McCain to suspend campaigning, wants to delay debate due to financial crisis

[$tevie]

I still vote for "chicken". McCain bailed on Letterman and decided to talk to perky Katy instead. And he lied to Letterman about why he wouldn't be there. He is beginning to look like a class-A jerk. (Letterman's) critique reached a high point when he learned that at the very moment Mr. McCain was supposed to be on the couch next to him being interviewed, the senator was at the CBS News center three blocks away in Manhattan, getting ready to be interviewed by the CBS News anchor, Katie Couric.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/...not-funny/

[$tevie]

Wow, I just saw some video of McCain and you guys are right. He looks terrible. If he isn't sick, then folks need to ask themselves if he has anything remotely approaching the stamina needed to be President.

[Gutenberg]

Well, yeah. It's a problem.

He's 72, which isn't terribly old these days, but it seems he's seen a lot of city driving. Harder on the engine.

[rgG]

I think when a politician decides to run for an office, other than the one they have, they should have to resign any current elected post. Just like a down payment on a house, they should have something at stake, too. What other job can you just leave as much as you want, so you can go interview and campaign for a better one? Then, if you lose, just show back up like you had been there all along.

This financial crisis is probably going to be the first major test of the next President. They had both better make sure that they have had a hand in crafting and approving the plan the congress must pass before leaving for recess. I would think that would required them both to at least make an appearance in Washington. Whether they debate this Friday or next Friday, who cares, as long as they debate before the election.

Congress excels at inaction, but this time they had better get off their collective a$$es and do their job. Every Congressman and Senator had better find a way to work together on getting a good bill passed and passed soon, before they leave for recess. It is their job and they should finally work a little.

[SteveO]

Cainer is either unprepared for the debate, or perhaps frightened. Maybe both. And that is a kind statement.

[freeradical]

rgG wrote:
I think when a politician decides to run for an office, other than the one they have, they should have to resign any current elected post. Just like a down payment on a house, they should have something at stake, too. What other job can you just leave as much as you want, so you can go interview and campaign for a better one? Then, if you lose, just show back up like you had been there all along.

The only politician I can remember who did this was Bob Dole.

[MacGurl]

$tevie wrote:
You know, just because McCain doesn't know how to teleconference, email, iChat, or text does not mean that Obama can't be perfectly in tune with what is happening in DC. That's why Congressmen have staffers. And for god's sake, I would hope McCain could at least use a phone.

The concept in this day and age that someone has to be in the room to be in the loop could only come from a person as tech-challenged as Old Man McCain.

*Exactly* - you have read my mind on this. The idea that the candidates need to just RUN back to Washington to deal with this, like they personally, all by themselves, are going to come up with the perfect solution, is silly. They should be fully able to be in the loop on this issue *and* carry on with the debates.
If McCain can only focus on ONE issue at a time then he would have some serious problems actually being president. :oldfogey:

Kathy

[Mike Sellers]

freeradical wrote:
[quote=rgG]
I think when a politician decides to run for an office, other than the one they have, they should have to resign any current elected post. Just like a down payment on a house, they should have something at stake, too. What other job can you just leave as much as you want, so you can go interview and campaign for a better one? Then, if you lose, just show back up like you had been there all along.

The only politician I can remember who did this was Bob Dole.
Yep, Dole had his faults but he could also be a pretty classy guy. In 1960, Lyndon Johnson had the rules changed so he could run for VP and his Texas Senate seat at the same time.

[$tevie]

Greg the dogsitter wrote:
[quote=$tevie]The president cannot ask the rest of the world to stop turning because he is handling a crisis of some sort. McCain is proving that he hasn't got what it takes to handle the job.

:agree:
Great minds think alike:

Obama wrote:
"It is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once".

[rgG]

There are certain times when you need to be "in the office" and not just phone it in. This is one of those times. What difference does it make who suggested that they go to Washington? I don't care. I think this is important enough that they should both be there. If they can still do the debate on Friday, fine, if not then reschedule. This piece of legislation can't wait, the debate can.

This could help either candidate, if he is seen to be taking the lead and getting something done to solve this mess. I can tell you, seeing one of them get something done by motivating the Congress to action, would do a lot more to sway my vote than all the debate rhetoric. Their actions will speak louder that their words, in this case.

I somehow think that no matter which one had suggested they go to Washington, the other side would have disagreed. That is just the way this campaign is going.