Postpone the Debate? Obama Should Not Fall for this Cheap Political Ploy by a Desperate McCain

Facing the prospect of a political bludgeoning Friday night in the first televised debate with Democrat Sen. Barack Obama, Republican Sen. John McCain has announced that he's "suspending" his campaign to work on the economy, and is requesting that the debate be delayed because of the current financial crisis. Seems like the real crisis lies within the McCain campaign.

Senators this week have been debating the $700-billion bailout bill proposed by President Bush, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. But I'm not exactly sure what work McCain would be doing specifically, as he is not on the Banking Committee nor seems personally involved in solving the crisis.

Sorry if I'm skeptical of McCain's altruism, but his motivation seems extremely self-serving. Hardly seems like a "Country First" maneuver. A new Washington Post/ABC News national poll released Wednesday shows Obama breaking away with a 9 point lead, 52%-43%, among likely voters. McCain led 49%-47% just two weeks ago. And with an eye on the current meltdown on Wall Street, the poll found that voters trust Obama by a 14-point margin to better handle the economy. I can't blame McCain. Given how voters view him and his party, I'm not sure I'd want to go before a national TV audience and discuss the economy either.

In a prepared statement, McCain said: "It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration's proposal. I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time. Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington."

Just exactly what "work" McCain would be doing in Washington this week that would preclude him from debating Obama Friday night is a mystery. The media should be demanding specifics as to his involvement. He should not be allowed this sanctimonious side-step that's designed to give him a presidential air while putting Obama on the spot. It simply seems like more of the same GOP framing, as in, "if you don't agree to postpone the debate you're against the American economy."

Just wait. Should Obama refuse to postpone, we'll get a non-stop barrage of: "My friends, I'm sorry Sen. Obama has chosen to put his own personal political gain before the needs of the country and the American people."

Obama must stand his ground, not fall prey to this phony posturing, and insist on holding the debate as planned.

We don't need McCain in Washington. His Commerce Committee's years of deregulation is a major reason why we're in this mess in the first place. What we need is both candidates on that stage Friday night telling the American people how they're going to address the nation's mounting economic and foreign policy challenges.

Comments

[didleijoe]

McCain should just challenge Obama to a duel at this point. I mean come on this guy is loosing it.

[PT6]

It is NICE WHEN YOU HAVE BOTH LOOKS AND SUBSTANCE!

But in this CAMPAIGN is LOOKS OVER SUBSTANCE:

Palin
Trip to Washington
Not reading Bailout Plan - it was a REPB TRICK!
ECONOMY IS GREAT! ECONOMY IS TANKED!
SUPPORT PLAN - DON"T SUPPORT PLAN
FIRE SEC Chief
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.

[bluecoyote]

The time is ripe for the msm press to have a reason to be talking about the Keating 5. Obama needs to nudge them by using the Washington Mutual failure, to make an allusion to the S&L crisis.

If he can say something like "Well the recent failure of the large Savings & Loan bank, Washington Mutual, is a reminder that Washington has had to come together in the not so recent past and worked in a bipartisan way to form the RTC. No one ever wants to be on the brink of financial crisis, but when Greed and Influence are successful at gerry-rigging the system, true leaders need to step in and safeguard our citizens from further abuse by the high-rollers and influence peddlers."

The press would have a field day talking about Obama clocking McCain on the chin. They then would be obligated to spend time educating their audiences on the scandal, each time they want to discuss the debate exchange.

[pulsecolo]

Bailout? "Bottom Up". NOT "Wall Street"
Chain of events: 1. Catastrophic problems on Wall Street that Wall Street brought upon itself. The only thing "Trickling down" is unrest and losses for average Americans. 2. Bush promotes a bailout for Wall Street with big business free ride.
3. Dems. intervene to help thousands of homeowners and others struggling.
5. Dems finally able to attempt to fix problems with chance of success.
Suddenly: 6. McCain "suspends" his campaign, due to the new "crisis". 7. Republicans walk away from the table. 8. Wall Street Bailout becomes a "Democratic Issue". (Did we already forget how it started?) 9. News, Blogs, etc. are buzzing with the discontent of the American people with the bailout. 10.. YES, we need a BAILOUT, BUT a Bailout for who? Don't forget how the Bailout idea began, and who is now fixing it. Most of all................ This has to be a Bailout for all Americans. Make sure that the bailout is a BOTTOM UP bailout, a BOTTOM UP Bailout where Wall Street cronies are the last to benefit, and the working people are the first . Let mismanaged business fail, help the people.. Fears are rising that voters will be "fooled again" if the bailout is continued to be perceived for Wall Street Bailout abandoned by the conservatives who supported it to begin with..

[WinonaWW]

Well, he finally got his homework done, even though he had to help a friend get ready for a trip to NYC. It's never a good idea to skip class, even if you know you're unprepared.

[voidware]

Ask Harry Reid why McCain had to be there.

The debate is on, Suckers.

[JJeff88]

Pardon my paranoia, but a few (seemingly) side issues -

- The first debate is supposed to be on National Security/Foreign Relations - supposedly a McCain strength. The distraction of the Grandstanding Trip to DC took Obama away from 3 planned days of debate prep. Fortunately Barack is a pretty quick study - but no rest for the weary on the plane ride to Mississippi

- I believe that the last-minute House Republican "revolt" was fabricated so that McCain can go into their caucus meeting today and later on come out with an agreement thereby making him look like his party's leader and "presidential."

Just wondering, but - What would happen if the entire Economic Crisis issue was put "on hold" for 5 weeks til after the elections (in order to take presidential and local politics out it). Would the economy collapse if the markets knew that the problem would be resolved in 5 weeks instead of right now? Just curious.

[ccmd]

we need updates folks

[WISENHOFFER]

McCain had no intention of debating Friday night. He is like the kid who is too lazy to study for the Friday test so he prays for a snow day. When it looks like there is no snow, he prays for his appendix to burst. Then that doesn't look like is going to happen, he prays for a crisis or worms his way into a crisis. The dog ate my homework, the country needs me to save them from financial disaster.

This is the pattern of the person who has made it through life by spewing b.s. and having fools believe it. They cannot play by the rules because they don't have the courage or the intelligence to succeed if they play by the rules. They make up their own rules and they often find enough fools to go along with them that they slip and slide through life, often taking down others along the way. McCain would take down this country and we cannot let that happen.

OBAMA/BIDEN ALL THE WAY.

[AmericaIsAwesome]

Looks like this is not the first time that McCain pulled this debate stunt"he did it when he was losing to Dubya and the polls were unfavorable.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2000/02/28/MN62687.DTL&hw=mccain+opinsky&sn=001&sc=1000

[gintheb]

You have to think McCain has some trick up his sleeve. I mean they can't be this stupid..... Can they?

[stevesteve]

something tells me team obama wouldn't turn down an echo chamber...

[grata2ude]

I seriously hope McCain doesn't show up. Obama said he would take questions and answers then from the audience in a Town Hall setting. Let him show what a President looks like and how intelligent he truly is.

Who wants to listen to more of McCain's lies.

[allonfla]

This is all pure garbage. Roger Simon was just on Hardball saying that the only people who want the debate to go on is the media. Saying he hasn't heard from the voters that they want it to go on! I'm thinkin' what voter is going to call him specifically and say they want the debate? How does he know the voter doesn't want the debates? What is he looking for? A massive protest or something? There was no need for either of them to go to DC until the vote was ready to be made. Now it seems like they just made things WORSE!

[Mozart123]

NEWS ALERT: John McCain shoots self in foot to avoid debate.