McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to agree

[Spiff]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

What's Obama to do? Be absent at the most important vote of his short Senatorial years? Or go and vote "present" once again?

Neither; what kind of fixed multiple choice question is that?

He will be there voting with all the others. He wants to also move forward with the campaign. He can do both. Unlike McCain, who pretends his presence is needed 24/7 on Capitol Hill and thus has no time for campaigning or debates.

 

[grantt]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

At least McCain has been there (in Washington).

Guess you are right, Qixote, Obama will probably be voting for this one. He can't avoid making decisions forever.

 

[grantt]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

WHAT? There's bias on this board, Marleyisalegend? NO WAY! lol

 

[noah617]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

At least McCain has been there (in Washington).

When? He hasn't voted since April and he was still in NY this morning.

 

[naked gent]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

This is a really complicated mess, and potentially a huge disaster, and I'm beginning to think McCain's move to suspend his campaign and return to work in Washington might be smart. Obama may have to do some fancy footwork to not look like he doesn't know how to prioritize.

While I do think that Obama should have returned to D.C. on his own and that the debate should go on as planned I don't think McCain or anyone else will get any kind of boost from this no matter what happens.

Even if McCain swoops in and manages to broker a deal the only way he could benefit is if most of the country approves the deal and the spending of the $700 billion to "save" the financial system.

I think voters are more likely to grudgingly accept what they are being told is necessary than yell savior to those who accomplish it.

While I do believe the system will be "saved" with public money I don't think anyone will get any credit for doing so.

 

[perkytits]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. He's on the homepage of the NYTimes today looking like a hero. Meanwhile, his urgent matters involve an interview with Katie Couric.

 

[White Eagle]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

It seems the Democrats do not seem to have a problem on working on the bill:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26875565/
But Obama supporter Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said McCain's sudden visit to the Capitol Thursday “feels like a stunt.”

She said, “All they (Obama and McCain) need to do is to send a signal as to what they’re for. It’s important that they debate. We don’t need photo ops. Their physical presence here is a distraction.”

But the Repugs in DC have to have McCain to tell them how to vote?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26885268/
congressional Republicans have suggested they are waiting for a signal from McCain on how to vote.

 

[kaleman77]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

McCain..a true profile in courage! He was courageous in Nam. He is courageous now bravely leading the charge for his country in this financial crisis!The Magnificent Maverick!

 

[Raincoat Massacre]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

McCain..a true profile in courage! He was courageous in Nam. He is courageous now bravely leading the charge for his country in this financial crisis!The Magnificent Maverick!

Ew. I really hope that is sarcasm...

 

[Kulindahr]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

I think this foreign correspondent, with his outside perspective, summarizes the situation very well:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/2008/09/nailing_a_sneezing_maverick.html

That's an excellent piece.

What's Obama to do? Be absent at the most important vote of his short Senatorial years? Or go and vote "present" once again?

Looks like the White House meeting saved face for Obama. Low blow for the the Democratic candidate......

There's not going to be a vote soon, which is why McCain is just foolish here. They have staff who can communicate what they want to see, which means they can do the debate.
And don't forget that Obama is the one who initiated the idea of working together one this, not McCain.

When? He hasn't voted since April and he was still in NY this morning.

McCain the big liar. "I'm suspending my campaign immediately" really means "... except for the events I don't have to work at to look good." He says he's going directly to Washington, but apparently he does plan to pass "GO" and collect $200.
I don't understand him: first he wants a lot of 'debates', but now he wants to postpone one?

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. He's on the homepage of the NYTimes today looking like a hero. Meanwhile, his urgent matters involve an interview with Katie Couric.

As I said above: liar.

 

[G-Lexington]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

>>>I don't understand him: first he wants a lot of 'debates', but now he wants to postpone one?

He's making some shrewd moves. First he insisted on debates on HIS terms - X number of debates, held in Y format. Either Obama would agree to it (thus facing McCain on McCain's terms, where he'd do much better) or want to stick with the previous set-up (which makes him look like someone who is both inflexible AND scared). This "postpone the debate" thing is the same player in a different uniform. Either Obama goes along with it (in which case even the Democrat is following the strong leadership of the Republican) or he doesn't (in which case he's more interested in his own petty gains than in the country's well-being). Either way, McCain gains, I think.

Lex

 

[construct]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

>>>I don't understand him: first he wants a lot of 'debates', but now he wants to postpone one?

He's making some shrewd moves. First he insisted on debates on HIS terms - X number of debates, held in Y format. Either Obama would agree to it (thus facing McCain on McCain's terms, where he'd do much better) or want to stick with the previous set-up (which makes him look like someone who is both inflexible AND scared). This "postpone the debate" thing is the same player in a different uniform. Either Obama goes along with it (in which case even the Democrat is following the strong leadership of the Republican) or he doesn't (in which case he's more interested in his own petty gains than in the country's well-being). Either way, McCain gains, I think.

Lex

So it's a case of changing the rules after play has begun--like an ex post facto law.

I agree, although I hadn't thought of it in those terms.

 

[NickCole]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

>>>I don't understand him: first he wants a lot of 'debates', but now he wants to postpone one?

Good point.

Leads me to think that since McCain initially pushed for more debates, which Obama refused, that does lend credence to the authenticity of McCain's motives in attempting to cancel this one. If he were worried about debating, he certainly wouldn't have tried to arrange more of them.

 

[G-Lexington]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

^ Possibly. Or, as I suggested, it could be that he wanted the debates on "his" terms. When he couldn't change them, he instead is looking to skip them, and perhaps reschedule them more to his liking.

But even if that's the correct reason, nothing stopping him from using your logic to "prove" that he IS ready.

Lex

 

[Kulindahr]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

Good point.

Leads me to think that since McCain initially pushed for more debates, which Obama refused, that does lend credence to the authenticity of McCain's motives in attempting to cancel this one. If he were worried about debating, he certainly wouldn't have tried to arrange more of them.

That might fly, except that he lied about going right back to Washington -- lied to David Letterman about it, and got the tale told on television.

 

[NickCole]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

That might fly, except that he lied about going right back to Washington -- lied to David Letterman about it, and got the tale told on television.

Oh my GOD!

Say it isn't SO!

He LIED about which hour he was going to return to Washington? At what hour did he say he was going to leave, and then when did he go?

 

[Kulindahr]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

Oh my GOD!

Say it isn't SO!

He LIED about which hour he was going to return to Washington? At what hour did he say he was going to leave, and then when did he go?

He announced that he was putting his campaign on hold "immediately", to go back to Washington. That says he was already set to go and would be taking off after the announcement.
He told Letterman the same thing, which was why Letterman pounced on him.

He weasels out of things as bad as Bush.

 

[naked gent]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

He weasels out of things as bad as Bush.

I agree with you Kul. His unilaterally backing out of the debate strikes me as imperious behavior on McCain's part. He agreed to show up and should do so unless Obama agrees to postpone.

Its not his place to dictate to Obama nor is dictating part of the description for the job he is seeking.

I think McCain might be stuck here as it appears that house republicans will be the sticking point in this deal. If McCain can't bring them along we're left to wonder what kind of leader he is when those in his own party reject his leadership and if he does bring them along then this deal will have his name written all over it. (which is bad for a deal lacking universal appeal.)

He should have looked before he leaped.

 

[NickCole]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

^^ He's doing okay.

In the Gallup Daily, Obama was up by 3 earlier in the week. Today McCain is tied with him.

Something brought Obama down and McCain up; likely as not it was the gambit he played yesterday.

That's politics.

 

[justapixel]

Re: McCain wants debate postponed, asks Obama to a

^^ He's doing okay.

In the Gallup Daily, Obama was up by 3 earlier in the week. Today McCain is tied with him.

Something brought Obama down and McCain up; likely as not it was the gambit he played yesterday.

That's politics.

The people are upset that we are paying Obama and McCain $160,000 a year to be our Senator.

They see McCain flying to Washington to do his job and saying that he will stay until the job is done.

They see Obama putting the crisis on the back burner while still collecting his full salary.

Obama is putting himself first. McCain is putting American first.