Stick a fork in him.

playing politics with the american people

This is an attempt to try and solidify McCain's message of putting his "country first" even if he votes no on the bailout plan and try's to use it against Obama.

It's an interesting ploy, I'll hand them that.

This is a Hail Mary pass and an attempt to re-engineer the news cycle because he is losing.

Obama should say no - that the Presidential election is in 40 days and the next president is just as important as this financial crisis.

What's next - this financial crisis means we can't have a presidential election?

Is he going to call a "timeout" every time there is a crisis?

I thought this was a joke on the first reading.

Then I realized that Greg is actually serious.

What a sad, sad little campaign, Senator. You've managed to make me reach beneath hatred of you to the dregs of contempt.

Anything to get off the merry-go-round, eh?

This is a strange move and desperate attempt to grab headlines. Bizarre

The "Hail Mary Campaign" continues onward...

Definitely a political stunt.
1. Shortens the game - classic tactic when up against a better opponent.
2. How to handle it? I would invite McCain to hold the debate but change the theme to the economy.

HERE'S THE RESPONSE:

"McCain has had 26 years in Washington to make a difference in the economy, and he has not done that. To use this time is for political purposes."

This must have been Rick Davis' idea.

Just like Georgia. McDuck to the rescue. Fire everyone. Set up a tent on Wall St. Get on the horn to . . . someone important. Call a press conference with Warren Buffet. Unleash Droopy Dog and what's his face . . . Lindsey. Oh yes. Lindsey.

Could be VERY hairy, indeed.

Why does this stink of political pandering to me? Let's look at the evidence.

Last week was quite possibly McCain's worst week thus far. He has no real grounding or credibility on the economy or the economic crisis. Obama is beating him in polls concerning the readiness of the two to handle the crisis by double-digits.

Two new polls today show Obama ahead by significant margins. One puts Obama ahead by 9 and breaking 50%, the other puts Obama ahead by 6 with McCain below 40%. Can't be good.

Then, let's look at the delay of the debate, which would be on national security and foreign policy. It is now widely believed that such a debate is not advantageous to McCain. Delaying it would be, as it could possibly even shift the national security and foreign policy debate to the second, or last one.

I'd like to believe this was a real honest move to try to come to a bipartisan consensus, but the timing for him just stinks. Maybe if he wasn't losing by every available metric I could take this move at face value. As it stands, it reeks like the filth he's recently been bathing in.

Keep attacking.

"I am calling on the President to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress"Isn't that happening anyway in a manner of speaking?

And wow: look at the Colorado polls.

This is a political stunt, plain and simple, as everyone else has remarked, and maybe the American public will fall for it, but I think the political punditry is going to draw the same conclusion as everyone here did: McCain's tanking, and he's desperate.

No. no. no. no. no. no. no.

this is complete and utter bullshit.

the debate must go on, damn it.

Don't...do...it.

Here are Sen. McCain's committee assignments:

* Senate Committee on Armed Services - Ranking Member
* Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
o Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
o Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism
o Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation
o Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety

* Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

NONE of these have anything to do with the Giant Shitpile. There is no reason for Sen. McCain to stop campaigning other than to perpetrate a political stunt.

FTR, here are Sen. Obama's committee assignments:

* Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
o Subcommittee on African Affairs
o Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
o Subcommittee on European Affairs
o Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance
* Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
o Subcommittee on Children and Families
o Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
* Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
o Subcommittee on Investigations
o Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information and International Security
o Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration
* Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Nope. No Shitpile-related committees here, either. No reason for either of these guys to be in Washington for any other reason than to vote, and I'm sure that the Majority Leader will advise them on when these votes will occur.

Seems Obama put forth the olive branch first...hmm McPOS is trying to score points

This surreal.

Robert

What an obvious stunt. Just wondering: is he going to call to suspend elections when there is a crisis?

I wonder if he would suspend his campaign if the polls showed he was winning.

This is nothing but a cheap tactic.

We are facing crises on almost every front --- not least a leadership crisis. It's extremely important that both campaigns should proceed as scheduled so we can have a real change in leadership next Jan.

I don't see how a financial crisis disables a candidate from carrying on with his campaign.

This guy has already been given too much leeway in defining the terms (he has been saying experience matters until he chose Palin) and setting the tone of the election (which is nasty). Enough is enough.

Let's call it a forfeit.

First he complains about Obama's proposal for timetables in Iraq, then he endorses a timetable and claims it's his idea.

Then he complains about Obama's change slogan, then grabs it for himself.

Then he complains about Obama's experience and celebrity, then he picks a candidate who has far less experience and far more celebrity (at least among his base).

Then he complains about Obama being for too much regulation and then decides that he wants regulation, and steals Obama's principles-for-a-bailout as his own.

NOW after months of complaining about Obama not doing town halls with him he's trying to get out of the debates and claiming Obama's unity rhetoric as his own.

I just don't know what to say except that: If McCain defeats Obama and Obama leaves the national spotlight, who will be left for McCain to copy?

Or this is the most brilliant action he's ever done or this is just the saddest exit strategy to end two horrible weeks of bad luck.

Only time will tell...

He's taking decisions with his gut again, like he did with Palin. The maverick attitude that he desperately want to show.

I must tell you, honestly, this shit could work for him, because the low informed masses could see this as: "He putting country first" and all that crap. We here know that it's not true, is political pandering. Sadly, many people could fall for this shit, just like they did for Palin.

This is, by far, the weirdest election ever. Thank god, because it's not boring at all.

McCain is trying to appear presidential (seizing the reigns and all that).

That was my response too, BG. As much as we might despise him, someone else is president now, and there are 98 other senators.

Obama should offer to reschedule the VP debate in its place.

This may be McCain's most cynical move yet.

It's all about positioning. He wants to shout to America, "I care more for my country than I do for my campaign," all while expecting America to believe that a two-hour debate will hold up a solution for this economic situation we find ourselves in. Plus, he wants to put Obama in the position of saying, "No, the debate should go on" - setting up the next round of negative ads proclaiming Obama as "Obama First, Not Country First". It's akin to the constant carping about the lack of town-hall meetings being the cause of McCain's pants-on-fire campaign.

He really does think we're stupid.

Truth is, it's actually more dangerous to suspend the debate (until who-knows-when). We need to know more about McCain's foreign policy - certainly more than "I'm a POW, so I know about war" and all those other canned lines that he expects will get America to believe he can be effective on that front. We need to know how McCain sees foreign policy interacting with the economy; we need to know how he still has an adviser that lobbied for Georgia; we need to know why his judgment in supporting the "surge" somehow tops his naked error in supporting the Iraq war in the first place. These questions need to be asked.

But no. He'd rather pull a move like this.

You know what this is? It's a kid who has been procrastinating all week before the big exam or the big term paper, then suddenly asking for an extension so he can take off of school to go build a house with Habitat for Humanity or some shit. (The house is going to get built anyway, dude.)

The more I think about it, the more I'm afraid that McCain got Obama on this one. It is a political stunt, but Obama comes out looking too partisan if he says no to McCain's offer.

Just another sign of Crash McCain's impulsiveness...Remember that just 10 days ago he believed the economy was sound.
Maybe he read the memo that said he needed to wear suspenders. Not suspend. Or was it depends.
Well maybe it depends my friends.

Alternatively, Obama could say

"Well, it's unfair to the good people of Hattiesburg, who've gone to all the trouble to set it up. So, let's have Sen Biden and Gov Palin debate at that venue on Friday, and Sen McCain and I can go on Meet the Press this Sunday, when there's no scheduled senate business."

McCain dominates the news cycle.

McCain show leadership.

McCain will be credited with a bipartisan solution.

The stock market will soar.

Obama will still be explaining...explaining...explaining.

Looks like Obama is going to agree. I think it's a huge mistake.

Yeah, Let Palin campaign and give press conferences while McCain hides.

Desperation.

Internals must look like shit.

This is a very good ploy by McCain. Consider what suspending the campaign means in practice....no live events, but plenty of ads running. With Obama and Biden each able to draw big crowds, while McSame cannot. Further, Obama is depending upon donations more so than McSame who took public money. Less appearances = less fundraisers. If Obama falls for this, McSame ends up ahead, big time.

Hey Fogu you moron Obama initiated not Mccain so nice try genius

Nice--the McCain campaign probably didn't think through the connotation of "suspending" the campaign. Also, wasn't the foreign policy debate McCain's best chance to change the conversation?

McCain can go fuck himself.

He says the country can't solve its problems AND elect the next President at the same time!

Mc Cain takes the lead.

McCain takes action.

Obama follows.

McCain has faith in America.

Obama wants to think it over.

I think Wall Street is driving this, Paulsen has given groud on executive pay but will not budge on equity warrents which is where the real money is.

Meanwhile the 3 month Tbill is less than half of a percent and the TED spread is holding steady over 3 points, a crunch is on. But Dodd and Obama have made it clear that they will not accept a bailout without equity warrents and that is what really makes the Masters of the Universe panic.

Bush addresses the nation, McCain suspends the campaign, Palin is Depressed, the crunch is on and it is time to make the nation panic.

Show Boating...Just show boating.

McCain will be seen as leading the country out of this mess.

Obama will be seen as playing follow the leader.

Delay of game. Penalty must ensue.

This is bullshit. McCain isn't on any of the negotiating committees.
His campaign is just so beat up they want time to catch their breath -- Don't give it to them! I hope the media main stream an otherwise jump all over this.

Will the President call the special session? And does this require special rules to grant the special session authority in order to override the committee currently involved?

The markets hate uncertainty. The last thing a responsible person would want to do is hint at problems with the presidential election cycle at this time of crisis. Obama needs to say "My opponent is sinking in the polls and his campaign manager was just revealed to be on the Freddie Mac payroll as recently as last month. Of course he'd rather work on the mess he created than continue his campaign's downward slide. The market isn't blind to cheap political stunts, so for the sake of the country I'm going to keep the presidential election schedule on track. I'm going to be on that stage on Friday night, and John McCain can join me if he wishes."

It is a stunt and a trap. McCain doesn't look healthy at all. The picture i saw today is troubling.

The last thing that people want to see right now is more disruption. McFogu's move stirs things up when people are looking for steadfast leadership.

I don't think the gesture matches the occassion. It's incongruous and most will see that.

I think we all need to dig in our heels and insist that nothing be decided until after the election!

Obama needs to release a statement saying he's completely capable of running his campaign and handling this crisis - these are the types of things presidents have to do all the time - but if it's too much for McCain to handle, we can postpone the debate.

What's next for McCain? A call for canceling the election; and, let Bush continue in office & rule by an Enabling Act?

I head cluck, cluck, clucking... Yes McCain I am calling you out, you are nothing more than a chicken. Don't want to hear the words Keating 5 do you, don't want the public to remember what you did back then and how it compares to now do you? Think you'll get out of the debates and use this as your excuse! Give us all a break, you saw the polls today didn't you. You can see where this is going can't you? You can't justify what you've done over the years can you, you can't justify your vote for deregulation, you can't even justify Sarah Palin. You want to be seen as in charge do you? You want people to see you as a leader? Yet we all see the truth, you are simply scared. Stick a fork in it people, it's done.

McCain said that it would be wrong to be festive (the Convention) while parts of the nation was suffering due to a natural disaster (Gustav). My reaction at the time was that it was okay if they were suffering due to a man made disaster, the economy. Then came Ike, which made Gustav a mere toddler in comparison. But the negative campaign and the festivities of the Pallin carnival kept right on truckin'.

Based on McCain's reaction and pronouncements with regard to events of late, such as Georgia and the economy, it would seem that he doesn't quite realize that he is not the president.

i think mccain has been spooked by the growing gap in the polls between him and obama that's why he's pulling this stunt.

what is he going to do that is not already being done?

it's indicative also of the inability of mccain to multi-task.

Did McCain all of sudden figure out he wasn't ready to debate foreign policy with Obama? Did Joltin' Joe Biden scare the shit of them today? What the hell?

We have a presidential election in about 40 days. Three are only three debates in which to judge the two candidates. The debates help the undecided vote to choose. Each debate is, what, 90 minutes?

Let McCain go to Washington and then have him return for the the 90 minutes required to participate in the debate. Hell, have the debate in Washington, if McCain is worried about the travel time (LMAO).

I don't see how McCain gets away with the excuse of his working on the economic issue to the exclusion of the debates. What a joke of a candidate.

This is desperation, but not crazy desperation. McCain is going to try to use this somehow, or he would not have done it. The last thing Obama wants is to look desperate for a debate. I think people are getting used to his cool as Ice persona and I think it is a positive. No need to blink, just stay cool as he has been. Besides, at this point, McCain needs the debates just as much as obama, maybe more. For him, canceling the debate is like burning the village to save the villagers. He can't postpone all of the debates, and postponing one puts even more focus than there already was on the remaining two and the vp debate.

Whatever Obama does he CANNOT let McNuts decide. Ask Bush. Pelosi. Reid. He's got to make it clear that this kind of decision IS NOT McCAin's to make.

NO ONE asked them to suspend their campaigns.

They can vote and convene meetings and campaign and debate.

Next comes the declaration of a national emergency and then the institution of martial law. Suspension of the election. Or should I take off my tinfoil hat?

Hoe bs not so much

Suspending a campaign? I can see most commentors, listening for lies for so long, don't believe it.
No wonder. I guess at this point if the McCain camp said something true, we'd still wonder about it.

But if he is suspending, how long? Is it like giving up before it's too late? What other revelations are about to come out?

If McCain doesn't want to show up on Friday, can we just watch Obama instead? I'd like that.

Rick Davis and the McCain campaign are total pussies. They keep going for timeouts, Mulligans and gimmes. They are the kid in kickball you kick the crap out of on the playground for making up their own kickball rules. This is playground bush league crap and the Obama campaign needs to forcefully call McCain out on this, while proving he can focus on the economic problem, to the extent that it is any of his or McCain's business as Senators, and conduct the debate.

McCain now owns the issue. If there is legislation pending by Monday he is a hero. If not, the Democrats will be seen as obstructionist.

Heads McCain wins. Tails Obama loses.

McCain said he wants President Bush to convene a leadership meeting in Washington that would include him and Obama.

McCain said he has spoken to Obama about his plans and asked the Democratic presidential nominee to join him.

McCain called back six hours later and agreed to the idea of the statement, the Obama campaign said. McCain's statement was issued to the media a few minutes later.

"We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved," McCain said. "I am confident that before the markets open on Monday we can achieve consensus on legislation that will stabilize our financial markets, protect taxpayers and homeowners, and earn the confidence of the American people. All we must do to achieve this is temporarily set politics aside, and I am committed to doing so."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080924/ap_on_el_pr/mccain

Here is what I wrote to the Obama campaign just now:

Please, please, please: do NOT accept McCain's offer to suspend the campaign.

This country held a Presidential election in 1864, in the middle of the Civil War, when it was not entirely clear that the remaining states in the Union would win. It was the first time in history that an election was conducted during a civil war. If that crisis wasn't enough to suspend electoral activities, why should this one be?

We also held elections in 1932, 1936, 1940, and 1944--in the middle of global depression and a world war. And none of these elections were any less contested than the one coming in November.

The issues to be decided in this election are too important for the campaigns to pause so candidates can rush to Washington, D.C., to ... well, to do what, exactly? To pose for pictures looking grim and determined? To pretend to be doing something constructive? The presence of the candidates in the capital will do precisely nothing to solve the financial crisis.

This proposal from the McCain camp is outrageous. When a crisis is so dire that we need to put a hold on the democratic process, it won't be necessary for any campaign or party to suggest or ask to do so. Until that day comes, the campaign and the election should continue.

Obama says debate still on

yes!

can you imagine an empty republican lecturn? that'd be rich

There's no way a presidential campaign tries to get a candidate away from the media exposure offered by the debates, unless it would be a disaster to go ahead.

McCain's having some kind of health crisis.

fogu sure knows how to stink up a thread

Why not have JOhn McCain on the Hill. If I recall correctly he has intimate knowledge of Finacial Crisis. He was in the middle of the last one.
Maybe he can dazzle the country with his (this is his second bailout) bailout plan.

McCain Campaign Suspends Campaign Due To Crisis

Permanently?

;)

Well, well, well. It's gonna be interesting to see how the pundits spin this this evening.

mcsenile can't MULTI-TASK - That's all this is.

He cannot figure out what to do about a statement on the $700 billion bail out because it doesn't give him enough time for his naps and to prep for the debate. Maybe he's in Ambien withdrawl also.

This is just more proof, and more of an uptick in the polls for Obama:

mcsenile cannot deal with multiple crises.

palin is unprepared to deal with anything.

He's scared!!!

It's just makes Obama look better and better each day. He's prepared, he's professional, he's healthy, he can multi-task - He can deal with whatever is thrown his way, including the call at 3 am

The only thing that personally annoys me is we're having an Obama fundraiser on Friday night for the debate - 75 people are coming - and lots of them or phoning me right now! I just tell them to relax of course. But they all want to talk ---

Boy McCain's campaign really is Rove on steroids. I thought the word that best described Bush's style of politics was "audacious." Fuck the rules, do what's not allowed and do it with impunity. Do it with gusto.

Really, if McCain was putting country first, would he really spring this on the nation and his opponent as a PR stunt? But how many people fall for it?

What's the difference between a rogue nation and a Maverick one? Let me guess, lipstick.