McCain suspends Campaign in the midst of the Bailout.
In a televised press conference yesterday, John McCain announced that he was temporarily suspending his presidential campaigning so he might return to the US Senate to participate in the work being done on the financial market “bailout.”
He urged Senator Barack Obama to do the same and suggested that they postpone/cancel the debate scheduled for Friday (9/26).
Barack Obama responded to McCain’s announcement and proposal by saying that the two had spoken during the course of the day and that he (Obama) had been under the assumption that they would release a statement, together, regarding the current situation. He added that he did not see a reason to abandon the campaign trail and “infuse Capitol Hill with presidential politics” nor one for canceling Friday’s debate, insisting that this is the time when Americans need to hear from the candidates.
Today, President Bush, who addressed the nation last night regarding the economy, will host a meeting of advisors and lawmakers, including John McCain and Barack Obama.
Regarding the fate of the debate, the McCain camp has stated that, if no bailout agreement in met before Friday, that the first presidential debate should be scrapped and rescheduled in place of the Vice Presidential debate on October 2nd. (and to reschedule the VP debate.)
This is a lot to digest. And the economy has made its way back up to the top of the list of voter “concerns” – the bailout plan is complicated and, admittedly, difficult for even the most seasoned of economists to “figure out.” One thing that is clear is that the measures that our law and policy makers take in the next few months (and years) will be critical in the future of the US market – there is no quick and easy fix.
The Friday night debate topic is suppse to about Iraq. Has the topic changed? If the topic changed, McCain hasn’t been preparing (practicing)for the change. He acts like he can’t discuss two things at a time. On his stump speeches, he keeps them the same. and reads from cue cards.
How sad that a presidential candidate can’t speak at a scheduled debate AND work on issues of the moment. Doesn’t speak highly of his ability to handle many things at the same time. If he can’t handle this crisis…what else can’t he handle?
Um, wow. I think this is a way to avoid debating Obama. Or at least avoid having the VP debate altogether.
McCain can talk about his offer to do 10 town halls all he wants, but he made the offer unreasonable, choosing a high number, refusing to compromise on the number (Obama said he would be happy to do fewer), and refusing to change up the format a little so that some of the meeting could be along the lines of Lincoln-Douglas. He made the request so unreasonable that there was little to do besides refuse. Obviously, he wanted another something to read off his cue cards when making stump speeches…
I think that he really doesn’t want to go head to head with Obama, and he’s seizing upon every excuse possible to avoid it.