Another Hail-Mary Pass for McCain

And, the American people have heard from John McCain...will Obama vote present from abroad? LOL

...The Illinois Senator also rejected McCain's call to postpone the debate. “This is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who in approximately 40 days will be responsible for dealing with this mess,” Obama said...

So, McCain wants to put politics aside and work on a serious issue, while Obama thinks that he shouldn't "suddenly infuse Capitol Hill with presidential politics", even though he is a SITTING SENATOR? Isn't being present on Capitol Hill for serious negotiations PART OF HIS JOB?

On Friday night, while John McCain and the 533 other members of Congress are working hard on a solution to the economic crisis, Obama will be somewhere in Mississippi, alone on a stage, waiting to show off his "deep foreign policy credentials" gained by traveling for 9 days over the summer. After a few minutes of silence and anticipation, a live feed from Capitol Hill will be shown, where John McCain will say "We are making progress, but there is much work to be done. I have called for the Congress to stay in session until this work is complete. Since Barack Obama couldn't find a way to be here, but instead wants to continue with political posturing, I have sent Governor Palin to debate him, while I attend to the critical work of saving our economy".

Palin walks on stage, Obama's jaw hits the floor, and the rest is history.

It's a brilliant move, seizing the initiative on the problem, playing to McCain's legislative strength, emphasizing Obama's back-bench status. The end game puts the problem in the lap of the D-controlled Congress, which is sure to mess it up. Here in California we've seen who comes out on top when the legislative branch seeks to manage budgets...

I was a teenager during the 1980 election between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, during the Iran Hostage Crisis. Without being 100% on this, my memory is of Jimmy Carter deciding not to campaign during the crisis (at least until it became clear it wasn't ending soon). Republicans scoffed and Reagan soldiered on. A lot of people thought it cost Carter the election. My bet is that he was already losing, and this was Carter's political "Hail Mary." That's certainly what I think McCain is doing today.

I have a new nickname for McCain ... McClown.

McCain has perfected the art of getting the media abuzz about him. What better way to rescue a horrid week. The polls did not favor him, his VP was committing Hari Kari by giving interviews and the economy has dominated the news.
He has shifted the discussion back to him. He is that ex girlfriend that always finds a way to grab your attention.
Lets see if the media falls for it again.

We have been searching for Osama Bin Laden for going on eight years now we have Barack Husien Obama and Joe Biden running for ??????

OSAMA BIN LADEN - TERRORIST
OBAMA/BIDEN- TERRORIZING THE JUDGEMENT OF AMERICANS

SEE THE COINCEDENCE

Juan McCain always puts his country before politics. McCain will not vote for the 700 Billion dollar bailout unless it has a provision for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (aka AMNESTY). Millions of Mexican illegal aliens are at risk of losing their homes to foreclosure since they can not afford to make payments under the terms of their zero-down payment option ARM sub-prime loans and US taxpayers should pay for their mortgages because they are all God's children. Trust Juan McCain to do what's best for Mexico and the Mexican people. Juan McCain always puts his country before politics.

McCain is not in any trouble, but the junior Senator from Illinois is. He has ended his 50-state strategy, and McCain is within 5 points within many Upper Midwest states that typically go blue. I think this election will go right down to the wire, and no one will know who the next President of the United States is until late-election night.

A desperate move of a desperate man.

Obama doesn't want to go so he can remain consistent...he doesn't vote. Avoiding an issue is not the way to solve it. By the way, someone should tell Obama that inauguration is in January, not November.

Sorry John. There are enough chefs in the kitchen on this one already and, well, you don’t know the difference between poached and over-easy when it comes to economics. Stay away, keep trying to make Palin look qualified (good luck) and we will all be better off.

The negotiations to address what most describe the most serious financial problem since the great depression and now mccain wants a white house photo opportunity?

if mccain was a hero, he isnt any more.

Instead of halting his campaigning, McCain should've focused on specifics, on how his policies are going to help the economy and engage in a debate about the future of the country. By disappearing into committees he thinks he looks like a doer, like someone who rolls up his sleeves and goes to work. But in reality, he is eerily reminiscent of Bush as a leader.

Bush also goes behind closed doors and makes decisions he then expects everyone else to follow. If McCain wanted to truly use this situation to his advantage, he would be leading, he would be talking to the American people about the direction of the nation, something that may be decided in just a little over a month. He would talk policy and he would not shy away from the public and from the debate.

Leadership is more than just doing. It's inspiring confidence, calming storms and stepping to the front to rally the troops. And this is what Obama is trying to do right now as McCain pretty much abdicated his potential leadership perch. It's the wrong decision at the wrong time.

I now have even more doubts about McCain. He doesn't seem to handle himself under pressure. Now let's see what Obama will do with the ball in his court.

Seems like it was about time for the ads highlighting the similarities between the current crisis and the Keating Five scandal was about to begin airing. McCain read the tea leaves and decided to bolt. Not a lot of folks are cognizant of the Keating Five scandal and John McCain's role in that fiasco. Imagine what that would've done to his poll numbers.

A piece of advice for anyone who is interviewing for a job: don't leave halfway into it and tell them you're going to rescue the economy and impress them so they'll hire you.

gd help us please let this be over soon so obama can help steer us to breatheable space right now we are gasping and waiting .... on answers while we see our country catch fire and burn... hear my prayer ... onelove

One more 'shock-event' coming from McCain to turn the spotlights on him. The staunch supporter of deregulation now a 'economy hero' wannabe.

This looks to be a fair analysis of the situation.

It's sad to see that the Nixon/Rove/Republican political machine is alive and well even today.

It's also sad to see McCain, once a prod mavrick who I supported, turned to the dark-side by his handlers.

Hopefully this will serve as a lesson for future politicans that Americans are smarter than that. We can see through sham politics and the only viable route to high office is through honesty, integrity and a clear record of positive results for the American people.

McCain is a clown.

Why would McCain want to have a debate about foreign policy when the dominant issue is Economy. sorry McCain, enough stunts, Get back to work. The damage your friend Bush has done to this economy, you can not fix it on Friday night over a bear.

At least he managed to get the Rick Davis/Fannie Mae scandal off the front pages, so maybe this ploy was at least partially successful, but I imagine that is only a temporary respite.

On the down side, though, it only adds to his image as a quirky and unpredictable high stakes gambler -- not what we need at the helm right now.

McCain is morally corrupt to the very core of his being. An average mind, a lousy pilot, a liar, a traitor ... an arrogant greedy man who has no leadership ability whatsoever or any worthwhile political vision for America. He has devoted his entire political career to self-promotion and self-glorification and lining the pockets of the ultra wealthy ... and doing nothing but harm to working people. Spit on him. Let the dumb old fart retire and go to his grave without being President ... he certainly does not deserve any such HONOR.

I'm not an American citizen but I believe McCain had made a bad strategic move to nominate Palin. It is obvious to see that it is more "show" than "substance".

Seems to me like a fairly reckless gamble on the part of McCain. He must be pretty convinced that he will lose otherwise. Is this kind of gambler the person we really want to entrust the nuclear launch codes to?

McCain is simply not in the same league as a public speaker as Obama. If I had to justify the lies that my campaign advertisements are spreading, my role in blocking significant regulation of derivatives and how I was going to balance the federal budget while simultaneously cutting taxes for the ultrarich, I would be looking to subvert the debate process in any way possible. McCain is just cloaking it in the mantle of "patriotism".

While the rush to suspend the campaign may be justifiable, what happened to his, by his own words "supremely qualified", running mate? Should the 'second team' not be send in to maintain the momentum?

I believe Ms. Palin should resign in the face of such open admission by the candidate that she is not ready to even run a campaign for a few days.

McChicken. Mayor McCheese. McLOSER.

He's not like an old girlfriend, the guy is a bad smell that lingers in the elevator which, for the failures known as Republicans, is ... going down ...

McCain is erratic. I can't vote for him.

This is nothing but buying time. The problem is so much bigger than $1 Trillion that this will merely create a fog that gives the Republicans a chance to steal enough votes to stay in power. Whatever is going to happen, will happen. They have created a monster they absolutely cannot control. And they know it. That's why the people in the meeting were petrified. The Dems will make the Republicans match them vote for vote, the Republicans will win the White House, and the sky will fall on McCain.

McCain, why do not your send your VP candidate for the debate when you are trying to handle the economy. As you said before, since you do not understand economy, you can be at least objective. While your VP does not understand foreign policy, she can be objective during debate. This is a great. McCain for economy, Palin for Foreign Policy. god bless america

McCain has suggested that he and Obama debate on the date scheduled for the VP debate. McCain is so transparent. Doesn't want Palin trying to debate

Watch video: Gov. Sarah Palin could not name a single instance in which Sen. John McCain has advocated for more regulation of the market -- a position that, in the wake of crisis in the housing and financial markets, the Arizona Senator has adopted as his own.

http://tinyurl.com/3relw8

Dan, did you ever think that the hostage crisis was more important to Jimmy Carter than losing the election? I think everything in Jimmy Carter's resume confirms his dedication to world peace. I think John McCain wants to go to Washington to get this right.
Do you think the man has no sincerity about what he's doing? Look, the nature of politics is that you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. Everything's a ploy in the eyes of not just your opposition, but your own camp!

Now there's some serious cynicism. Let's face it folks. We let the media work its way into our heads for too long. CNN should take a hike! When they going to allow their reporters to behave like respectable journalists? Why do they have "Ballot Bowl '08? That's bad. They shouldn't have that crook Karl Rove on there either to serve as a sleazeball tactics expert.I think this is a Hail Mary pass on the part of Senator McCain to help the economy, not the election.

Remember, Republicans are not the same as Neo-Cons. Neo-cons have pretty much ruined the Republican party, if not the country.But therein lies a paradoxical alliance of Evangelicals and evil-doers. Very strange mix. Jon Stewarts bit earlier today with George Bush flipping from Godspeak to "Hail Satan"- that was really funny- and dead on.

Letterman hit a homerun on his show tonight about McCain suspending his campaign. You got to watch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjkCrfylq-E

This is the biggest shuck since WMD. Yes there is a crisis on Wall St. It has been there for at at least a year. There is no need to solve this problem in a week - we could take a month. We could come up with six other better ways to do the job. We don't need the candidates to come up with all the answers by Monday- that is plain Shock and Awe, mushroom cloud scare tactics. McCain is either trying to avoid the VP debate, or he just simply can't walk and chew gum or he is just plain chicken

It is clear that McCain has no formal role in this legislation. This is a clear attempt, after Obama's suggestion to put out a joint statement, at one-upmanship and showboating, so he could show up in Washington as the legislation is passed and take credit. Steve Schmidt is getting very predictable. Everytime they are on a downward slope, he pulls something like this to stop and shift the conversation...highly effective, but one does question his moral motivations and integrity to pull something like this, and put international confidence in the US at risk. He going there will only give the republicans to delay further...Country First? I really hope voters do not fall for this. Obama was sensible enough not to go on attack mode on this one in the interest of national unity...it is clear McCain surprised him after that call....this is Old washington at its best.

If John McCain thinks that he can ignore us, the American people by postponing the debate on September 26, 2008, he is deadly mistaken. This debate is not about McCain or Obama, this is about us, the American population. We are as equally as important as his alibi to abandon us because he needed to go to Washington to attend to a resolution to the bailout plan. Either McCain is chicken to face Obama or he really does not have much to say to us, the American people, how he would run the affairs of this country. If his request to postpone the debate is a political tactic to buy time...he is running out of time. He need to face the people he wants to serve as President of this country. PERIOD. We want to hear from you McCain...we already know what Obama has planned for us when he becomes the President of the United States of America. We challenge you to do the same...TALK TO US.

Flutie can throw Hail Marys, the POW is limited to "Floozies". He shot his load. Let him show up at Ole Miss and debate the facts like a man and stop whining.

Gee I wasn't aware that congress was in session on a Friday night. What's wrong with working on the concession AND participating in the debate, or can't McCain chew gum and walk at the same time?

I think that McCain deceiving David Letterman yesterday in a last minute personal phone call cancelling his appearance on Letterman's show, and Letterman's savaging of McCain and Palin last night to his tens of millions of viewers, will have a devastating impact on McCain's chances in November.

McCain has revealed himself an easy liar and courted the enmity of a popular late night TV host, and he will pay the price.

I've never seen a campaign as brain-dead as the McCain tragicomedy of error and deceit, and I'm long enough in the tooth to remember when Ike was president.

Shame on McCain for using a crisis that is affecting hard working home owners for political gain. Shame on McCain!

All this proves is that McCain is incapable of being President. Instead of letting the House/Senate committes do their jobs he wants to ride in on a white horse!
McCain has gone from saying the US economy is "Sound" to using the "R" word.
His inexperience with economic issues is telling. Just what has he been doing in DC all these years anyway?
It's time to remember he was one of the Keating 5 during the S&L fiasco; and has voted for (almost) every piece of financial deregulation since.

You fool me once, I am naive. You fool me twice, I am intransigent, but if you fool me three times, I know you are not fit to lead the free world. First, McCain promised he was going running a clean campaign. Second, he claimed to have to better judgment, and then he selected an untested governor from Alaska who has not had extensive experience of dealing with international or national issues. Third, McCain saw he is behind in most Polls so in a desperate move, he wants to postpone the debate on Friday. How many “Hail Mary” are you going to use? Well, as in football, good football teams never have to rely on the “Hail Mary” play. As a citizen of this great nation I don’t want my president to use “Hail Mary” after “Hail Mary” game plan. In the football world, it’s a desperate play and last ditch in hope of a lucky bounce to win it. I don’t want to place the fate of this nation with a president whose plan is to continue the “Hail Mary,” and this is a risk I am not willing to take a chance on. Don’t be fool, being the leader of the free world is not a trick play because the fate of the world depends on it. The presidency is not a football game and I am not one to accept such reckless leader again (a la Bush).

Listen to me. I got my Bachelor from Harvard, my Masters from Yale, my Phd from Princeton. The high unemployment rate is good. People need more time off. The high Energy prices are good. Car manufacturers need to fire more people to trim their industry. People like paying more for gas. The market crashing is good. Stocks are getting cheaper. Real Estate value going down is good. Real Estate is getting cheaper. The Iraq War is going strong and needs another $150 billion per year. We like the Iraqis. The killing of people helps relieve stress. Don’t worry about the financial crisis. If we wait long enough, the banks and stock market will go out of business and we won’t have to worry about them anymore. Everything is perfect. Re-elect another Republican in November and it’ll get even gooder in the next 4 years.

Hey, these two candidates had an opportunity to choose. Obama chose to stay holed up in a motel room half way across the country to cram for a debate. McCain chose to take enormous personal risk and return to Washington to lead during one of this countries greatest times of need. Politics? Sure. But Obama would never have considered such a decision. For Obama is a talker. But McCain is a leader.

Given his record from the Keating Savings & Loan Scandal followed by more than two decades of pushing for loose regulations on the financial industry, McCain is the last person we want anywhere near this legislation. Who is he going to have advise him, Phil Gramm?

I really do think Mr. McCain may be loosing his mind.

What are McCain's specifics that go against both his party and the democrats? My guess is the Republicans will yield on executive compesnation - it is politically correct with the voting puble. Now it is a matter of timing and saving face. I don't see McCain getting a boost no matter the amount of "spin" to be applied.

The debate is at 9PM and runs for 90 minutes. How difficult would it be to participate in Congressional activities during the day and fly into Oxford, MS for the debate, then back to DC? Is McCain too old and feeble to handle that? Shouldn't the President be capable of something so simple?

I vote present.

McCain will have do less for the nation by sitting in Wash. D.C. this weekend rather than particiapte in the debate at Ol' Miss.

McCain doesn't sit on the Senate Banking Comittee and will have basically zero imput, other than cast a vote this weekend and attempt to get publicity from a photo op at the Whitehouse.

Wouldn;t people rather see McCain and Obama debate with 40 days left to see who can be our leader, rather than pretend that you're being a leader when you have the worst voting record in the Senate?

McCain’s2008 Voting Attendance record
2008-Q1 (Number of Votes) 85 - (Missed Votes) 50 - (Voting Percentage) 58.8%
2008-Q2 (Number of Votes) 77 - (Missed Votes) 76 - (Voting Percentage) 98.7%
2008-Q3 (Number of Votes) 39 - (Missed Votes) 39 - (Voting Percentage) 100%

I am sure many can argue that Obama’s voting record is just as lacking in this election year, but this is why it should hold more merit to the American public for these two delegates to debate, rather than sit on their ass in Washington D.C.

But for the sake of comparing the records, Obama still shows his voting record to be better than McShame.

Obama’s 2008 Voting Attendance record
2008-Q1 (Number of Votes) 85 - (Missed Votes) 31 - (Voting Percentage) 36.5%
2008-Q2 (Number of Votes) 77 - (Missed Votes) 65 - (Voting Percentage) 84.4%
2008-Q3 (Number of Votes) 39 - (Missed Votes) 33 - (Voting Percentage) 84.6%

I would rather hear these two candidates debate than watch McCain sleeping in D.C. while a C-Span camera is on him.

It's a publicity stunt people! Distract and sidetrack the nation once again...thank you GOP for caring. As for the debate…it looks and sounds obvious that he just is not prepared for it after the idiot comments he made of our economy being strong, the open invitation to look at Rick Davis and his not being on the take from Fanny & Freddie, the McCain comment of how he is against corporate heads taking golden parachutes and when asked about why his friend Carly Fiorina received one…with John then saying he knows nothing about that?

Nice way to surround ones self with such people when running for President. One can only imagine the lack of knowledge he will use in appointing specific peoples to his Administration if he is elected President. He will just claim he knows nothing!

Just what we need… Sergeant Shchultz from Hogans Hero’s as our President

WHICH ONE RISKS BEING SMOKED OUT and POTENTIALLY FACING JAIL TIME?

AND WHO SHOULD OVERSEE THE FIX?

Too many have fed at the trough. What Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives did was illegal.

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/09/fanny-mae-freddie-mac-congressional.html

Still no time to panic, but some executives and some in Congress should see jail time.

I'd run scared from a debate about which I knew nothing about as well. McCain's smart enough to do that - too bad Palin isn't.

McCain is playing the American public just like Bush. He thinks we are stupid and will fall for anything. He's a flip flopper. He steals hls platform from Obama. "The economy is stong? Oops,what I meant to say..." Palin/ Phil Gramm/ The War/ they are all lies. Just like him requesting a mulligan on this debate. He can't do anything for the economy now... he already screwed the pooch.
Good luck John. We will always be thankful for your service in Vietnam!However, we will take care of the American business now.
Thanks but no thanks,
Jeffrey Dorchester
El Paso TX

McCain is playing the American public just like Bush. He thinks we are stupid and will fall for anything. He's a flip flopper. He steals hls platform from Obama. "The economy is stong? Oops,what I meant to say..." Palin/ Phil Gramm/ The War/ they are all lies. Just like him requesting a mulligan on this debate. He can't do anything for the economy now... he already screwed the pooch.
Good luck John. We will always be thankful for your service in Vietnam!However, we will take care of the American business now.
Thanks but no thanks,
Jeffrey Dorchester
El Paso TX

personally I don't see how going into a meeting when the people who where in it told you they dont need you, how is that leading. A leader must trust the people who are under them. This is a lack of trust between Mc Cain and the republicans in the house. Secondly that idiot representative Shelby... what an reject all he could yell is listen to the economist. The economist weren't the ones screaming at the top of there lungs telling everyone that something was wrong, They weren't saying much of anything. This is all political posturing and I think it will cost Mc Cain in the end. We deserve better!