Ole Miss Officials: Debate Cancellation Would Be $5.5 Million Loss

Ironically enough, if John McCain goes through with his threat to skip the foreign policy debate scheduled for this Friday for the sake of prolonging and complicating the ongoing negotiations over the Paulson bailout package, it may end up creating another distressed asset -- the University of Mississippi's investment in Friday's face-off. Officials from Ole Miss told ABC News today that a cancellation would be "devastating" to the University -- and that a postponement might not be possible:

Andrew Mullins, special assistant to University Chancellor Robert Khayat, told ABC News that the Ole Miss campus has been transformed to accommodate the candidates and the press. Road blocks are in place on campus and in the community and the debate television set for the candidates has already been constructed. He said the university has spent roughly five and half million dollars getting ready for the debate.

Mullins also noted that if the Commission on Presidential Debates asks the campus to hold the debate at a later date, he is not sure the university would be able to accommodate them.

"It's huge. You cannot just say that you're not going to do this thing," Mullins said. "I don't have any idea whether we do the debate" at a later date. "[We] probably wouldn't do it."

Comments

[Cliffman]

The university shouldn't worry. Expect McCain to propose a bailout of the university too.

[HC4BO]

BREAKING NEWS:

McSame tries to delay the veep Debates ...

This is what ALL this was about ...

PALIN is NOT READY ! ...

Hence ...

McSame is trying to postpone her debates to Nov. 5 ( ... as per Dana Milbank in the
Situation Room on CNN )

... that was a joke by Dana of course BUT I will NOT put it beyond the McSame campaign that
they actually considered something like that ...

[BetterDays]

If McCain cancels, his campaign should foot the bill. They bailed. They provide the bailout!

[Ldyandrea]

That's okay, Cindy can write them a check.

[Bobzmcishl]

Another example of John McCain shooting from the hip.

[blaising]

You don't suppose Mrs. Clampett...er...Palin will show up to debate Obama instead??

[TroubleNYC]

Maybe Cindy can donate the money that Ole Miss would lose.

[spartanspirit]

...they could always lobby for a bailout.

[OhMyGoodness]

Unbelievable. I don't know what else to say. I feel horrible for the university who spent all that money because they believed the word of the candidates that there would be a debate.

[Lea4388]

This is so unfair to the University that spent all that money to host this debate.

[kararay]

This is typical of a shot from the hip, never, ever consider what repercussions your actions can have on those who are depending on you. Now what if there was a crisis and the American people were depending on our president to do something while there was another crisis which would he postpone?

[Finchy13]

IF MC CAIN DOESN'T SHOW UP - THEN HIS LOVELY 'CINDY LOU WHO' WIFE - CAN FOOT THE BILL AND REIMBURSE OLE MISS - AFTER ALL, THAT'S ONLY POCKET CHANGE TO HER!!!!!!!!!I

AS USUAL - HE NEVER THINKS THROUGH THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTIONS - JUST WHAT WE NEED IN THE WHITEHOUSE..........................................

IMPULSIVE REACTION - IS NOT WHAT IS NEEDED IN A PRESIDENT!

PROACTIVE ANALYSIS AND ACTION - IS WHAT IS NEED IN A PRESIDENT!

IF REACTION IS CALLED FOR - THEN LET IT BE STEADY, THOUGHTFUL AND TIMELY!!!

[spinns17]

let have a vp debate instead

[bwaynester]

loser=quitter=loser/mccain

[fistbump]

John McCain hates the South.