It's sad to see a man once seen as courageous and honorable come to this...McCain running from the debates.  It reminds me of what Pres. Carter did when he was facing Sen. Ted Kennedy, ducking behind the Iranian hostage crisis to avoid a debate with Kennedy.  McCain is obviously using this crisis as a reason not to debate.  Furthermore he has just reinforced my beliefs that he incapable as serving a president.

During the last week...he has failed to show any consistency in his message.  One day he's against AIG bailout and then 24 hours later, he's for it.  One day the fundamentals of the economy are sound and then the next we are in a crisis where a solution must be found immediately.   My question is...how is he reaching his conclusions and what factual criteria is he using to come to his decisions?

Furthermore, what insight into the man can we get when he decides to use a political ploy like this in order to further his Presidential campaign.  I realize that's what politicians do...but this certainly has an unpleasant taste to it.

What does it also say about how McCain might behave in crisis.  Does he truly have the capacity to provide leadership when multiple crisis occur simultaneously?  Is he going to ask for a timeout in order to focus on one crisis at at time?  These are serious times and we need serious and competent leadership.

I realize that the office of the President is a mighty prize to have.  But the McCain that is running today bothers me even more than the Clintons.  At least with the Clintons, we knew it was all about them.  With McCain he's wraps himself around the flag and country even though it's all about him and his desire to reach that presidential brass ring.  

Look at his selection of S. Palin as his VP candidate. While she's clearly energized the republican base, she's clearly incapable of performing in the role of President should something happen to McCain.  The McCain campaign itself is validating my belief by the way that they are limiting access to Palin.  If you look at some clips of Palins latest interview with K. Couric, you'd understand that she's clearly unprepared.

My friends...there has only only been one candidate that has been Presidential during this crisis and his name isn't McCain.

If you truly believe this is an important election and you have a love for this country...we need to stop looking at these candidates through ideological lenses and start applying some objective criteria when making our own decisions.  

http://www.truthout.org/article/obama-a-time-resolve

I thought Bush's short speech tonight was OK although he made it sound like the politico-economic environment which lead to this mess jsut kind of happened. IMHO, Obama's address is assuring in terms of demonstrating a more apparent understanding of the problems and from a 'feel good' perspective. Bush seemed much like a deer in the headlights.

Which is saying a lot for such a squinty-eyed redneck frat boy.

Here you go WW,  Though you might need help breathing with your head so far up Obama's ass.

Yeah...that's good. A real intelligent and thoughtful response to some legitimate questions.  Do you have anything constructive to contribute to the discussion?

Thanks!



That IS nitrous, isn't it?

frenetically contradicting himself over the last 10 days I can't see how any rational person could take solace in voting him into the most powerful office in the world.

 If McCain strokes out in the next 3 weeks do the righties vote on a Palin-Cheney ticket?

He's an empty suit.  He gave a stump speech that was tweeked.  Nothing specific----nothing new.

Now---You read the article and respond.  YOU!!!!! YES YOU BRO!  Respond to this!!!!1

Defend Willie Clinton!! Defend Chris Grandmama Dodd, Defend Barney Spitswhentalks Frank!!  Defend that piece of shit, Franklin Raines who made millions while Fannie Mae was taking on all kinds of deadbeat mortgagers.

And defend those stupid lazy dirty rotten DEADBEATS!  Oh man, those deadbeats are a real pack of worms.

Obviously, what you failed to detect was a steady hand and a reasoned and measured response.  This is something the McCain camp has been failing to show.  

The entire McCain campaign has been a series of gimmicks ranging from the ridiculous gas tax holiday to the selection of S. Palin and now the whole campaign "suspension".  You have not seen that that of irrational and shoot from the hip behavior from the Obama camp.  I submit to you that Obama is the only one acting Presidential in this crisis. We don't need a leader telling us the economy is fundamentally sound one week and then a week later saying if we don't do something now, we face an economic depression. What changed today that forced MCacin to "suspend" his campaign.

You're right there have been several pieces of legislation from the Clinton Administration regarding Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac.  Another major contributor to today's crisis was the passage of the Gramm-Leach-Biley Finanacial Services Modernization Act of 1999, also sponsored by McCain.  This allowed investment and commercial banks to consolidate.  Therefore allowing banks to become more exposed to the "let's sell mortgages not matter what" attitude before the bubble burst. Couple these pieces of legislation this with the leadership of the republican controlled House and Senate, that favored deregulation and no oversight...a crisis like this was bound to happen.

There is plenty blame to go around....The question we must focus on is simply this.  Which Presidential candidate has the capacity to affect change needed to ensure the the nation remains an economic power.

I would submit that McCain would not be that person.  Despite is claims of being a Maverick and reform agent.  His record does not support his claims.  Who is he going to reform...the Republicans have owned the White House the past 8 years and the Congress for 10 of the last 12 years. He's supported Bush over 90% of the time and there are no major differences between the economic policies of the present administration. McCain has a clear and consistent record of supporting deregulation...now he's going to the person to put in proper regulation.  Outside of the one time when he wanted to reform Freddie/Fannie there is no other instance where he supported additional regulation or reform.  I don't think its likely that he would be the one to champion reform and oversight.

John McCain...to irrational to lead.

Obama is an avid student of that piece of shit.  And Obama's good buddy Bill Ayers is a non-repentant terrorist that that tried to kill people with bombs.

what do you think of that huh huh huh??!!?

Obama was a big shot in Acorn AKA rent a mob.

YOUR MAN OBAMA IS A NO GOOD DIRTY ROTTEN COMMUNIST WHO WANTS TO TAKE OVER THE USA!

Dude...I don't even know who to respond to that.  Want to give me a reasoned argument instead of resorting to unsupported charges and inflammatory language?  Any fool can do that...are you one?

Sadly, the responses on this thread are too typical of the right wingers on this board. Mill was apparently right. Even more sad is they are not content with mere stupidity, they are also terribly mean-spirited and convinced of their innate rightness as only the truly stupid can be.

He's a chronic reactionary whose aging body has a difficult time with the caffeine content of the Conservative Kool-aid he faithfully ingests.

GEEZER is nonetheless a fitting spokesperson and poster-boy for the GOP.

and there's tens of millions more like them out there.  It's sad watching so many people willing to commit national suicide rather than offend their owned learned disabilities if you know what I mean.

Wormie: Apparently if a "right winger" is not immediately converted to a flaming commie it is a result of the stupidity of the person. Well, ok, hold onto that view with the knowledge that you may eventually grow up and stop being a sophmoric idealist who lives in fantasyland. Being a libbie is a vuluntary disorder that many people grow out of, with the chances for cure greatly enhanced if they are not feeding at the public trough. Good Luck.

harry, harry, harry, ...why must you drop down several levels and call people names instead of using real facts to support your unsupportable position?? Is it perhaps because you fell off the wagon again? You are such a bitter disappointment.

We hadn't seen you in quite a while, so we naturally assumed that you finally took our advice and went to a detox center to get sober. If not, then you really should go to one! Maybe you will be able to better view the world without your booze-bottled glasses and you will see that it is not always "us vrs. them."

I see you still suffer from acute sophmoricitis.

...maybe GOPGeezer will be available instead.

Now that's entertainment!

give us some time, as the process is lengthy.

I'll go toe to toe w/Obama on foreign policy.

I'll go toe to toe w/Obama on domestic policy.

I'll kick his butt.   I'll use facts and examples from Ronald Wilson Reagan's 8 years.

looks like he pulled a "rope a dope' move with the "suspend the campaign" tactic.