McCain asks that Friday debate be postponed to focus on financial crisis

[Toe Jam]

Obama just announced that he wants to go forward with the debate.-per CNN

[Heisenberg]

I did, you would think Obama supporters would want a different type of candidate considering Obama claims to be so different from the rest of Washington.

I thought the comment was made purely in jest.

[Guest sith lord]

Advantage obama!!!!!

[GoSkins561]

If the Obama phone call is indeed true, wouldn't that make HIM the bipartisan candidate in this particular case?

It is a stretch, maybe for the first time you could say he reached across the aisle. Depending on the the results and how he votes is what really counts.

[Toe Jam]

Advantage obama!!!!!

Yep. Especially with him now saying he wants to go ahead with the debate.

[DiscoBob]

If the Obama phone call is indeed true, wouldn't that make HIM the bipartisan candidate in this particular case?

Joint statements are hardly bi-partisan action. It's like saying, hey McCain, lets issue a joint statement condemning Child Abuse....

It's a nice gesture, but meaningless....

But putting the current operation of the government ahead of campaigning, that is actually an action that has consequences. You can argue that he's doing it for show, but he has put aside party line many times during his career, unrelated to presidential campaigning, so this is not exactly out of character....

[Heisenberg]

http://www.politico.com/arena/

[Henry]

But what are they going to do? Neither sits on the Banking Committee. Even Bush isn't really doing very much - he has delegated authority to Paulson.

In the Senate, it will be Dodd and Shelby's show to run. McCain, despite his long tenure in the Senate, has never led on economic issues. As Republicans are quick to point out, Obama has never really led on anything as a Senator.

Paulson, Bernanke, Dodd, Frank - those will be the big names in the debate. McCain and Obama would just get in the way ... (so would Bush).

What are they going to do?

Lead by example.

Hey idiots, figure it out. I'm running for freakin PRESIDENT and I'm more willing to put politics aside than you are. I'll come over there and look over your shoulder if I have to. Get it done.

These men are not just vying for the Presidency, they are also potentially the leaders of their respective parties. We all talk about wanting change, wanting bi-partisanship and getting things done, well here it is. We're all in this together. Let's get to work.

[Monte51Coleman]

Eh. Nobody comes out of an election as clean as they went into it.

If the reaction of this board is any indication as to what the country will think, McCain either did this despite the political ramifications or he's dumb as a sack of hair.

And I don't think he's dumb.

I'll pick neither.

I think he thought it would be a good tactical move.

He was wrong.

[Larry]

Typical same old politics, I thougt Obama was suppose to be different?

What I'm noticing is that:

1) You ignored the words "if Obama wants to get really dirty".

2) You seem to have nothing to say about the parallels of a politician, when a crisis occurs, who

a) ignores the crisis for days

Then decides to stop ignoring it, but only after first considering which time to stop ignoring it will be most beneficial to whatever he was doing.

c) Makes a press announcement, so that he can try to get praise for doing something days later than he would have done it, if it were really important to him.

He wants to get credit for running away from his campaign (at a time when he's decided it will be to his maximum benefit to do so) so that he can respond to a "crisis" (that's been going on for a week).

[DeanCollins]

Obama called McCain this morning and asked to issue a "joint statement".

I've made a lot of those :laugh:

[DarrellsMyHero28]

^^^

:applause:

Edit: That was meant for Larry, but I'll clap for Dean too

[ccsl2]

Did I imagine the quote from Paulson where he said something needs to be done in the next 48 hours or we're facing an economic catastrophe?

So here we are up against it and all we've heard is bickering, finger-pointing, and pundits telling us how Obama and McCain have no clue how to fix this. I don't know about the rest of you but I REALLY don't want to hear that this-and-such's second cousin cleaned floors for Fannie Mae in 1997 anymore. It's kind of more important to me that our country's economy to not come to a grinding halt.

I for one would be glad to know it's more important to McCain and Obama too.

Henry I saw the quotes from Paulson and the Treasury boys. I just question the timing of it all. The campaigns could have suspended last week to hed this off at the pass. It isn't like this bailout wasn't a possibilty before it was announced.

[bird_1972]

Obama..."I have spent alot of money covering up my islamic muslim extremism ties to terrorism...From William Ayers,to Rev. Wright...I cannot afford to take time off as I have spent the last few days in florida going over my speech debate on Foreign affairs which I have little knowledge of due to my lack of experience"....Being the President is more important than anything in the world from our economy to Russia moving Battleships to the carribean....I have came along ways from my radical muslim left views and I just can't afford to risk any possible debate that will help me,even though I do get to delay any kind of debate with Mccain without a telepromter...So now I need to twist as many lies as I can to help my campaign so the idiot left wing nutbags will stay on my side..."

Now that is what Obama should say...

Maybe we can get Biden to say it?lol

I am no longer taking back what I said about you in that other thread. You are a total douchebag. I hope you catch a viral illness and are too sick to make it to the polls on Election Day. The USA will be much better off for it.

[boobiemiles]

He might as well just fall back and chill. If McCain get's elected, even he would say we are in trouble. The idea of big business, and small government has been a travesty. With leveraged products dominating most of the portfolio's, there needs to be more regulation. Just because this guy says he's for more regulations isn't enough. I don't care if you are a Republican or Democrat, we are in big big big trouble. The government has to intervene in this crisis, and it's not a quick fix. More government and smaller business. The only way Obama isn't elected is because he's black. But a lot iof people are beginning to see the money in their 401K go down. So in the end should be about those greenbacks.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

Henry I saw the quotes from Paulson and the Treasury boys. I just question the timing of it all. The campaigns could have suspended last week to hed this off at the pass. It isn't like this bailout wasn't a possibilty before it was announced.

Its more than that.

The announcement of the bailout didn't make the crisis any more serious, it just put the severity of the situation into numbers that we as lay-people can understand. We all knew the economy was ****, but now we see that its going to take $700 billion (at least) to bail it out. McCain knew how bad it was, even if he doesn't "understand" the economy, he has advisers and was no doubt in contact with Paulson before the bailout was announced.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

He might as well just fall back and chill. If McCain get's elected, even he would say we are in trouble. The idea of big business, and small government has been a travesty. With leveraged products dominating most of the portfolio's, there needs to be more regulation. Just because this guy says he's for more regulations isn't enough. I don't care if you are a Republican or Democrat, we are in big big big trouble. The government has to intervene in this crisis, and it's not a quick fix. More government and smaller business. The only way Obama isn't elected is because he's black. But a lot iof people are beginning to see the money in their 401K go down. So in the end should be about those greenbacks.

:no:

And seriously, lets not go down that path....there's already a very hotly contested thread about that.

[JMS]

Obama just announced that he wants to go forward with the debate.-per CNN

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D93D9CP00&show_article=1

Yeah, Obama called McCain 8:30am this morning to get together and issue a joint statement of support for the bail out. McCain's office took the message. McCain phoned Obama back a few hours latter and agreed to the statement.

Minutes latter, McCain issued a press release suspending his campagne and called for the postponing of the debate; asking Obama in the press to agree until the crisis has passed.

I guess Obama has declined, also in the press. You have to give it to McCain, if the game is going against you; change the game. He's a smart politician....

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Ok, now I'm trying to take a step back and give McCain the benefit of the doubt that he's doing this for the good of the country....

I have two questions though: 1) what does mccain and obama being in Congress actually do to help get a bill passed; and 2) is it looking like republicans and democrats aren't already working together on this to pass something?

[michael_33]

I am no longer taking back what I said about you in that other thread. You are a total douchebag. I hope you catch a viral illness and are too sick to make it to the polls on Election Day. The USA will be much better off for it.

ah...shucks:whew:

[DjTj]

What are they going to do?

Lead by example.

Hey idiots, figure it out. I'm running for freakin PRESIDENT and I'm more willing to put politics aside than you are. I'll come over there and look over your shoulder if I have to. Get it done.

These men are not just vying for the Presidency, they are also potentially the leaders of their respective parties. We all talk about wanting change, wanting bi-partisanship and getting things done, well here it is. We're all in this together. Let's get to work.

I don't know .. "figure it out" is basically what Bush is telling Congress to do (which roughly translates into "do whatever Paulson says").

"put politics aside" and "get it done" and "bi-partisanship" are great buzzwords, but I still don't see how they would actually accomplish anything.

Perhaps if they said, "my economic staff is preparing a recommendation" or "my legislative staff has drafted a new bill" or "I am proposing these amendments to the Paulson plan" I could see a reason to drop everything and fight to get their bill passed, but neither McCain nor Obama really have a strong background in doing this kind of stuff. The heavy legislative work is somebody else's responsibility.

Now if the Senate gets to a point where they're actually at a partisan impasse with someone threatening a filibuster, and they need to broker a compromise, that would be a great time for Obama and McCain to step in ... but I don't think we're not there yet. We're still at the point where the people who know the most about the issues should be trying to hammer out a good bill.

Maybe you're right, and it would be a good symbolic gesture to suspend the debate, but I really don't think McCain or Obama could actually do much to help the process at this point.

[JMS]

1) what does mccain and obama being in Congress actually do to help get a bill passed;

Obama and McCain as their parties presidential nominee's are the leaders of their two parties. They are the most influencial members of their two parties. Thus they could be invalubale in obtaining a concensus among their party members.

2) is it looking like republicans and democrats aren't already working together on this to pass something?

The Paulson draft is DOA. The President has backpedeled on Executive Salaries and on releaf component for home owners. On the other hand GOP and Dem's are both in open revolt over the Presidentially proposed bail out. The original deadline was Friday to pass something; It doesn't look like that's going to happen. The President and his people don't have any credit left with either party it seems.

So yes there is a real danger that they won't come together and pass anything unless someone exherts leadership. The President is too weak, Pelosi and Reid are to inexperienced or stupid because so far cause they're just sitting around trying to blame Republicans than actually get something passed.. Obama / McCain might be our last shot.

[Stophovr6]

[88Comrade2000]

On the first Tuesday on Nov there WILL be a election. No matter what else is happening the election will happen.

The american people have a right to see a debate.

There is no guarantee the election will happen. Bush has the authority to declare an emergency and postpone the election.

[Henry]

I don't know .. "figure it out" is basically what Bush is telling Congress to do (which roughly translates into "do whatever Paulson says").

Obviously coming from Bush it has a different impact (as your aside suggests.)

"put politics aside" and "get it done" and "bi-partisanship" are great buzzwords, but I still don't see how they would actually accomplish anything.

I agree that just saying those things doesn't accomplish anything. That was kind of my point.

Perhaps if they said, "my economic staff is preparing a recommendation" or "my legislative staff has drafted a new bill" or "I am proposing these amendments to the Paulson plan" I could see a reason to drop everything and fight to get their bill passed, but neither McCain nor Obama really have a strong background in doing this kind of stuff. The heavy legislative work is somebody else's responsibility.

Now if the Senate gets to a point where they're actually at a partisan impasse with someone threatening a filibuster, and they need to broker a compromise, that would be a great time for Obama and McCain to step in ... but I don't think we're not there yet. We're still at the point where the people who know the most about the issues should be trying to hammer out a good bill.

Maybe you're right, and it would be a good symbolic gesture to suspend the debate, but I really don't think McCain or Obama could actually do much to help the process at this point.

I don't know that we're not there yet, honestly. According to the people who know about these things, a bill needed to be passed yesterday. Perhaps this is one of those times when the slow methodical plodding of our legislative process needs a kick in the rear. And perhaps McCain has the boots for the job.