Sen. John McCain said he will "suspend" his presidential campaign on Thursday and will return to Washington to focus on the unfolding economic crisis. In the meantime, he called for a delay in the presidential debate scheduled for Friday night in Mississippi.

Sen. McCain also called on his Democratic rival Barack Obama to join him back in the capital.

"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," the Arizona senator said in statement issued by the campaign. "Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122228304121472135.html?mod=djemalertNEWS


Damn good move and Obama cannot say no or he will look bad
Maybe this will erase that fundamental comment MAC said last week .
Man this is a bold and Mavrick move no doubt !

I'm so sick of the political maneuvering without any substance.  He can not possibly be helpful in all this shit.

BTW, I recognize that this may be political genius, I just personally feel that this is repugnant.

-- Modified on 9/24/2008 12:49:41 PM

...because he's terribly unprepared to have the upcoming debate in light the developments of the last couple weeks.  I'm sure every candidate would like to press the "pause" button when things unravel for them in the polls.    

Yep I do not know if the debate will be cancelled though and I was cutting up some but this is serious and I think MAC is trying to do the right thing.It will be interesting to see how this develops.
Country matters more than his own campaign.

McCain has earlier stated that "Economics" is NOT his forte. Sadly ironic also is that it is HIS economic advisors that harbor the ideologies that bankrupted Wall Street.

 This is empty grandstanding, and nothing more.

They are the ones that are going to have to pass any legislation so this makes perfect sense.

I don't like bailouts and I don't like many things about this bailout, but if members of the Senate are too busy to do anything about it, who will?

I'm pretty damn certain he's including the debate in the suspension.  He's not ready for it.  Keep listening, I'm sure we'll see...

He's trying to delay it.

Just what the fuck would happen if?

A. The government seized these obscene Golden umbrella payouts greedily taken by the CEOs and used them to ease the burden of single home owners falling into foreclosure by the predatory lending practices?

B. Let the whole lot of these Wall Street wizards who lost their ass get an honest job?

C. Lick our wounds, regulate so this don't happen again, carry on?

 TWO MAJOR Wall Street economic crisis’s in LESS than 100 years is UNACCEPTABLE.

You say he can't be helpful.  If he and/or Obama cannot be helpful, then they should both resign from the Senate.  

Their job is to participate in the Senate.  If this is a crisis, that is their first priority.

If they have nothing to add, then they have no business leading.

Or do you think that the main job of a senator is to run for president?

I think all the politicians should get their asses back to Washington, and get something done ASAFP!

Or we could just go along as if nothing happened.

If not, then these men should be out there letting us know who they really are and what they can do.  The American people are going to need to vote one way or another.  If they hide in congress and make us guess who is best, then they are doing the country a disservice.

I bet it is messing with Obama's tutoring down in Florida and I bet Obama is more rattled then MAC.

MSM coined the stupid phrase but if you look at it the details you will realize this is not bailout.

AIG loan interest rate is 11.82% pretty high by any standards.

All the other paper is being bought 20 to 30¢ on a dollar. If the treasury department holds it, they will end up making money. Yes, the treasury is going to own real property.

McCain is leader and has respect in the Senate and have shown he get people together to get things done. McCain showed his leadership.

O'Bomb camp is pissed because "why didn't I think of this befor McCain did".

O'Bomb supporters are the real MORON's. Have no facts but like to like yell at the top of their lungs.

What is the problem here.

How ridiculous can you get?

McCain is sitting Senator so, he is doing his job.

You believe they should be campaigning instead of doing their job.

You couldn't find nothing else to slam McCain.

I am "inclined" to move ahead with the debates.  Sounds like maybe he wants to do this, maybe not.  Parsed like a blindsided lawyer.  The news services have quickly replaced that comment with his newer responses that sound more like his handlers have their marionette a little more taut now.  

They can still campaign more than enough from the Senate the rest of the time. The job isn't 24-7.  It might even be nice to see them in action.  

Hey, let's get real:  90% of the campaigning is pre-planned, media event.  (I am not saying that to attack one side. The same is true for both.)

There is nothing they can't do from Washington, except attend fund raising dinners.

I would hope they can chew gum and walk.

Please don't respond to my post.

Truth is that Obama did not think of this first.
That makes Obama the MORON, (again).

I used to love the John McCain from 2000 but he is losing my respect daily.

It would not be prudent to push a bailout thru- something needs to be done, everyone can agree on that BUT making a move too quickly could do more harm than good.

McCain is scared to debate, bottom line.  He won't let anyone touch Palin and this is just further proof that the Republican Party doesn't have a leg to stand on or anything new to offer the American Public so they resort to the typical smoke and mirrors BS.

Wasn't it McCain who was sreaming for a "town hall meeting"?  I guess he just wanted one that he could control and pack full of crazy right-wingers to drown out anything Obama had to say.  God forbid we have an honest, open, fair debate.  Come on McCain....we know you can't read email or surf the net but surely your support staff can feed the info to you from the Senate via tech means.

This is another crazy, political move to try to bewilder and scare the American Public (hmmm that sounds familiar).  Let's hear what McCain thinks the best move is during the debate...matter of fact, let's hear ANYTHING that is going to fix the major problems in the US from the Republican Party.

USA USA USA USA

XO
Melanie

Well, let's see them lead, not just empty promises from the campaign trail. Let's see them doing the job they were elected to do for a few days. It will be interesting to see which one of them emerges as a real leader in a time of crisis.

My bet is McCain is going to come across as a leasder and Obama is going to come across as the empty suit he is. I think this is an excellent opportunity to see them both on the Senate floor. People were asking for non scripted, well this is non scripted. Let the chips fall where they will.

You Obama supporters aren't scared that their boy is going to look like the lost little pretender he really is, are you? lol

Obama is on a roll.  It would be stupid for him to slow his momentum.

We all knew what that would mean. I don't mind if they go back. However, why can't they take a couple of hours to do a debate?

It is what it is....you can dress it up and powder it's nose but it is obviously a political pandering move.  Stop lying to yourself.  Where there's smoke, there's fire.

"Leaders"?  Obama has voted more recently than McCain...stop reaching- neither has been "leading" (thou Obama has more recently than McCain) because they are on the trail.  Obama reached out this morning with the very same idea and the masterminds in the McCain camp took the idea and twisted it into a political ploy- that's not a leader, that's a thief and manipulator.

McCain is coming across as he is- a cheap four flusher.  He is a talking head for the Party.  Empty suit, lol?  Ummm yeah, right.  With two Ivy Degrees and a lot of fresh, new ideas that we really need- I'll take it.

Scared?  Not in the slightest...easy to be confident when you're on the right side.  Bring it- Obama will hand McCain his ass in a debate and McCain knows it.  Run baby run...if I were McCain I'd run too.

I have an observation I made recently about the McCain camp...his moves are the equivalent of pushing all-in in poker.  It works sometimes because most people don't want to hobble themselves playing against an idiot but eventually it always bites the agressor in the ass.  These silly hail-mary moves are getting old and the public is seeing that (i.e.- his ratings are dipping).  Americans are tired of being scared all the time and they are going to do something about it, put someone new in office.  McCain has been a leader, no doubt, lock step with Bush leading us down this path.  If he wanted to lead, he could have acted more quickly- not wait until he is two days away from a verbal beat down to save his own neck.

M

November 4, is right around the corner.

Verbal beat down by Obama, haha that's rich. lol

I have full faith that Obama can and will do whatever is needed and expected on Capital Hill, then have the vigor to hop on his jet, fly to Oxford Mississippi and make McCain look like a dear in the headlights at the debate.

This was (another) "Hail Mary" by McCain in hopes of avoiding the debate and his subsequent humiliation.

The only thing McCain is leading is the number of days he's been absent from the Senate:

It's very heartening to see that McCain has suddenly discovered an obligation to be a part of the legislative process because of every Senator in Washington, he's missed the mossed votes.  There have been 543 votes taken in the current Senate and he's missed a whopping 412 of them.  He hasn't voted on ANYTHING since April including the GI Bill (support the troops!), energy policy, and in 2007 he missed every critical environmental vote in the Senate which earned him a 0% rating from the League of Conservation Voters.  

Which is why he has to get back to Washington IMMEDIATELY to get to work.  Oh wait,  maybe he could just delay that trip to Washington just long enough to meet with his fundraiser Lady Lynn de Rothschild (which he did).  The economy won't implode before lunch, right?

And there's no need to be reckless about this, right? Maybe John the Maverick could squeeze in a quick interview with Katie Couric this afternoon (which he did).  Guess that legislation can wait just a bit.

And maybe they should delay just a bit longer tomorrow?  Why rush things?  After all he wouldn't want to miss the speaking opportunity at Clinton's Global Initiative on Thursday (which he is attending). Surely the economic crisis can hold off just a bit more, right?

But take out 3 hours to debate Friday evening after the Senate is out of session?  No.  Can.  Do.

Nothing political at all in this decision, is there?

Doing his job is repugnant? Both McCain and Obama have already been elected to a job - that of US Senator. McCain has not forgotten that in the midst of his quest for a different job, he still HAS a job to do, and he is on his way to Washington to do it.

On the other hand, it is rather difficult for Obama to make the case that is ready and able to lead this country, when he can't or won't take a single day to actually fulfill the leadership position he has already been entrusted with.

However, coming from a man who voted present over 100 times as a State Senator, and who spent barely 2 years of the SIX YEAR term he was elected to before leaving to run for a better job title, his decision to ignore this situation is hardly surprising.

SEN Harry Reid told McCain he needed to be in DC to help with the bill and now that he is going back to DC Reid says it would be a distraction .
What if MAC does not show up at the debate ? Would the moderator just question Obama ?
Some high stakes poker being played.

Two Ivy degrees

Everyone is underestimating McCain's debating skills.
There is too much focus on Obama's flair. I agree that he is a good community organizer, and a very good cheerleader, but without a script, he studders and his lack of substantive answers are evident. I don't believe this is going to be the beat down that some are predicting.

-- Modified on 9/24/2008 6:30:32 PM

McCain did a duck and run...

Hard to beat someone when they turn tail.

You guys gotta come up with some better slams than community organizer and cheerleader.  Who stutters?  I haven't heard the McCain camp give any "s-s-s-straight talk"- ever.  McCain has been/is a Bush backer and a Republican alter boy.

If we can actually get the debates to take place...the truth will be told.

M

-- Modified on 9/24/2008 4:53:41 PM

If McCain is such a pussy that he's afraid to debate Obama why not just admit it instead of making up a fairy tale like this that the American people are seeing right through?

BHO’s not needed right now in Washington. He’s said so himself. He’s just admitted that he’s irrelevant. The government can solve this little problem perfectly fine without him. Gosh, why do you even consider him for POTUS?

McCain’s simply doing what he’s getting paid $170K/year to perform. You also don’t see that Bush and many Republicans are in disagreement right now. McCain is headed to D.C. in order to deliver them both up to a bi-partisan deal with the Dems. I bet he even stops by Mississippi on his way home Friday night. That is if BHO is still around.

Yep if he gets the REPS to agree and does a BI -partisan deal the mavrick will be a hero again and then swing down South to see Obama shuck and jive