  U.S. Sen. John McCain, Republican candidate for president, and Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic contender, disagree on whether Friday’s first presidential debate should go on. McCain said today that he is suspending his campaign and returning to Washington because of the nation’s economic crisis. Obama said he and McCain agreed to issue a joint statement about the need for bipartisanship in responding to the country’s financial problems. McCain said the debate should be postponed. Obama said he thought it should be held.
  Meanwhile, the University of Mississippi, which is hosting the debate, issued a statement saying it is moving forward with its preparations for the events and expects the debate to be held.
  “At present, the university has received no notification of any change in the timing or venue of the debate. We have been notified by the Commission on Presidential Debates that we are proceeding as scheduled,” the statement said.
  Ralph Nader, an independent candidate for president, and Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party’s pick for the office, issued a joint statement criticizing McCain’s request for a postponement.
  “The fact that a candidate can call for changing the date of the debate only two days before it is scheduled indicates how easy it would be for the candidates to also call for the inclusion of the leading third-party and independent candidates, which would bring fresh ideas to the table on how our country can truly tackle this heavy challenge,” the said.
24 Comments
I think that Obama hit it on the head. A president must be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. McCain has not been at the table in what must be highly sensitive negogiations and to suggest that he would bring anything to the table at this moment is an insult to the people of this country.
If he was truly attempting to make a unified statement then he would of called Obama and they could have released a joint statement.
I AGREE MCCAIN SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THE SENATE
DO HIS JOB AND DEBATE THE PRESIDENCY
McCain should be able to handle the economy issue and debate at the same time, yes. If he or Obama want to REALLY prove that they are the leaders we need, then they should ALSO be able to debate the other 3rd party candidates. Let Barr and Nader both into the debates.
There’s only one reason to go to Washington, and that’s to cast a vote. He should be able to make up his mind about the proposed legislation while still on the road, and go back to DC if there’s an important vote. I’d bet that Harry Reid would take the debate schedule into account when scheduling a vote as important as the financial bailout.
Of course, McCain hasn’t been this motivated to go cast a vote since April 10th, the last time he showed up to vote in the Senate. Even when he wasn’t running for President, he had the worst attendance record in the Senate.
I disagree with the Three Mouseketeers above. McCain can ride into D.C. like the Lone Ranger and come out of this in very good shape. As Dick Morris said, McCain can deliver the Republicans. Bush can’t. The Dems sure can’t.
Since when is Obummer so anxious to debate? He ducked all those Town Hall sessions McCain wanted them to do.
Joe Biden has a solution to the financial crisis. Put hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place and give each Democrat a “Get Out of Jail Free” card.
Or, as in the case of Sandy Berger, “Don’t Go To Jail No Matter What You Do” card.
Ed…Isn’t that really Sandy Burglar? Like Chris Matthews, he had a tingling in his leg.
EXTRA – EXTRA HEADLINE
Jiminy Cricket backs Genghis Khan for President: “we need a tough guy to take charge—- real tough”. He noted that Khan’s opponent, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was just “another liberull who should be shot, not elected”.
Khan leads the polls in the South and Rocky Mountain West; former 4-term President Roosevelt has leads on both coasts. Ohio and Florida are toss-ups. One Ohio voter asked “what has FDR done for us lately?”. Khan’s running mate, Annie Oakley said “shoot ‘em all and let God sort out the good ‘uns from the bad ‘uns”
That’s pretty funny, Bruce. Bruce the Goose is on the loose, eh? McCain outshot Obummer on this one. Bush took McCain’s advice and called them both back to D.C. tomorrow.
McCain looks serious and above the partisan angle, but Obummmer looked like politics was more important to him. Big mistake by Obummer. Boot hill. Boot hill. So cold. So still. Here they lay side by side, those killers that died, in the Gunfight at OK Corral.
Check out Michelle Malkin’s columns about the very large impact mortgages given to illegals have had on this big problem. They are all at fault on that one.
McCain is in no position to skip a debate…He is going
to the white house this morning at 10 am..the secretary
of the treaury and the chariman of the fed along with
the president have acceeded to the modifications in the
plan which conservatives have insisted upon…so the president will bring along the conservatives…McCain
can not do anything at this point accept endorse this
plan if he does not ..he will not win this election
McCain hasn’t done any work for the past 2 years and we have been paying him and his staff!!! All he does is campaign…
Now there is a financial crisis they have known about for years and he wants to grandstand when most of the work is done. Most in the Congress don’t even want the two there because of the distraction and partisan games they will play.
If McCain really cared about doing his job he would be doing it not out continuously campaigning for several years like he has.
Obama is no better really but at least he was honest about this. He admitted he was in contact with the Congress and his staff was on top of the issue as far as staying informed. What the heck are he and McCain going to do? Neither are in the specific committees or ultimately responsible for much more than a vote at this point.
McCain is grandstanding and using this issue to somehow grab some polling points which will work. But realistically what he is doing is pretty lame and those who stay informed will see it as strictly a campaign move.
It is not a matter of skipping the debate. It’s a matter of putting it off a few days if a deal isn’t set in D.C. If a deal is in place, then have the debate Friday night.
As I said yesterday, McCain wanted to have about a dozen town halls with Obama, but Obama ducked them. So who is Obama trying to kid now? But he’s got the Consultant and some others fooled.
Jiminy I am not fooled..in a time of financial upheaval
McCain should be able to demonstrate that he can multi
task..whether or not the deal is finalized by friday
he ought to be able to debate his opponent and then
return to dc…don’t forget McCain has really not been
part of these negotiations..the ranking member of the
joint economic committees as well as treasury has
so for him to try and suggest that his input
is essential is not exactly what he should be doing
It is his party’s president and treasury secretary
who know the facts well.he has been on the campaign
trail and only weeks ago said the fundamentals
of the economy were sound..this is a grandstand play
which I don’t think passes the smell test
mccain has transformed into an old foggy and is demonstrating quite clearly what the term “foggy” means.
here is why McCain cannot afford to give the impression
that he is afraid to debate Obama
Ohio (20) 45.1 46.7 McCain +1.6 Toss Up Bush +2.1 Bush +3.5
Florida (27) 45.9 48.0 McCain +2.1 Toss Up Bush +5.0 Bush +0.1
Nevada (5) 45.3 47.0 McCain +1.7 Toss Up Bush +2.6 Bush +3.5
New Hampshire (4) 48.5 46.5 Obama +2.0 Toss Up Kerry +1.3 Bush +1.3
Pennsylvania (21) 48.0 44.7 Obama +3.3 Toss Up Kerry +2.5 Gore +4.2
Virginia (13) 46.5 47.3 McCain +0.8 Toss Up Bush +8.2 Bush +8.1
North Carolina (15) 45.0 48.2 McCain +3.2 Toss Up Bush +12.4 Bush +12.8
Wisconsin (10) 48.2 44.4 Obama +3.8 Toss Up Kerry +0.4 Gore +0.2
Minnesota (10) 48.0 45.2 Obama +2.8 Toss Up Kerry +3.5 Gore +2.4
Indiana (11) 45.5 47.8 McCain +2.3 Toss Up Bush +20.7 Bush +15.7
Michigan (
florida should not be a toss up neither should indiana
but in the last few days mccain is loosing ground rapidly
Neither candidate can add a thing other than to send
a message of uncertainty to the markets..and that would
serve only to undo any positive impact of the bi partisan
agreements….which are now according to dodd a done
deal…republicans need to suck it up…and democrats need
not to gloat..and we can get on with the election debates
which is where about 28% of the electorate will choose
a candidate..MCcain is not out of it yet..but if he
chooses to complicate the rescue plan by inserting his
unwanted opinion, the electorate may not wait until
the debates to make up their collective minds
Dodd? Dodd, along with Barney Frank, Schumer and some others, is one who should be held responsible for much of this.
How can you let the guilty foxes guard the henhouse again?
Democrats gloat? Some of them should be calling bail bondsmen.
Consultant….Your “friends” Zherka, Lovett and Blassberg staged that demonstration at Channel 11 today trying to get Pirro’s new judge show thrown off the air.
I have little use for Pirro. But I have far less use for those three stooges. NONE.
I was unaware of that..she is taping out in chicago..
if that is best they have to do with their time I feel
sorry for them..she is no longer in office…and why
would anyone want to stop her from making a living regardless of what anyone thought of how she did her
job as DA…..
interestingly while you bring up blassberg and zherka
the zherka lawsuit alleges as fact that he is under
a new york city grand jury investigation..however
when he answers his interrogatories he states that
he does not beleive that he is under investigation?
Hello…is there a contradiction here? how do you
base a lawsuit on the existance of a grand jury
investigation in sworn papers and then state that
you don’t believe one actually exists?
The Manhattan District Attorney confirmed the investigation in his official replies to Zherka. Those offical documents were posted on the Yonkers Tribune. So, Mister Zherka must just be showing again how loopy he is.
Not only can’t McSHAME NOT walk and chew bubble gum at the same time BUT, the other reason why he can’t handle going to both Washington and Mississippi in one day IS BECAUSE, poor wittle ol’ man will be WAY TOO TIRED, his Geritol will have worn off by 9 pm tonight and he’ll need to go nitie-nite. If the future presient of the U.S. can’t multi task, then that speakes VOLUMES!!!
Çharles Rangel, the world’s foremost expert on taxation, finance, and Ways and Means should be called upon to lend his expertise and decide for us exactly how this bailout will work. As with Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (for whom 7th Ave. has been renamed in honor of his service,) we can all anticipate in our grandchildren’s day, Eighth Ave. becoming Charles Rangel Way and the newest nuclear aircraft carrier being named the USS Rangel. The Rangel will be escorted to sea by the destroyers USS Barney Frank, the USS Schumer, and the frigate Dodd.
Or, is it the USS Dodd and the frigate Frank?