No way, no how, no bailout.

Now with photo! A picture is worth a 1000 words.

No way, no how, no bailout.

Well Greg, according to Olbermann, not only did Obama draft that statement, he also appended 5 footnotes with his views on how to fix things.

It did too say something. Furthermore, the fact that a Joint Statement was written not by both, but by Obama, ought to tell you something.

according to ambinder, there was more:

The Obama campaign proposed the following five points...joint principles, along with a joint statement.

The McCain campaign did not want to include them, and so the statement was sent out without these bullet points:

I think the effective point this makes is something like:

"Okay, we've made a bipartisan gesture. Can we please debate now?"

The intent of the call from Obama was to make sure that this economic crisis didn't get played politically with one side using it to bash the other and since they both had the same view of the conditions that should be placed on the so called "bailout" then they should both show the public they agree on this issue so it did not get used as political fodder.

Then McCain turns around and tries to get all the political play out of it he could even so far as to suggest it was his idea and canceling every thing in order to "solve" the crises...as if???

So rather than give McCain any more material to work with he gave a generalized statement of bi partisan cooperation without specifics that McCain would then claim he came up with.

This is a perfect example of Obama acting presidential and McCain acting non-presidential. McCain has nothing...not even national security credentials due to his demonstration of such extremely poor judgment and petty behavior.

Let the debates go forward without prompters this time and watch McCain lie, lie, lie.

i got to say it... the McCain camp was smart.

I believe that by doing this, it is going to show that John McCain puts country first and that Obama puts him self first by not agreeing to go to washington an try to work this out.

I think it is going to help John McCain....

Obama look out.

I think him is hill!

Harlod Meyerson made a very good point that makes me think that perhaps McCain is trying what several Republicans in tight House and Senate races like Sen. Gordon Smith (Oregon) and Rep. Christopher Shays (Conn) have done and attach themselves to Obama to try to escape the shadow of Bush/Cheney and that big "R" next to their name on the ballot. TPM has been pretty vigilant about showing the Republicans doing it or some other nonsense like the Washington race where Republicans are trying to get the better polled "GOP" rather than "Republican" next to their candidate.

"McCain's ploy was transparent. To counter the public's preference for Obama's economics over his own, he would get both of them in a room and emerge proclaiming that they had reached agreement, that they had no differences. In fact, they have very real differences..."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403918.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

I mean John McCain has already tried to appropriate Obama's "Change" slogan, he seems to want to further hook up his broken down wagon to the Democrats. He's doing enough to help Obama win, but he might as well go all the way and endorse already.

No more Rick Davis and Charles Keating.

I can't stress enough how this is first class gamesmanship by the McCain camp. If Obama doesn't counter this effectively, the election is lost, along with his edge on economic issues and crisis.

The heat McCain is taking for cancelling the debate is really insignificant compared to what McCain is trying to pull off, namely look presidential in managing and resolving the current crisis on Wall Street. He is putting country first and if he loses the presidency, then so be it.

Notice how McCain's surrogate, as well as Palin, are trumpeting his bold action, taking risk, providing leadership, bipartisan efforts, etc.. No one from the Obama camp is countering that positive message.

Even McCain's absence on Letterman becomes a heart-warming advertisement for how McCain is putting country first and he called Letterman to tell him he was on the way to the airport to get back to Washington.

And House republicans of course are dutifully putting up this orchestrated resistance to the bailout so that McCain can come in and move things along and achieve bipartisan success. He would look like the hero that broker and pass the whole effort. He would get on TV and tell everyone that the crisis has passed and how he is proud of the Congress. Of course, all credits are due to him.

Great move by McCain. At least 10 points will move his way if not more. Unless Obama counters this effectively. How?

1) He needs to get on TV during prime time and explain the crisis and the bailout. Folks would see that he is on top of the issues and acting presidential, not just one of 100 senators.

2) Palosi and Reid needs to get a bill in place and publicly repeat on every show that they have all the votes they need, except some minor details to be worked out. This would diminish the credit that McCain can claim after he gets to Washington. Barnie Frank is already doing some of this. They need to make McCain look like he misses the party.

3) Step (2) would preferrably be done after step (1), so that Palosi can say that the American people really heard the call from Obama and have called their Congressman to get them to act quickly.

4) McCain is going to get all the spot lights next few days. Counter that with Hillary getting on TV and continue to emphasize that work has been underway even before McCain shows up.

Obama camp should be in serious damage control mode. McCain has once again outgamed us and even fooled some of us this time.

Letterman

Letterman invited Olbermann as his special guest substitute for Old Yellow Stain but spent the entire 10 minutes to filleting the old fish..

"What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!"

Good morning, everyone!

Rasmussen puts Obama over the top in NC (49-47):

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/north_carolina/election_2008_north_carolina_presidential_election

So, it is a joint bipartisan effort by Obama and McCain.

Obama's contribution was to write the statement and include five specific principles the two campaigns should agree on.

McCain's contribution was to delete the five specific principles and back out of the first presidential debate.

This is called hook, line, and sinker.
Obama, once again, shows how it's done. He just handed McCain an Acme cigar, McCain took it, and it blew up in his face.
That's all folks!

McCain too Distraught and Overwhelmed by economic crisis to debate and explain to the American people what clear ideas and solutions he has to handle this crisis. May be McCain is unable to handle the stress and is having a senior moment, because when you are President of the United States, there is no rest for the weary, and you are always on Call!

Or, is McCain really being dirty and underhanded, trying to pull the wool out from under Barack’s feet, when he reached out to him early Wedensday morning in a bi-partisan moment, so together they could show solidarity and release a Joint Statement, however, McCain did not like that idea and decidied to bring politics into an already unsteady situation in an attempt to aid his political career, pretending that it was he who reached out to Barack and not the otherway around! However, that was not good enough, he must one-up him and cancel the campaign all together, the crisis is so great, a sudden change of heart that makes McCain look phony and untrustworthy. That is not putting Country first, but we already know that by his Pallin pick!

And, of course, the debates should not be cancelled. A President has to be able to multi-task, big time! McCain’s cancelling looks more like a senior moment or that he is too overwhelmed and distraught to be albe to explain to the country just what he would do to address this problem. Maybe McCain will not be able to answer that 3:00 a.m. phone call as a President is always on call.

McCain the Wizard of Oz now pretends he has a heart, brain and courage! If so, its not working very well. His wall of lies and deceipt are closing in on him and soon there will be no place to hide, not even in the Senate. McCain you can run, you can lie, but you cannot hide and Humpty Dumpty couldnot be put together again!