
15. Dillon West | 09.24.08
It’s weird how John McCain’s presence is suddenly needed to fix the economy. Yeah, the economy about which he doesn’t really know as much as he should… Perhaps he needs Obama to help him out with some knowledge?
It will be interesting to watch what the guy with “zero exective experience” and the guy who doesn’t know as much as he should will achieve. Admittedly, saving those 700 billion bucks, equalling twice the entire federal budget of Germany, would be well worth suspending their campaigns.
16. Kali | 09.24.08
Even the people who think what McCain did was brilliant KNOW it was a ploy. Some are too disingenuous to admit it.
McCain is not on the Senate Committee working through this issue. He had not even read the proposal as of yesterday. He had not spoken to the top leaders on the Senate Committee. McCain is grandstanding for a photo op.
He had time to meet with wealthy donors, he had time to chat with Katie Couric, he has time to go to Bill Clinton’s party the CGI, but he can’t spare 90 minutes to debate? He went nearly a month without a press conference. He will not allow access to his VP pick. This is a man with seriously questionable priorities. This is a man who is demonstrating inability to handle the multiple priorities the job of Commander-in-Chief demands.
Of course, he proposes to delay the VP debates…. So the silent film star Palin is kept “on ice”.
From “the fundamentals of the economy are strong” a week ago to “FIRE! FIRE! STOP! DROP! ROLL!” What changed, besides his own poll numbers?
17. Hank | 09.24.08
and osama..i mean Obama is such a great debater who sounds great only in front of a teleprompter, a person who only mimics the ideas of others
18. NinaK | 09.24.08
McCain is playing political games as usual. Perhaps McCain is not prepared for the much anticipated debate and is using the bailout as an excuse not to be there. McCain does not seem to have the capacity to think rationally and is totally untrustworthy. The past two weeks have been very bad for him because of HIS OWN gaffes and inconsistencies on the economy. McCain is merely trying to gain polical points. At this juncture in the campaign is is foolish for him to make rash decisions…more and more people are seeing McCain for who and what he is and it is not pleasant. As Senator Obama wisely stated, a president’s job is to be able to work different issues at the same time or at once. A president cannot drop all other issues to focus on only one. This kind of thinking on McCain’s part shows he is incapable of handling more than one issue at a time!! A good typist is one who can continue to type her manuscript while at the same answering the phone and answering the caller’s questions and answering coworkers’ inquiries. McCain does not seem to have these capabilities. As we all know, there are many times in our lives when we must do multiple things at the same time. We, moms, are great at this!! If McCain can only handle ONE thing at any given time, he will never get anything done in Washington….perhaps that has been one of his major problems during his nearly 30 years in Washington, as he hs accomplished little. Some people call this “tunnel vision” and “narrow vision”, and the inability to look beyond your own little box.
19. Ric | 09.24.08
OK, so everyone decide, what is more important, the campaign and politics or the economy and getting this bailout right the first time.
Like it or not, Bush was right in calling both candidates to meet with him and Congressional representatives at the Whitehouse. Since the eventual winner in this race will be inheriting this economy and the problems that took a decade to come to a head, it is important that they contribute to any future action.
$700 Billion is alot of taxpayer dollars to throw at this problem, a break from campaigning to address this issue is not something a leader should be dragged into, nor be compalining about.
Take the candidates actions and statements as a sign of their ability to prioritize important issues over trivial politics.
20. dan | 09.24.08
The first debate is scheduled to be on foreign policy. So it is nothing short of ignorant for Obama supporters to claim McCain is ducking the debate. Every single poll has consistently shown that Americans realize this is McCain’s strong suit, and Obama’s weakest. Whenever the debate does occur, McCain will bring his A game, and Obama will bring a speech. I don’t see why Obama supporters are in such a hurry to have their candidate embarrass himself. This is one area where the answers really are above his pay grade.
I suspect the only reason Obama insists on having the debate now instead of after a bailout plan is put in place, is he needs the bailout discussions to consume the news cycle immediately following his poor performance in the debate.
21. tue ton | 09.24.08
I’m confused. Correct? the eloquent senator falls in trouble when the teleprompter doesn’t work? During the primary, Obama refused debate request from HRC. McCain suggests a lot of debate. I took liberty to disagree with Cindy #2 in her saying that McCain is afraid. McCain may know better than Obama about the money jolt; three years ago his attempt to prevent the financial upheaval were block by Sen Reid and Dodds. Some one (Mr Fowler?)was very happy with Gustav the Storm that delayed the GOP Convention but it turned out to be very successful. Mc Cain now postpones his campaign to deal with the crisis, who know it may helps him with another luck?
22. Hacky | 09.24.08
John McCain lied to Letterman. He told Letterman personally that the economic crisis was so important that he needed to cancel his show appearance to get on a plane to DC. Then he headed over to Katie Couric’s CBS studio and did a taping with her *AT THE SAME TIME* they were taping Letterman. He claimed to be heading to DC when in reality he was 3 blocks away taping a photo-op to make him look like an economic leader. Needless to say, Letterman was not amused by being lied to and getting ditched by McCain:
23. Jordan | 09.24.08
You know…..This whole economy thing is hitting everyone hard… And it seems to me that the presidential candidates getting together to get there economic plans and policies out would be one of the top agendas….At least I’ve heard what Obama will do, at least hes willing to talk about it…I was really curious about what McCain’s plans were but no he dodged that…. The only thing he can do right now is vote, and that would not have interfered with the debate…. One of these men are going to be president in about 40 days…. If he thinks he can just get by and avoid discussing the economy and still get elected than hes got another thing coming…….. Oh, and one more thing….To the person who called Obama “Osama”…..Seriously…..His name rhymes with another name and thats his fault? Don’t like him? Thats fine….But comparing him to one of the worlds worst criminals…..Is just pathetic….
24. truth | 09.24.08
McCain is afraid. Period. We see through this John, Why don’t you talk to your veep about the issues get her input and come up with a plan?
Oh yeah that’s right she has no experience to deal with these types of issues. Hmm I guess your screwed…. You can run but you can’t hide…..
25. Campbell | 09.24.08
Obama is refusing to delay Friday’s debate to discuss “foreign affairs” no less. McCain challenged Obama to ten debates and he refused them all. Its seems that for Obama a single debate is more important than the future of America. Perhaps Obama should debate himself in a Senate stall instead. The American people want action out of Washington not more talk. There is a stalemate in Washington and Obama and the media want to play politics instead of dealing with this very serious financial situation that will affect the future of every American. You can debate politics anytime but the American people want solutions now, not six months from now. McCain knows what his priorities are but it is becoming obvious to all America that Obama is more concerned about himself and his politics then about the future of America.
26. andyt | 09.25.08
Another campaign tactic. Contrary to what he would have you believe, McCain being in Washington would not help matters. The discussions have already been going on and a deal is close…McCain just wanted to be the one who magically made it happen. This is classic Karl Rove/Steve Schmidt strategy. When the conversation is not in your favor, change it with a spectacle (Celebrity — Berlin, Palin — Post DNC Analysis of Obama’s speech, Suspend Campaign — sliding in the polls because of bad reading of market conditions). Want to tell lies? Simple, paint the media as biased first, then fire away with impunity, and fire often for message retention, does not matter if you are challenged, repetition results in retention. I am sorry to say this, but those of you who believe that this is a genuine gesture of urgency are only falling, like in the previous elections for the same old tricks.
What could he be after?
1. Stop the sliding polls with a surprise moment, change the conversation - just watch the polls tomorrow. Schmidt has a strong understanding of the dynamics of crowd perceptions and these tactics have worked in the past.
2. Take credit for ’speeding up’ a bill that is already so close to being passed. Could be painted as his initiative that led to bipartisan agreement.
3. Go into debates with him having PUBLICLY taken the initiative on the bailout, again, might leave voters sympathetic as Obama takes him down
4. Postpone, then eventually cancel the Palin-Biden debate because she is grossly unprepared - (low likelihood)
The ultimate question is not McCain’s judgement, but McCain’s motivations. His getting involved right now in this process has actually delayed things in congress around this deal which was close to fruition. Him injecting presidential politics will only make things worse as the world sees America as unable to get our act together with competing messages, and confidence spirals further.
(And to the poster Hank, actually it is John McCain who has been stealing from Obama’s book - the anti lobbyist position, the change message, using the internet for transparency on the bailouts (stolen from Obama’s blueprint’s section on government transparency), and the directives he eventually adopted after Obama announced his. In fact, even Bush has begun taking actions that Obama prescribed from Syria, to Pakistan, to Iraq withdrawal timetable. I just wanted to let you know the facts so you can make an informed decision)
27. HawkinCA | 09.25.08
McCain is obviously trying to score political points. The deal is almost done already. All of these highly informed officials have been working on this for almost a week and in swoops John McCain to save the day. Give me a break. He’s trying to save his campaign and it isn’t going to work. If he really cared about America first rather than himself he would have stayed away. Instead he potentially jeopardizes this deal getting done in as fast a manner as it needs to be due to his presence. It’s time to throw the Republicans out and see what the other guys can do. Our economy is screaming for it.
28. Johnathan | 09.25.08
I am a Liberal, McCain just lost my vote! Obama, welcome to the White House.
29. Your Government | 09.25.08
Quick America! Be Afraid!
The economy, which was up to now going “real strong”, has now suddenly become “a looming disaster”. In fact, this crisis is too huge to point fingers, assign blame or even ask how we got here. All we know is that NOW is the time to rush through legislation to FIX IT. What’s required to fix it? Can’t believe you’re wasting more time asking! But, if you insist, about 1trillion US dollars, devaluation of your currency, more freedoms constitutional rights and a few other things - that you won’t be allowed to find out about until much, much later.
Remember - the important thing here is to BE AFRAID!
30. Mike | 09.25.08
Obama will look great on an empty stage explaining to the world how it so presidential to sit on the sidelines and avoid making a decision on perhaps the most important piece of legislation since 1929, so that he can criticize those who actually participated in trying to rescue the American economy. Don’t you get it? Leadership and Barack Obama are mutually exclusive.
31. richard | 09.25.08
refering to Obama as Osama just makes someone look uneducated and outside reason. There’s no reasoning with someone who so clearly could care less about facts and is more concerned about taking childish jabs at a candidate. Since there’s no logic to equating Obama to Osama it provides evidence that the real underlying ethos is racism.
32. Patrick | 09.25.08
Way to cut and run from a debate and grandstand as Washington insider … I suppose it does change what people are talking about. If you insist your campaign manager who runs a lobbying firm taking $30K a month from Freddie-Mac to stop regulation, and the next day had to concede that he was still taking $15k a month from Freddie until last month, but that he was doing no work for it except apparently buying favor from McCain - I suppose you will make whatever petulant rash reactions you want and fail to honor your commitments along the way to change the discussion. I say if McCain feels unable to carry out his duties as a presidential candidate, then let his rushed rash VP pick show she is ready to step in and debate Biden this Friday.
33. Sean | 09.25.08
Yes it’s a ploy. A petty gambit. But it’s going to work. People are stupid. The public will eat it up. McCain will win the election because he is dishonest.
34. Rita | 09.25.08
Someone should tell Senator McCain that the ability to multitask is a key job requirement for the President of the United States.
35. Donald R | 09.25.08
I see no reason why the debate can’t go on as scheduled without preventing or even delaying a solution to the financial mess.
Last I checked there was a president, a treasury secretary, a fed chairman, over 500 members of Congress besides McCain and Obama, and any number of other finance experts. If that huge posse of capable people can’t let go of McCain and Obama for a half a day to let them hold the debate the country has been waiting for, something is wrong.
This is just so silly. Why is McCain hiding himself (not to mention his running mate Caribou Barbie) from the people of America? If you are all you’re cracked up to be, Sen. McCain, then be a man and figure out how to meet the challenge of two things at once.
I don’t see Sen. Obama backing down, or his running mate hiding from the press.
36. winnie47 | 09.25.08
mccain is off his rocker. he has been frazzled erratic and just plain weird for months.
37. Sara | 09.25.08
I don’t understand why McCain wants to bailout on the debate just two days before it’s been schedule. I don’t understand why he didn’t do this on Monday instead maybe because he’s behind in the polls. Well only GOD knows why.
38. JacobZberg | 09.25.08
This makes me sick, our political process is a joke and we the people are taking the brunt of it. This shows great weakness on his part, absolutely sick. I was a former registered republican, but now I’m an independent, but after this facade I now know who the better leader of the two is. He’s absolutely unpredictable, he’s not stable. What’s going on in his head? I can’t in my heart give him my vote if he has a knee-jerk reaction in him. You blew your vote with me Mr. McCain, thanks for making my decision easier. The world doesn’t stop, this is why you have a VP and Lord knows how much experience she has in economics when she took Wasilla over as Mayor which had ZERO debt and she left it with $20 million plus in debt.
39. KC | 09.25.08
All I can say is that John McCain is a scrappy old fox. Too bad, the American people are smarter enough to figure this one out, except of course our die-hard repubnlicans friends who are either pretending that the earth is flat or way too ignorant to figure out that it is round.
41. Chris | 09.25.08
“and osama..i mean Obama is such a great debater who sounds great only in front of a teleprompter, a person who only mimics the ideas of others”
And the followers of Mcsame…..I mean mccain can’t come up with anything more intelligent to say than point out the similarity of obama and osama. This cheap political stunt is easily seen though. Mcsame’s I mean.
42. luxou812 | 09.25.08
Since when is Tim Russert considered great? The beloved departed was a drum-beater for war and a corporate softball pitcher. So this article is saying that these gimmicks show some sort of brilliance on McCain’s part? Only Russert would let that go unchallenged.
43. Ted | 09.25.08
The Obama “teleprompter” nonsense is approximately as accurate as the Muslim thing. It’s a preemptive strike–attack Obama’s eloquence before it becomes too lauded. An old page out of the Bush doctrine.
44. Tommy Paine | 09.25.08
McCain’s lame ’suspension’ of his campaign on the eve of a debate with a smarter, better informed, younger opponent, can only be interpreted as this ‘war hero’ chickening out. I can’t see an honest bone in his body.
46. david | 09.25.08
if you have the time watch a movie called “head of state” and you will see some amazing insight into politics and the writers foresight into the absurd world of what we call our goverment. we elect people based on popularity not ability, we choose based on their color or sex not their credentials we are swayed by a media who couldnt give a damn about this country cause we sold them to foreign investors years ago. we allowed a”free market ” then had a fire sale on our business’s . this is worse then the great collapse and depression you morons . We sold our country to the rest of the world and they want their money-NOW! folks we just lost the war and the rats are running scared.the rules were in place to keep this from happening and we let the rats change the rules -time to go after those that sold us all out !
47. Eli | 09.25.08
You want to help the American people Mr. McCain, go to Washington that DAy, do your work and then meet at 9pm, to tell the American people in a debate exactly what you’ve done. I WANT THIS DEBATE JOHN MCCAIN. You think you’re switching the conversation, you think you’re gonna buy yourself some time, WELL TIME IS RUNNING OUT, you can RUN but you can’t HIDE from the fact that you ultimately have to answer to us, the voters, and what your peddling, not as convincing as it was just 24 hours ago. I am proud to say, yesterday i was a republican, but not today, not right now, not unless you meet Mr. Obama on the stage on Friday night and earn my vote. Which you had until this knuckleheaded move old man.
48. Mickey in San Francisco | 09.25.08
McCain can and will run circles around BO during the debates. “Senor Change” is an empty suit who’s shifted from the far left to the past-the-middle right during the campaign. He has an avaricious lust for power. Editor of the Harvard Law Review yet never published a single article prior to his appointment! Same thing when he served in the legislature. I’m liking McCain more and more. Frankly, he’s showing the kind of fighting spirit and strategic originality which our next leader will need in the conclusive struggle against the Global Jihad.
49. CenturionMk5-2 | 09.25.08
Well as seen in the light of the whiplash causing course reversals by McCain on the topic of the US economy I seriously wonder about what constructive contribution the gentleman from Arizona can hope to deliver.
Besides that, in a president we hope to find the capability of dealing with more than one problem at the same time (Listening here, Mr.Bush?????).
This is just another desperate gimmick with which McCain hopes divert attention from his own ineptness, lack of grasp and incapabilities.
Instead we see a Mr. Obama (about whom I have in the past been less than sanguine) step up to the plate and shine while displaying more presidential acumen than I expected. In any case he does not appear to be like a deer in the headlights, like Bush was today and he does project the image of having what it takes to lead this country.
Let me put it this way: Today Mr. Obama made me climb off the fence to his side and there’s no way I’m climbing back up.
50. lets think for a minute | 09.25.08
HELLO EVERYONE!
i’d like to propose a vote in this comments section…
this for everyone regardless of political orientation…
Who is for…?
A. Switching the VP debate to take the presidential debates place on Friday
B. Letting Palin stand in for McCain on friday
C. Re-schedule
D. None of the above (submit another idea..)
51. anita rappaport | 09.25.08
i dont think the issue here is whether the debate is more important than the economic crisis. the issue here is why isnt mccain capable of handling multiple demands simultaneously? we dont have unlimited time before the elections. mccain wants to postpone the presidential debate to the date of the VP debate and does not want to offer a date for the VP debate right now. Both the Obama campaign and the Presidential Debate Commission noted that changing the date is not good for Ole Miss who is going to lose millions and that before the elections people need their next potential leaders to share their thoughts and strategies. I for one want to know how they plan to pay for this mess, restructure the economy, and offer health care to all. there is enough technology available now for mccain to be able to work in DC and attend the debate for a couple of hours. Given that McCain has not voted in the Senate since April and also has demonstrated very superficial understanding of the economy, I am not sure exactly what role he can play here to solve the crisis. However, I applaud his urge to be involved which can be done without having to deny the American people the access to him unscripted.
52. David | 09.25.08
I’m guessing McSame will be taking his buddy Phil Gramm along to “fix” this financial mess that THEY were so instrumental in CREATING by pushing through the deregulation…Is anybody besides the comics DAVE and JON calling him on this Sh.t
53. Stupid Liberal | 09.25.08
Obama Can Do NO Wrong!
Republicans Can Do No Right!
They are all politicians #@*#
Get your head out of your butt and look up some facts on their voting records…
Don’t use Obama comercials for your information.
If You Do this YOU can actualy make a informed Choice…
Might be a BIG If…
Not A Liberal Choice.
It’s Worth a Shot..
54. Leo Welnick | 09.25.08
you are hitting pretty low there hank. i think McCain just opened himself up for the K.O.
55. jefflz | 09.25.08
This is the biggest shuck since WMD. Yes there is a crisis on Wall St. It has been there for at at least a year. There is no need to solve this problem in a week - we could take a month. We could come up with six other better ways to do the job. We don’t need the candidates to come up with all the answers by Monday- that is plain Shock and Awe, mushroom cloud scare tactics. McCain is either trying to avoid the VP debate, or he just simply can’t walk and chew gum or he is just plain chicken
56. Stan | 09.25.08
Obama will roast McCain in the debates. You McCain supporters dont need to kid yourselves.
McCain is making excuses now. The Republican ticket is falling apart.
He is just buying time. He is making himself look like a fool at the same time.
Nobody is buying it.
Just one more step to get Obama elected
Obama 08 all the way.
57. Jill Again | 09.25.08
McCain was losing ground big time in the polls, and Palin is being found out to be incapable of intelligent commentary, to match her incredibly lighweight resume. He pulled a stunt, and when he couldn’t get Obama to bite, resorted to having Bush call them both in, avoiding the “empty chair” in the debate site. The financial experts, not the candidates, were closing in on a final compromise. McCain, nor Obama were required, nor would have added anything material, only distraction. As president, Bush’s Treasury Secretary would be keeping him informed, and Bush provided cover by calling them both in. McCain’s not prepared for the economy, the inevitable questions about his campaign manager and still currently lobbyist Rick Davis, and certainly not for a debate with Obama. He’s a coward, showing his true colors, running away as fast as he can. Unfit for command, and not a world leader.
58. Robert | 09.25.08
Hank…What? You think it’s clever to insinuate that Obama is a Muslim? You think it’s clever to insinuate that Obama is somehow linked to bin Laden? Is that all of you have? Come on! What are you afraid of? What exactly do you think would happen if we “did” have a Muslim president? This is not a presidential contest based on race, religion, or gender; it is about who is a more competent leader.
McCain is just afraid because he is behind in polls and is willing to do anything to get ahead. Now he wants to postpone the debates and take over the debate between Palin and Biden. Wow! What a surprise! I guess that would mean that Palin, who has ZERO experience besides running one of the least populated states in the union, would not have to publicly debate Biden. Whew! What a relief!
59. Cynthia | 09.25.08
Staton Rabin,
Great analogy. I think you’re right. McCain is just upset about the polls and using the economy as an excuse to regroup.
61. Laura | 09.25.08
I have been a Republican most of my adult life, but this was a desperate, embarassing, pitiful ploy. If John McCain was so interested in our economy and healthcare and what’s going on in average American’s life, how come he wasn’t in Washington in July to vote on the Medicare reimbursements legislation? Millions of senior citizens in our country were on the verge of having even more limited access to healthcare and John McCain was the only senator not present for the vote. Who did make the effort to be there? Senators Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton (who I’ve never been a great fan of), and Ted Kennedy (another politician that hasn’t traditionally been one of my favorites, but he came during his treatment for his brain tumor, for gosh sakes!).
62. Clarke D | 09.25.08
Anyone who thinks McCain has a clue needs to get a clue. A man with nine houses and 13 cars isn’t going to be able to relate to a single mother working at Wal-Mart for minumum-wage and no health benefits, or a middle-aged man pumping gas at Chevron for minimum-wage and no health benefits. The fundamentals of our economy have not been strong for many years–the rich have become richer, there is no more middle-class, and the poor have been forgotten completely as the result of the type of Republican economic policies that McCain has always supported. Obama, who grew up poor and has done community organizing on the street level does get it. Hopefully Americans will be wise enough to elect him President.
63. Jimbob | 09.25.08
I’ve always been rather conservative on many issues, I’m just a hillbilly from West ByGod Virginia, and many of my kin are still up there and the other half are all in Texas. So I’ve grown up in a less than diverse atmosphere to say the least.I Have definitely changed a lot of my views on a lot of things lately.
In the 90s, I wasn’t that much of a fan of Bill Clinton, I wanted Jerry Brown to win, he had real ideas and proven plans that sounded solid to me, anyway, Clinton won, and I thought he was fairly less than genuine, but I did alright under his watch, and I was pretty ****** when the republicans took over in 94 and started harrassing him constantly and by the time they pulled off that stupid $50M ******* trial I was a fan of his and I wasn’t alone he had 75% approval ratings in the middle of the freakin joke.
Anyway, When the drunken awol cheerleader ran the first time, I looked at his record, and I said to anyone who would listen or not, This guy has run Every company he’s ever touched right into the ground, and walked away rich, that’s just what he’ll do to this country. Well, now you see that this is exactly what has happened. I see McSame promising 4 more years of the same, and I will once again warn, that this guy, will only make it WORSE.
On the other hand, I’ve heard what Obama has to say, and like millions of Americans, his sense of responsibility for his fellow man and his drive to help simple hardworking people, and his calls for individual responsibility from everyone, has stirred REAL PATRIOTISM not fear, in all of us. There is nothing “simple” about it, and he has never once said that it would be easy, but that if we ALL work to bring about change then it will come. YES WE CAN! That, personally, sounded just like “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!”, and as he has said himself, this is not HIS election, this is OUR election! Now is the time for REAL Patriots to stand up, and take our country back from the Liars and Thieves who have robbed it and left it in shambles, and together that’s just what We’ll do.
64. Jilery | 09.25.08
Why is McCain suspending his campaign? Where will the VP Sarah Palin be? She isn’t in the Senate so that can’t be it…Hey if the Quarter Back gets injured they have a back up (hello in this case the VP) so why wouldn’t she continue?
NOT READY to speak yet?
What would happen if McCain had to meet a foreign leader, would he shut down the White House until he got back? SCARY
65. James Grahm | 09.25.08
@Jim Price: Are you a retard? Do you seriously think this financial crisis that has been brewing over the last decade is going to be able to be solved by Congress over the weekend? The 700B bailout is not a solution, its a bandaid, a morphine drip, to carry this boondogle over to the next administration. That’s all. The damage has already been done! Unless they have a PhD in mathmatics and financial derivatives, McInsane and Obama have no real need to go to DC.
Besides, Obama already gave his recommendations over six years ago. If the US had not invaded Iraq back then, we would have saved 400B of top! The US could have used its resources to protect its economy.
You forget Osama’s 9/11 was an attack on our financial empire. And rope-a-dope bush fell for it.
66. James Katt | 09.25.08
John McCain’s headline grabbing move is IMPULSIVE, BIZARRE, WEIRD, and CRAZY.
It befits the type of person McCain is.
He got COLD FEET about debating Obama. His campaign was LOSING STEAM. He was FALLING BEHIND in the polls. Palin was starting to look like a ROOKIE.
So what does he do? He does something BIZARRE.
Can he NOT chew gum and walk at the same time? Is he NOT able to multitask?
Is he showing his AGE?
MCCAIN IS CRAZY. George Bush proved this when running against McCain. McCain is proving this now to everyone but himself.
MCCAIN IS CRAZY.
67. eTom | 09.25.08
BWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s been over a week since McCain pulled a stunt like this. This is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Hang on everyone, there’s still 6 weeks to go.
68. Rokhan | 09.25.08
Anyone notice McCain has not been preparing for the debates all week long … while Obama was practicing in Fl, McCain was busy campaigning in Ohio .. smells of fish to me.
69. John | 09.25.08
McCain, pause everything and go to Afghanistan and Iraq! They need you to fix that mess.
70. Jason | 09.25.08
Jim Price - It’s people like you that make America a laughing stock around the world. You spend your time criticizing other peoples opinions with out any actual information backing up your taunts. And now look, you made me do it back to you. This is the GOP at it’s finest, distract with name calling and ignore the actual realities. I’m sure you voted twice for Bush, (if you are actually old enough) how’s that working out for you? Idiot!
71. palinslist.org | 09.25.08
Hank, oh Hank….when will that feeble attempt at “musliming” Obama stop?
Call the guy names, but let’s have some creativity. We have McSame, McCain’t, Teflon John….those names are funny! And the best you all can do, after almost two years, is the same tired “osama”? Puleeze! At least use “YoMama”!
And the fact of the matter is, Andrew O., Obama didn’t suspend his campaign.
You can erroneously speculate that he would be called a visionary if he had, but he didn’t. Anyway, no one would have called Obama that. That Visionary title is reserved for your guy; the candidate who has a gimmick a week to Shock and Awe the electorate.
72. sutu | 09.25.08
Surely a presidential candidate must be capable of both working toward handling this economic crisis and addressing the people of this nation in the upcoming debate? If Mr. McCain can’t do this for us he isn’t worth voting for and is wasting our time. Well, he is wasting time every chance he gets… this just makes it really clear.
How dare he put everything & everyone on hold to try to address something both he and we know he’s not qualified for. How dare he pretend like this. What a mockery of others. There are so many so much better qualified to try to sort through the economic wreckage. How dare he pretend he might help. If you vote for him you are as foolish as him. I wouldn’t vote for him if he was my beloved father. I would say, “Dad, give it up, retire to the mansions and enjoy yourself. You’re simply not up to it anymore and there’s no disgrace in that.”
73. Eric | 09.25.08
If you think that McCain is chickening out, remember that the topic on Friday is foreign policy - an easy win for McCain, yet he decides to put the country first before defeating Obama and scoring points with voters. Whether you like it or not, John McCain is the humble, patriotic servant he appears to be; he has proved it time and time again. Obama has no evidence to show that he would be as selfless.
74. InTheKnow | 09.25.08
Let us all yell and scream because we are in a national crisis and someone wants to take the spotlight ‘OFF’ himself.
Pathetic stinking self centered Americans!
Heaven forbid they actually accomplish something besides fill the airways with worthless banter.
But NO it is a sham! A disgrace! He is pulling something!
Figure it out folks, all you whiners with your hands out will be the first to complain if your checks don’t arrive on time.
Freaking Obama lovers it wouldn’t be America without them…
75. hammertme | 09.25.08
hank,
you really show your intelligence with the osama/obama remark. way to go…
it’s severely depressing that so many people resort to this level of stupidity. insult to injury that you cast others as mimics when that’s exactly what you’re doing. you sound like you’ve been watching a bit too much Fox “news”.
76. T-Prop | 09.25.08
– September 24, 1864: The nation is literally at risk of collapse, mengaged in a large-scale civil war: “Yet the campaign for the presidency was “now being prosecuted with the utmost vigor,” as one could read in the New York Times.”
– September 24, 1932: The nation is mired in Depression, coping with it a full time job, “Yet Herbert Hoover prepared to give a large speech in Iowa and Franklin Roosevelt had just given what became a famous address to the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco.”
– September 24, 1944: World War II well under way, with the United States engaged in fierce fighting, “Yet President Roosevelt had just officially launched his campaign for a fourth term, while Thomas Dewey took his turn speaking in San Francisco, challenging Roosevelt’s supremacy.”
- September 24, 1968: The Vietnam War raging, two major American political leaders had already been assassinated that year, student revolts around the world, and a sizable portion of the country in full backlash against the civil rights movement, Humphrey drew some of the biggest crowds of his campaign during appearances in Ohio.
But John McCain can handle one crisis at a time. Two hours for a debate means the economy tanks.
Get real. Honor your commitment to debate. You OWE Americans transparency.
Hiding and subterfuge is so - Bush.
77. erik | 09.25.08
McCain is a complete joke! This guy should just retire.
He never has understood the “fundamentals” of the economy. The guy will say or do anything to be elected.
Obama is on his way, We must get out the vote in Ohio and Flordia. We must win one of those and also New Mexico.
Vote for “change with a plan”. Vote Obama!
78. Gnar | 09.25.08
How come no one is talking about the fact that when McCain came back from Vietnam to find his swimsuit model wife horribly disfigured, overweight, and five inches shorter from a car accident, he spent the next 7 years sleeping with other women. Finally, he dumped her and the children to wed the wealthier heiress Cindy McCain for her father’s money and political connections, only 20 days after his divorce was finalized.
That’s right. Cindy was the “other woman.” Isn’t a candidate’s history of poor ethical judgment relevant?
79. Pongo | 09.25.08
Jim Price…..
You are an ***.
And an embarr***ment to the electorate.
Get out. Go on. Leave the room.
When you can conduct yourself like a grownup, come back.
81. J ROtes | 09.25.08
This article is, at best, inane.
Anyone with half a brain can see that McCain has completely lost is and is behaving like a deranged desperado.
As Letterman so eloquently pointed out - what will McCain do when things get tough as a President: suspend the presidency ??
WHAT a JOKE
82. Pongo | 09.25.08
Y’know Hink,
If Barack Obama was as lame as you think he is, he probably would not have been chosen by both the left and right wings of the Harvard Law Review to become its President. Maybe his politics don’t mesh with yours, but to suggest that he only “mimics” the ideas of others only reflects poorly on your own critical analyses.
83. debreuil | 09.25.08
McCain - the clunky boldness of Chavez, and the keen intellect of Bush.
Just what we need in a time of crisis.
84. jethromayham | 09.25.08
McCain a maverick? No he is stupid to cancel the debate with a condition that the bailout goes through. Geeze, does he think he can push Congress around. What passes must protect the taxpayers and to **** with Wall Street.
Why ram through anything with no oversights? The very reason why things are messed up. There you have McCain who not onlky voted for deregulation but he has a Rick Davis being paid by Fannie or Freddie Mac for no services rendered.
Mc Cain can’t hide behind his bus nor palin’s skirt.
85. JJ | 09.25.08
IF McCain really wanted to rise above politics, he wouldn’t have announced the suspension of his campaign in the way he did in an attempt to gain political capital as a true leader/patriot. Yes, the financial crisis is too significant to ignore but such a proposal would have been a little more sincere about a week ago instead of when the %*&^ is starting to hit the McCain campaign (and 2 days b/f the first debate). Additionally, although McCain and Obama are now larger than life, they are still just sitting senators who are NOT members of the Finance Committee or any other committees w/ direct jurisdiction over these issues, nor do they bring their own intimate knowledge and background on the subject to be immediately useful at this point. Their involvement other than as participating senators will be a bit of a distraction although I would hope that they would actually cast a vote on one of the more important pieces of legislation of their Senate careers. Of course, their mere involvement (casting a vote, etc.) will inevitably and unavoidably introduce Presidential campaign politics into the debate on the bailout but the way McCain is trying to herald his “suspension” announcement as the knight in shining armor coming to save Washington and Wall Street is a bit laughable. Neither of us should expect that either McCain nor Obama will be the MVPs in leading us out of this mess, although one of them will have the unenviable task of inheriting it and leading/managing it from there.
Having said that, I’d be in favor of a much shorter campaign cycle mandated by law that only allows actual campaigning for a few wks/mos b/f the actual election (see many other industrialized countries for examples). Politics has become a big-money industry in the way that professional sports has and I don’t think we’re better off as a country because of it.
86. mats | 09.25.08
Hank… Nice one. Long live McCain. Guys look at this stunt or whatever u call this. To me this is diplomacy.. The fate of the world depends on this election and though I cannot vote as I am not a citizen will clearly vote for the Hero McCain.
87. Thirdrail1 | 09.25.08
John McCain leads and Barack Obama follows.
Obama should have been Hillary’s VP. This just proves it. Again.
88. Uyo Munkhungu | 09.25.08
McCain, Palin, Bush and all Republicans should throw in the towel and follow Obama. Americans should be proud of having him. He will be a better leader.
89. jacksmith | 09.25.08
McCain Runs And Hides From His Past:
John McCain running from the debate with Barack Obama is unacceptable, and COWARDICE! There are over 350 members of congress to deal with the US economic collapse. And even more capital hill aids, advisers, and experts to deal with the economic catastrophe created by the corrupt Bush McCain presidency and the past republican controlled congress.
Every American, and TRUE! patriot needs to demand that John McCain debate Barack Obama and tell the American people how he is going to fix this economic catastrophe that he (John McCain), Bush, and the past Republican controlled congress created.
Contact the news media. Your local papers. And demand that they hold John McCain accountable to debate Barack Obama. Contact all your friends and ask them to do the same. Call your senators, and congressmen and tell them that you expect “Let Them Eat Cake” John McCain to debate Barack Obama on this economic catastrophe that John McCain and “Let Them Eat Cake” BUSH! created.
It’s time to get ANGRY! America. Tell John McCain you want answers, and you want those answers NOW!
He can run. But he cant hide anymore.
What ever congress does to try and fix our stunning economic catastrophe needs to be done very carefully. Congress needs to take their time, and be sure of what they are doing. Whatever is done needs to be sharply focused at helping, and protecting the best interest of the ordinary Americans. In particular the vast American middle class. 700 billion dollars is a lot of the peoples money to spend to bail out a bunch of corrupt Bush loan sharks.
My fellow human beings, just as I warned you ahead of this catastrophic economic meltdown, I must now warn you that what is a head has the potential to be even more catastrophic than what we are going through now. The worlds geopolitical landscape has been ***** trapped by the Bush McCain administration and their republican allies in congress. These ***** traps are poised to spring at any time.
Fortunately the Worlds Nations have been blest with many excellent leaders (except the US) who have been careful, wise, strong, and self-restrained in dealing with the provocations, and antagonism’s of the Bush, McCain administration.
Barack Obama and the democrats are your best hope now. Tell your family, friends, and everyone you know to support them as best you can, and vote for them like your life, and the lives of your loved ones depends on it. Because it does. You will not survive 4 more years of Bush McCain.
JACK SMITH - WORKING CLASS…
90. Mary B | 09.25.08
After reading all the comments about McCain being afraid to debate Obama, I had to comment. If you all see this as fear on McCain’s part to “postpone” the debate, what kind of coward does it make Obama that he refused McCain’s offer of 10 townhall debates?
Our country is in a deep crisis right now. Both of these candidates should be in Washington helping to form this bail out plan. One of them will have to live with it for at least the next 4 years. I think it shows a tremendous amount of courage on McCain’s part that he’s willing to take this bold step. And as usual, Obama is left whining about being the one to make first contact with McCain.
91. Mark | 09.25.08
The Great Depression started with a collapse of the financial system. What could possibly be more important?
Obama probably wanted to skip the vote and just give a speech instead… not even a vote of “present” this time.
I am a swing voter, a person who has voted both Democratic and Republican in the past. But I am shocked at the level of cynicism the Democrats have this year.
92. maz hess | 09.25.08
If anybody is still able to understand mccains moves then it must be biden. Biden knows McCain for centuries. Obama had to call biden lately quite often to get informations about the inside of mccains brain. Unfortunely we don’t have Bidens phone number.
93. Steve | 09.25.08
I say let Ron Paul take his place. He represents true Republican values, anyway, as opposed to these neo conservative, warmongering hacks who along with the dems have blurred party lines to the point of non distinction.
Not to mention he’s a champion of Austrian Economics which allowed him to predict this current crisis more than 5 years ago. He’d mop the floor with Obama at any debate, on any issue.
If only the moronic GOP has nominated a true conservative like Paul, there’d be no contest. But of course they didn’t because they’re no longer the GOP. They’ve merged with the Dems in the great swindle of American politics to create one Party propelling towards Orwellian proportions.
Wake up, people. It’s all a show, and the latest from McCain is simply the start of the final act.
It’s not like the debates would be worth anything of substance, anyway. Status Quo. Whoopity-do!
94. blip | 09.25.08
This is a Hail Mary pass, but to the wrong end zone. If McCain leads like he campaigns we should all be very worried. It is one thing when some rich guy wants to roll the dice and gamble his own fortunes… it is another thing entirely when he wants to use us all as collateral for his gambling habit.
95. Chaifuddagee | 09.25.08
Dont underestimate the genius of the GOP spinmasters…. I suspect we are being set-up to expect a dismal debate performance from McCain… only to find (post-debate) that he does a pretty good job…. Are they lowering our expectations up front, in order to maximize the “bump” from the debate? Very possible.
I think Obama could have done a better job of responding to McCains ploy… (yes, I believe this was 100% political). If I were working for Obama, I would have advised him to agree that the crisis is more important… but also to say (on Wednesday) that its too early to call off the debate, and then suggest that this is obviously a political ploy on McCains part… I would have advised him to state he would “wait and see” what the condition of the legislation was on Friday at the time of the debate and also propose it be moved to DC.
This way, he wouldnt be falling into McCains trap - he wouldnt be following McCains lead as was part of the trick, and would call it out for what it was… a ploy. This would show his priority was on the crisis, but also show he has more ability to keep his obligations.
96. Megan | 09.25.08
This act by John McCain was a smart move. He Done it because he wants to win the election and help out with our economy. Atleast he cares enough to try and help. he may not be the best but he wants to help, he loves his country and the people in it. He stands on stages with pride for his country Obama stands there for history books. McCain is the man we need to run this counrty not because he is white, but because he is the best, he wants it more. And as for the Hail-mary comment no i don’t think he did. He just wants to help and that’s the attitude our country needs.
97. bitterindependent | 09.25.08
look ….john mccain is not on any committee that is going to make a choice about the bail out. he has not been in washington to decide on anything since april….also, both republicans and democrats are saying that mccain in not need there…..how can he help, when he has publicly admitted that he has not even read the bail out proposal? this is a gimmick and a stunt to buy him sometime since he and his running mate are obviously not prepared to do the job that they are applying for…..
98. bitterindependent | 09.25.08
the republicans on this blog have hit an all time low in trying to defend this sorry McBush/Quaylin 08 ticket….now their next lame excuse is that it was the Democratic dominated congress(2 yrs) to the Republican dominated congres (10 yrs)that deregulated everything and caused this mess….yes 10yrs remember the last 2yrs of Clinton….yeah Republican dominated congress…how come no one is calling out hannity on this fact?
99. Janice | 09.25.08
John McCain and George Bush want “credit” for fixing the economy, although neither one knows what is going on. If I were the hard working people trying to put together a financial solution and then was hijacked by McCain’s last minute arrival in the spotlight, as the “SAVIOR”.
This is McCain’s opportunistic politics led by his immoral staff. Our serious economic solution would be solved better WITHOUT involving George Bush or John McCain.
John and George both did poorly in college, John graduating 5th from BOTTOM. blood family entitlement”. Obama recognizes that he is not the financial “savior”. He was one of the hardest working people in his graduating class.
Why do voters want to reward a men who skipped class, partied, drank, ran around with women? We tried that with George Bush and look where it got us!
John McCain dumped in his first beauty queen wife after she became disfigured and traded her within weeks for a richer younger beauty queen, Cindy. His VP was a beauty queen.
Look at the character of the man. He is a shoot from the hip, playboy, skirt chasing, old guy, who once was a hero. Our country is in too dire straits - economically, with little respect by leading nations. Vote for a man who overcame against all odds, son of a single white mom, and married to his first wife. Obama EARNED my respect and my vote.
I voted twice for George Bush - fooled me twice. Obama has come up from the bottom and risen high. McCain started at the top and is falling daily. He should retire while he still has some respect. He is too old, he likes his women young and beautiful and rich.
These are NOT American values. Nor Christian values either.
100. Tami | 09.25.08
To “Hank” in comment number 17,
“and osama..i mean Obama is such a great debater who sounds great only in front of a teleprompter, a person who only mimics the ideas of others”
You are the very kind of person who would blame me a Japanese and German American for Pearl Harbor and the Nazi party, by the simple minded association of my “exotic” name (Tami is a Japanese name) and color of my skin, with belief systems that I wasn’t raised with or do not share with Hitler or Tojo Hideki.
I take your “Osama” comment personally. It is ignorant racists like you that we all should be afraid of - not the “exotic” name of our Democratic Presidential candidate or the color of his skin. I am so tired of you bigots. You ignore a person’s upbringing: i.e. - Barack was raised predominantly by his white grandparents - originally from the midwest and christians who then relocated to HI. He was educated at Harvard. He has a history of philanthropy, etc., etc., etc…as American and “apple pie” as the rest of us. When will you racists EVER learn? What’s even more disgusting, is that Mr. Obama has to play up his white, christian upbringing to appease bigots like you who would rather stick your heads in the sand to the truth of a person’s value and cry “wolf” at the “scarey” dark skinned man who has the bravery to run for president of this country. McCain, who is clearly you candidate and a man the I respect for his bravery, is not flinging race or creed in this presidential race. Why are you sullying his campaign with your bigoted presence? In summary - you make me sick.
I suggest in the future, if you want to share comments in this forum bring knowledge and intelligence to the table - not uneducated jabs. According to my observations, most of these contributors here are speaking from some kind of legitimate knowledge base and are executing their constitutional right of free speech and, may I add, quite spirited debate. Well, I guess you are too, as you have a constitutional right to make a fool out of yourself.
Don’t waste my time with a reply.
Distastfully Yours,
Tami K.
101. JJ | 09.25.08
For those of you that think that John McCain needs to be in Washington during this economic crisis. Check out this news clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jklRr4u5Rjw
John McCain is not even on the committee which is making the bailout proposal. What will he be doing in Washington instead of debating? He’s in the senate, not a part of the committee. Gosh, if you believe his story of country first you must be blind. If this isn’t a political move then what else could it be?
103. Kwaayesnama | 09.25.08
Is this the financial genius we are talking about?
The Chicago Tribune Interview 12/07: McCain said, “The issue of economics is something that I’ve really never understood as well as I should. I understand the basics, the fundamentals, the vision, all that kind of stuff,” he said. “But I would like to have someone I’m close to that really is a good strong economist. As long as Alan Greenspan is around I would certainly use him for advice and counsel…”I’ve never been involved in Wall Street, I’ve never been involved in the financial stuff, the financial workings of the country, so I’d like to have somebody intimately familiar with it,” he said of a potential vice presidential candidate, that’s Sarah Palin?
GOD HELP US ALL!!!!!
104. john an | 09.25.08
Today I heard a montage of audio tapes of talking heads using the exact same language describing McCain as throwing a Hail Mary pass by skipping the debates.
I did a search on the internet to see how many reporters/bloggers used the same hail mary language in the last 24 hours. I got dozens of hits. Strange how the words match. There are many, many ways to describe throwing up a prayer in hopes of a score, but hail Mary seems to be the only one a certain group of “original authors” came up with on this topic. Sounds like somebody is a mouth piece for Obama talking points
105. Amy | 09.25.08
McCain is going to help solve our economic crisis, NOW? What has he been doing these past months? Pretending there was no crisis because it sounded good in a soundbite, because he couldn’t admit that he did nothing to “solve” the problem while being senator? It’s stupid that he would even say he is going to suspend his campaign because he’s actually not going to suspend his campaign AT ALL! He is not doing what is best for the country. He is doing what his people think would be best for his campaign, period. But the sad thing is that this country is full of so many ignoramos that they will elect him. I mean, they elected Bush — TWICE!!!! And you hear them complaining about how stupid he is. Wow. I just hope enough people realize that our country needs more than so-called good political moves. We need someone who will help get us back on track and not play games with us. If you’re a Republican, you should be appalled at how stupid your party leaders believe you are.
106. erik | 09.26.08
Jill,
You can kid yourself but that’s about it. Of course the country is more important than seeing this debate without delay. Of course the economic crisis is big, scary and important. With all of that said please tell me what Mr. McCain was to do or is doing to help solve that..? He hasn’t done a thing other than derail the talks and cause even a bigger more confusing problem grandstanding like this. Oh hes going back to Washington, hes gonna fix it!… Are you stupid? If you believe McCain has had any positive influence on how that bill is getting crafted you should really question yourself because your blind. You should ask how you got here. Anybody could have told you they where more effective away from these talks… well you got your wish stupid
107. David Williams | 06.29.09
Look forward to reading more from you in the future. Hope you check out my site and let me know what you think, its got other freebies as well as phone tricks, hope you like 
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Staton Rabin | 09.24.08
So, Senator McCain wants to suspend the presidential campaign and cancel the debate, huh? Reminds me of the times when I was a kid playing chess with my father, and when I saw I was losing I would “accidentally” overturn the chess board and send the pieces crashing to the floor.
The day McCain presented this desperate publicity stunt of his– in a shameless attempt to yank Senator Obama off the campaign trail and try to grab the political spotlight– was also the same day that, for the first time, Obama had grabbed the lead in a big way for the first time, with 52% of the vote in national polls. Coincidence? I don’t think so….