Politics | 09/24/2008 3:30 pm

John McCain Suspends Campaign, Asks to Postpone Friday Presidential Debate UPDATE

Breaking: In a move sure to rock an already dramatic week in a campaign season fraught with surprises, and amid a national emergency in the country’s financial markets, Republican presidential candidate John McCain has suspended his campaign today in order to return to Washington to work with his Senate colleagues on the Wall Street bailout package.

He has also contacted the Obama campaign, asking to postpone this Friday night’s debate in order to work on the financial crisis.

In a brand-new Washington Post-ABC News Poll, McCain has lost significant ground since the financial crisis became topic A among mainstream Americans, trailing at 43% versus Obama at 52%.

Update: one question circulating…what does this extraordinary move say to the average American? Will it be a source of encouragement…or will they think the sky is falling economically…?

Update: another thread circulating…wouldn’t this Friday night be the perfect time for a debate…with all of American engaged and watching? Just changing the topic from foreign affairs to the economy…

President Bush addresses the nation on the economic crisis at 9 PM EST …

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Nope. Should NOT be allowed. On a side note, I’ve said for a year that I will only believe gwb is leaving when the chopper is airborne on inauguration day. Somehow I’m feeling a bit uneasy right now.

By Vivvy Stewart on 09/24/2008 2:36 pm

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This is really despicable and pathetic. The only people falling for this are the most naïve and those cynical McCain supporters who want to pretend this is anything but a political maneuver. First he pretends it was HIS idea to work together with the Obama camp for a bipartisan solution… when ACTUALLY Obama called McCain at 8:30 this morning to make that very suggestion. Secondly, the only difference between today and the last several, is that McCain is down in the polls today. Third, McCain is exploiting a very serious crisis in order to “appear” to be doing something other than fumbling which is what he’s done since this crisis began, and Fourth, if McCain cannot debate on Friday AND deal with this crisis as a Senator, than he obviously is not up to being President, a job where you have to be prepared to do more than one thing at a time. This is a red flag to anyone considering a vote for McCain.

By DeBúrca obj on 09/24/2008 4:26 pm

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DeBurca, I agree 100%!! And did you read where it took John McCain SIX HOURS before he finally called Obama back?! I certainly hope the American people will see through this ploy. New from CNN Obama stated regarding not postponing the debate : “It’s my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who will be the next president. It is going to be part of the president’s job to deal with more than one thing at once. It’s more important than ever to present ourselves to the American people.” Regarding McCain’s call to join him in Washington to help participate in the debate over the economic recovery plan, Obama said, “If I can be helpful then I’m prepared to be anywhere, any time … [I] don’t want to infuse Capitol Hill with presidential politics.” He also hit McCain for switching from his stance as an advocate for market deregulation to a strong supporter of regulation since the Wall Street crisis became front-page news.”He’s suddenly a hard-charging populist,” Obama said. “And that’s all well and good, but I sure wish he was talking the same way over a year ago, when I introduced a bill that would’ve helped stop the multimillion-dollar bonus packages that CEOs grab on their way out the door.” Further more, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stated “It would not be helpful at this time to have them come back during these negotiations and risk injecting presidential politics into this process or distract important talks about the future of our nation’s economy,” the statement said. “We need leadership, not a campaign photo op.If there were ever a time for both candidates to hold a debate before the American people about this serious challenge, it is now,” he added. McCain is clearly playing games in hopes of gaining points in the polls, which, BTW, Obama is now leading 52% to McCain’s 43%. What will poor, voiceless Sarah do now if John is off playing “hero” in Washington???

By Nanny hasSeven on 09/24/2008 4:54 pm

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Thanks for the update on all the statement! I think Obama and Harry Reid have handled this situation perfectly. McCain had better stop with the tricks, they’re backfiring. The American people are in no mood for this crap and the Democrats are smart to realize that.

By DeBúrca obj on 09/24/2008 5:03 pm

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John McCain is proving himself to be First Weasel. 1) Skipping the debates would cost Old Miss $5.5M. 2) The American people want to hear from the candidates right now. 3) He is low in the polls and this is a scam. 4) A president has to confront and handle many issues at once —he is once again showing himself not to be nimble (except in Rovian dirty tricks) fast thinking or with it. 5) Letterman is going after him….this will be turned into another Geezer joke, and Obama’s campaign says, there’s a stage, and people expecting him to show up. Good for him. He’s not a coward. He can do more things at once. It’s a Friday night for pete’s sake. Fly down, do the debate, fly back up. It’s not like McCain doesn’t have a plane to ad top his 10 homes and 13 cars. Break the Bank of Ole Miss, good going John. But then he’s kind of used to screwing people over and leaving them holding the bag. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/24/ole-miss-officials-debate_n_129…

By Step away from the BLOG! on 09/24/2008 5:55 pm

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Everyone MUST watch Letterman tonight!

By DeBúrca obj on 09/24/2008 6:01 pm

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Yep: TiVo is your friend!

By John G on 09/24/2008 7:44 pm

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De, I just finished watching Letterman………………. He hit the nail right on the head……… This decision of McCains just shows how out of touch he is with Real Life. It doesn’t matter what happens to the Economy it isn’t going to hurt him., I think he’s so deluded that his being a Hero over thirty years ago seems to make him feel he can do anything and It’s OK………….. Sorry…………..We’ve had lots of Hero’s in this Country. It’s what they do with their lives after the glory that matters. He seems to forget that.

By Dona Howlett on 09/25/2008 3:06 am

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Did you catch Craig Ferguson after? He really laid into McCain… “You don’t SUSPEND your campaign! That’s not Democracy!” He also had alot to say about the bail out. As far as the “hero” thing goes, he has overused that to the point of it being meaningless and I am sick of everyone having to preface any criticism of McCain with “he’s a hero”…. there are a lot of heros in this country, heros for all different reasons and it doesn’t mean you get to be president and it doesn’t mean you get a pass on all your behavior from that time forward. Some of the biggest heros in this country are the people trying to raise a family on a moderate to low income without health insurance and still holding things together.

By DeBúrca obj on 09/25/2008 9:15 am

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DeBurca The comedians are all mad because they don’t have enough material. McCain got a bump in one of the polls for it. Go figure? It didn’t work for Hillary.

By Frannie Em on 09/25/2008 6:43 pm

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It’s a pitiful way to get a bump in the polls.

By DeBúrca obj on 09/25/2008 8:48 pm

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Why is it pitiful? He came back to do his job and is pushing that the taxpayer’s money is not just given away by Washington to the offenders? It is what Obama wanted as well. What is the problem? Aren’t their jobs to represent and protect the needs of the citizens?

By Frannie Em on 09/26/2008 12:39 am

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In the morning the story hit the papers that one of McCain’s top advisors has been, up to about 4 weeks ago, getting paid $15K from Freddie Mac. Then suddenly in the pm McCain is suspending his campaign and rushing to Washington. Also McCain isn’t even in committee on this. He went back to Washington with nothing to do so Bush covered for him by inviting them both to a photo op at the White House. Check this out: Check out this video, Chris Dodd and then the Lawrence O’Donnell interview which comes in toward the middle: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26878384#26878384 Lawrence O’Donnell on msnbc basically saying that McCain has never spoken with the committee/Chris Dodd (the chairman) dealing with this issue before and that Obama has on numerous occasions. Also saying that McCain has nothing to do there because he is not on the committee and it all happens behind closed doors. He basically says that Bush asking McCain and Obama to come to Washington for a meeting tomorrow actually saves McCain because he would have arrived in D.C. with nothing to do and the Bush meeting won’t really go over any nitty-gritty stuff. In summary, he’s saying that McCain won’t be doing anything else on Friday night having to do with this bill because he likely won’t be invited to anything.

By DeBúrca obj on 09/26/2008 7:55 am

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DeBurca Yes DeBurca it is quite a second act McCain is in. I don’t know who or what he talked to, he seems like kind of a street fighter. I don’t know how much communication McCain has presently had with the committee, that will play itself out. He did push for regulation of Fannie and Freddie in 2005/06. Frank and Dodd are not likely to be straightforward because their @$$es are on the line. This happened on their and Bush’s watch. To use that old convenient Bush excuse will only serve to lose the election for Obama. If they don’t want to lose it for him, then they better get their act together. They receive more money in contributions from the Finance/Real Estate/Insurance industries than any other industry. Yes, McCain has many current and former lobbyists as advisors. Do I think that is okay? NO. Has Obama released the list of his advisors yet? He has been asked on several occasions. It has been reported that one of his advisors has received $90mil as a bonus from the corp he worked for. Do I think that is okay? NO. These guys are the cream of the crop. They are going to be from that pool of big earners. That is how it is played. We need more campaign reform. Do you know how much campaign advisory staff make? What kind of salaries are being paid by grandma’s donations? From both sides? Why aren’t any of them ever transparent about that? You have to remember, that my state’s electoral votes (55 of them) usually go democrat. I don’t think that will change. I have come to the conclusion that it almost doesn’t matter who I vote for. Either way, my state will probably be with Obama. I will vote. I know you were worried about voter fraud, well the pro democrat voter fraud in California will cancel other voter fraud out. Mayor Villargoisa of Los Angeles, does not require ID to register to vote. He doesn’t have it regulated. That may make you feel good, but I think it is dishonest, and destroys the process. There are many illegal immigrants that vote. They could be here 1 month 1 year, but many of them vote. In So Cal we all know it, it is just part of the landscape. Our employees (who have become citizens) tell us all the time that it happens. They say, “Frances, many many many, mucho many do it. I am not trying to justify anyone’s position, I just hate it when half of the facts are left out. In the last 40 years only 3 times have democrats been elected to the Presidency; Carter once, and Clinton twice. A couple of months back Joan Ganz Cooney wrote about the democrats not knowing how to win the White House. We shall see if this machine can make it happen. I don’t believe that Moveon tactics work. It didn’t work for Dean or Kerry. Obama seems like he has a very good organization, we shall see how it plays out.

By Frannie Em on 09/26/2008 6:00 pm

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Excellent post, Frannie! And no one has mentioned that Obama totally supports the Bush propositon: Twenty percent of the money that should go to retire debt that will be created to solve this problem winds up in a housing organization called ACORN that is an absolute ill-run enterprise, money would be taken away from debt retirement to put it in a housing program that doesn’t work. BTW, that’s the same fiasco that Obama and Rezko were associated with in Illinois. It’s bad enough that taxpayers have to pay the price for Congress’ decade-long distortions of the lending and investment markets. If we realize a profit from the bailout, that money should go to pay down the debt or get returned to taxpayers as dividends from their investment — not to organizations committing voter fraud, and not to restarting the entire cycle of government meddling in lending markets. And John McCain is NOT going to let that happen.

By A N on 09/26/2008 8:02 am