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

[Harlemnite]

Some have bought up putting Biden and Palin in the Friday debate. I bet McCoward gets her out of that also. You can mark this day down as when McCain blew his campaign. Just like Hurricane Gustav allowing the Republicans to keep Bush away from the convention. You see a trend? I think Obama should vote on Friday and then fly to Mississippi and answer all question from the moderators. McCoward will be down by double digits next week guarantee.

[Veneita]

I was there the last time the repub skipped the debate http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDC1E3AF930A1575AC0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

[realtalk]

John McCain is a sneaky man, and his obvious calculated, political move today will no doubt appear in a campaign ad next week, McCain claiming that he put his country first! This was simply a sneaky move, for politcal gain by John McCain, and sadly alot of people will probably fall for this disgraceful ploy by John McCain.

Democrats please call your Independent and Democratic friends, and let them know that this is a very calculated, sneaky political move by John McCain, and they should NOT to fall for it!!
The proof that this is all a sneaky political ploy by John McCain is the many negative campaign ads McCain will put out on this NEXT WEEK.

[goodog]

Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!
Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!
Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!
Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!
end Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!
Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!
Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!
Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!
Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin! Send Palin!

[unhipcat]

hurricane: cancel
economy: cancel

[timezone]

and Palin can cross her arms, blink and then hop back into her bottle...t­here, problems all fixed

[Davwbaird]

McCain just lost Mississippi

[GotRights]

Ya think? Is an Obama win there really possible? With Haley Barbour running the machine there?

[roshni]

Don't worry, Barack will show up with or without McCain. You could be in for an awesome rally if McChicken doesn't show.

[harriettubman]

People don't realize what these places go thru to accomodate political candidates. My dad said Hillary requested special accomodations from a place in PA. It cost several thousand dollars to do it but as of July the bill hadn't been paid.

If McCain doesn't want to show up for the debate, let him pay 'Ole Miss. Ole Miss, figure up the bill and send it to McCain.

[GeoLee]

Well, as far as we know hs family has the money to pay them back..unle­ss of course JM has discovered most of Cindy's money is up to its eyeballs in this Wall Street mess. After all she has been purchasing houses, too.

[sherrzinpa]

Yeah, that happened to us in York, PA. She came and shut down the entire downtown section, people lost business, and it was the week of some toy train convention and the major train store is in downtown York. I know some of it got paid by our old mayor, but he's just a publicity hound.

[vietjawn]

i'll say it for mccain "country first"...t­his is outrageous.

[T Pol]

McCain's egocentricity is getting to be pathological. He is NOT president yet. He has NOT been involved in the negotiations until now. No one in Congress or the administration begged him to come "straighten things out."

The idea that he cannot do his job as a senator -- a minor role in the negotiations about a mess he did his part to create -- and do a debate is preposterous. I think Obama's take that their involvement should be at the discretion of the key negotiators is an excellent one. And McCain has said he doesn't understand economic issues all that well, so just WHAT exactly does he feel he can add to this process?

He slaps the hand of Obama in a call to unity to try to seize his place as a Caesar, i.e., when he is only a Johnny-come-lately seizer. How hard would it have been to knock out a joint statement?

McCain increasingly shows his megalomania coupled with incompetence -- a DANGEROUS combination for America.

Go home, John. Go home. And send Palin packin'.

[bubblebee]

Mc panic goes ahead and cancels a debate without first checking with the host of the debate - Ole Miss. That is bad manners. What kind of leadership is this?

[DevRock]

You're assuming he ever HAD manners. He's known as one of the nastiest people on Capitol Hill. One thing that most of his supporters haven't seen is his nasty temper. If Barack can get him to snap during the debates, it will do irreversible damage.

Anyway, yes, these things are expensive. The security precautions alone are incredibly complex and expensive.

[ReservoirDog]

You must be joking !

McCain doesn't give a da*m about Ole Miss. In fact, judging from his misstatements--he doesn't give a da*m about the American people !

Bad Manners? He's a REPUBLICAN for Chr8tsakes !!!!!!!!!

[Chicago48]

Obama and Biden should show up and take Q&A from the audience. This is shameful.

[NeoLiberal]

If Bush is trying to force BHO's hand and set up something for McCain---then let's go all out.

Here's how.

1. BHO accepts the postponement.
2. During live Senate debate on the issue, he gets all his Dem colleagues' time yielded to him.
3. The repubs do the same for McCain (remember their both senators and would certainly want to be present).
4. Then let the debate begin. On the Senate floor for all to see.

[UNCLEJOE]

NeoLiberal You are Talking like s NeoCon by suggesting Obama accept the postponment.

[VcKrc]

Have the Vp's do it, isn't that what they're for? Back up?

[itsjustmeee]

great idea! i agree. have Biden and Palin debate at the U Of M. This whole thing is a scam to throw people off the real issues. Palin/McCain are scared and they ARE NOT READY! They are trying to buy time. If they screw the U of M over for 5 million dollars that is just messed up. There is NO excuse for that behavior. Worse comes to worse. Obama and Biden should show up and answer questions. They are not afraid. They are ready and they have nothing to hide.
Obama/McCain 08 !!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!

[watchingthings]

To host the debate is a huge business undertaking, what would McCain know about running a business? He's probably been in Washington all these years for the parties and because he has no idea how he's survive if he had to make a living using his two hands and his wits.

[kidshare]

The same can be said about Obama.

[bitterinsc]

He's not the one bailing.

[omaro]

Actually, you're wrong about that. Obama wrote a best selling book many years ago. That's how he made most of his money: by writing a book BY HIMSELF using his own hand, and his own ample wit. He's in pretty good shape, too. He could go back to construction work if he had to.

[dhertzfe]

Gosh don't panic over $5.5 mil. We can add it to the wall street bailout. No one will notice within the $700 Bil.

[PAposter]

Hey, can I write off my salary as capital gains, while we're at it?

[GotRights]

Just cut it from hurricane relief.