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

[debtwarrior]

Why are so many people missing (or ignoring) what Senator McCain is trying to do with here?

Senator John McCain doesn't want to postpone the debate, delay his cerebral beat-down, and suspend his campaign for "Country First". Senator McCain wants to make sure that his real base (Banks) are well taken care of - UNFAIRLY - by every American. Senator McCain is looking out for his Big Banking Buddies.

Senator McCain knows that the POLITICAL bell tolls for him for the; Keating 5 S&L Scandal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki//Keating_Five), his campaign's connections to Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac and his years of disservice to Main-street Americans for so many years.

Senator McCain's is being deceitful and disingenuous. As an American, I feel it's despicable and deplorable!

[AZM]

Let me see if I get this straight: John McCain, a self-confessed lightweight on economic matters, wants to postpone the presidential debate so that he can go to Washington to help the country's most knowledgeable minds resolve this economic disaster? Where the hell has he been all these years while the disaster was festering?

[timberdoodle]

Obama needs to show up and do the interview with the moderator who can ask him all the questions as it is free air time where he can get his point across to America and the world. McCain will stall his decline for a short period of time with his theatrics but a large segment of the public will catch on and his decline will continue at a more rapid rate.

[TchoupitoulasCanal]

You're right on, timberdoodle. I think if this happens not only will Obama be able to spin this into a positive, but it will once again show that the GOP could care less about the gulf region, which I don't think is a position they really want to be in after their lackluster response to Katrina.

[karmagirl1061]

Hold on to your hats people, October is around the corner and my gut tells me that the GOP has a feew nasty tricks up it's sleeve yet.

[chipshot]

Isn't it interesting that the Black candidate is not afraid to go to Mississippi but the white guy is? Speaks volumes as to their character, and also says a little about the Mississippi culture.

[NJmikeV]

Found on the blog "Wonkette"

Frail old man runs from African American asking for change.

[tbone99]

good one

[freedomfighter1]

I don't see why the University has to be the loser in all of this. I wish McSame would just think rationally for goodness sake. There are alot of people counting on this debate. This is not the McBush 'townhall meetings' that he wanted Obama to attend, but it is an opportunity for McBush to show his stuff.

[ensure]

Poll: Barack Obama "Breaking Open" Contest At State Level
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/poll-barack-o-9.html

Barack Obama Leads John McCain In Most National Polls
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/barack-obama-le.html

House To Investigate New York Congressman Charles Rangel
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/house-to-invest.html

John McCain Suspends Campaign, Barack Obama Refuses
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/john-mccain-sus.html

Presidential Election: Quick Read on the Election
http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/presidential-el.html

[LoyalOpposition]

Woe to John McCain for playing politics with this one. I'd like to watch the debate go on with or without him, with Obama debating an empty chair, where the Republican candidate for president would be addressing the people, rather than trying to score some political points by standing by in Washington and keeping the American People out of the conversation about what is happening and what we can expect after the new President takes office. Woe to John McSame.

[NJmikeV]

Obama vs. an empty podium.

The empty podium won't say anything stupid. With that in mind, maybe McCain's making the more prudent choice by ducking out.

I hear that Gov Palin wants to skip her debate too. It's rumored that she is stuck on a bridge....­..... to nowhere.

[grf67]

The country would lose much more. The debate is on. If mccain doesn't show up, he has told us all we need to know about his character.

[kellyihu]

So now they would have to postpone the VP debate also. Now we have the real reason for this fiasco. Why are they so afraid of Palin speaking to anyone or answering any questions. She could not possibly make anymore gaffs than the top of her ticket. We need to be honest if Obama had done this the GOP would be yelling at the top of their lungs. They would say he is weak, afraid,etc. McCain needs to get a grip, this is ridiculous!!!!

[usakaput]

ANOTHER REPUBLICAN FAILURE

[susane07]

McBush looks like a big baby - scared of debating..­.poor thing. What's he going to be doing at 9 on Friday night? Watching a rerun of Monk in one of his seven homes?

[BowlingForRevenge]

Oh Lord . LOL Monk would be over his head!

[OB-GYN]

Phone number in Washington DC for the Commission on Presidential Debates:

CPD at [phone].