Unfortunately, Obama is in a lose-lose here.

If he cancels the debate, it'll appear he's being led by McCain, which is NOT the image you want to send this close to the election. However, if he presses forward with the debate and McCain refuses to attend, stating the country's economic issues are far more important than one debate, he could look as if he's putting politics above country, something McCain has accused him of doing for months now. Basically, he has to walk a fine line here and not appear as if he's following the leader, but also not putting politics over the nation's concerns.

So what can he do? It's not as easy as saying, "show up and debate a chair," because that can be spun against him. Remember, Obama did so well last week because it seemed he was LEADING and not POLITICKING! So I don't know what he can do. I think it's likely Obama will say there is no need to postpone the debate, however, if McCain does not agree to debate, he won't do it alone, because it could backfire big time.

At least that's how I see it. Flame away.

that the media is reporting on.

McCain's campaign might be dumb, but they're not this dumb. If Obama pushes the debate and McCain rejects it, spending the time in Washington instead, it won't look good for Obama.

for bipartisanship..

The debates reach millions of people and the people have a right to know the candidates' views!

is the weak one and Obama will come out on top of this. end of story.

which calls McCain's decision and the subsequent WILD overreaction into question.

it looks like to me.

1. Offer to have the debate in DC to stay close to the bailout talks - can't they spare a couple of hours?

2. Shift the debate topic to domestic/economic affairs and postpone the Foreign Policy debate, since there's no more relevant time to discuss their position on this issue.

McCain will choke on his own bullshit.

Debate in Washington....no elaborate setup is needed. Change the topic. Let's get it on

Idea courtesy of DUer Kirby.

Obama's upcoming statement will certainly affect the way this story is spun in the media.

I hope it's the best statement of his life.

Obama has to point out he can handle more than one serious issue at a time...which he can!

Be prepared...if Obama doesnt agree, you're gonna hear how selfless McCain was to suspend his campaign and how selfish it was of Obama NOT to...and how that shows that the American public is not his first priority...

I'm just going by the negative course of this entire campaign... The old damned if you do and damned if you don't.

The next leader of our country will carry this burden in two months and the people have a right to hear exactly how. That's all that he needs to say.

And then stonewall rescheduling...keep in mind, the foreign policy debate is the one that is more likely to help McCain.

If I was Obama, I'd suggest having the economic debate first. If McCain doesn't agree, it will be HIM that looks uncaring.

our future hangs in the balance. The "crisis" isn't bad enough for the nation to stand still. It's not like 9/11 happened today.

But it can be spun as such. That's the art of perception right there.

it's not the Armstrong cancer forum. This is IT, America's chance to judge these two--the debates have been highly anticipated, people are going to finally be tuning in, on a Friday night, when there is nothing else going on. There's just no good reason to delay this one.

it's not like this crisis just started this week....
it's been building for a long time, which Barack has pointed out repeatedly...

we need to keep on saying NO BAILOUT, Bush is on tonite to spew lies to say again to the American people more lies, oh, the US is in a financial meltdown, blah blah..........it is sickening.

they want the money that is all it is.

the money to the fatcats to protect their investments, and then blame Bush and the Democrats. It's financial shock and awe.

I think many will see McCain's efforts as weak, too late, and cowardly.

handling numerous issues at once and he can handle it. If McCain can't, well that's a problem.

One other silver lining here - I'll bet the TV networks are even MORE angtry with McCain right now for threatening to screw up their Friday night schedules.

j/k I agree this is a sticky situation. But Obama MUST NOT cancel the debate. He needs to figure out a way to smartly handle this economic issue while keeping the debate in tact. The Senate should not be voting friday.

And call McCain to the carpet for ABANDONING HIS RESPONSIBILITIES to the American people.

and after talking to Romney, we need to push our Senators and Reps hard and say NO BAILOUT, you can see with Bush talking to the Nation tonite they are just baiting us again, well not all of us.

This cancellation of the debate is disgusting, and the sky is falling rhetoric I am not buying into.

Not with this bunch, first it was oil still is now they want our money. Plain and simple. I will not be insulted by these thugs.

Some event he can plan to put the attention back on his leadership.

It's been done before in other debates.

Obama's got a real opportunity to bury McCain with this.

Just a statement that Obama can easily focus on both issues simultaneously, but if McCain feels he's incapable of doing so, then they're willing to discuss a postponement.

Anyone in this country who has to multitask in their
personal life is NOT going to understand why BombBomb
needs to put everything else aside to handle this.

Whorah O'Donnell is already confronting a BombBomb Bot
about this ... This may actually blow up in BombBomb's
face.

On edit: BOMB BOMB CAN'T MULTITASK!!!

There is no real reason for either of them to suspend, all they have to do is be present for the debate and votes on the economic issues. The people want to hear what the candidates have to say and Obama standing up for that is the best thing.

There are fundamental differences on how to address an economic crisis. Let's get our plan out there!

5 things


It is easy to make this a "walk and chew gum" thing.

What if we had this crisis, and a terrorist attack at the same time? Which one does McCain put off to deal with the other one?

See how it can spin? Make McCain look weak and disorganized and NOT READY FOR THE PRESSURES AND DUTIES OF THE JOB.

say that they should move Friday's debate to Washington, and change the debate topic to the economy

In the midst of a CIVIL WAR, we still had an election.

'nuff said.

Nobody suspended their campaigns during other crises.

you look gracious by saying you're ready to debate him whenever he finally decides he's ready.

Obama's best spin IMO would be "While we are certainly facing a financial crisis that needs attention, our men and women and in uniform are facing bullets in 2 wars. I think they and their loved ones also deserve answers about the future of our country and its place in the world. Certainly we can spare 2 hours for that discussion in the face of their sacrifice."

Or could he just be more realistic and say "What the fuck has congress ever solved on a Friday night?"

:)

McCain looks like he's running away. Obama's response should be that he can't hold a debate with himself so he'll have to agree to cancel but this in no way makes Obama look bad.

Tell him that "going back to huddle with the old boy network", etc, etc. We know McCain is going to try to avoid debating so all Obama has to do is hold the line and put the focus on the bail-out that McCain is trying to protect.

If McCain still backs out, unleash the surrogates to call him a coward all weekend long while Obama and his core team work with Dem leadership to come up with an alternate plan to the Wall Street bailout.

Lose-lose becomes win-win.

And if McCain accepts a debate on economics this week, the results won't be pretty at all. :evilgrin:

I know that seems, like, sooo hard for McCain/Failin' and their minions to understand, but the executive branch of government actually requires, like, work.

that would be too much, even for him.

it's obviously the minority view among these replies, but I think you're right.

Those left standing have already stated or revealed their positions and the media, bloggers and all else interested in the elections are watching what unfolds very carefully.

So who needs those live debates which usually divulge very little else than what we already have seen for those two years?

McCain is not going to set the agenda here. One debate on friday night is not going to affect the country's economic crisis. If the fundamentals of the economy is strong then why the rush Mr. McCain? He is desperate.

Obama must pin down the new date, in the very near future, if he agrees to a delay, which it seems he must. This whole economic crisis is looking more and more like a rovian ploy, involving the White House and McCain in concert.

If not, they won't be working on it Saturday night. Watch Bush tonight demand a vote by Friday. Congress is scheduled to adjourn Friday until after the election.

at least "a week" (at least!) to work out the details. If not, we are going to merely transfer our hard earned tax dollars to those who ALREADY live in the lap of luxury. And we are saying, "Thank you Sir, take more of my money for your umpteenth mansion." :grr:

Does anyone in Congress think that these potentially criminal corporations (being investigated by the FBI) may need to have their CEOs testify before we "bail them out?" THUGS - and we are going to bail them out. :(

There was no "national discussion."

Dammit, why can't Congress at least stay in session next week if they truly believe that the financial sky is falling?!?

isn't capable of having a Presidential Debate, and be kept abreast of what is going on in DC. I thought they had use of airplanes at their beck and call.

McCain can choose the brand and bring an entourage of his own private makeup artists to the TV studio.

Then McCain will be able to rest assured that no TV makeup artist is going to sabotage his political career.

It's win-win.

He reached out to McCain first this morning, McCain agreed to make a joint statement about the economy and the bailout, then proceeded to burn Obama for political gain by canceling the debate.
Clearly, he can't debate a chair. He should speak FROM D.C. about the economy, do an interview, something like that, so as to inform the worried American people about what exactly is being debated right now.

We've been on a string for almost a week now. We're frightened and confused. We get one pitiful little speech by Bush and then a whole bunch of senators and economists saying things like, "the air was sucked out of the conference room once things were explained to us", "OMG its too bad to even repeat to the American people", and "this is no time to scare people, but this could be the worst economic crisis the world has ever seen!!!" Palin is now squawking about how we could very well be on the road to the fricking Great Depression.
Personally, my parents are no longer going to be able to retire any time in the near future and they are both in their mid-sixties.
I want to know exactly what is going on right now according to the two presidential candidates.
I think we deserve this.

McCain knows that, after the events of the last six days, the debates would be watched by a record number of people. He doesn't want that. Now, if Obama goes to D.C. and then steps out to do an hour long interview about exactly what is going on with the media that had already reserved the time slot for the debates, maybe even more people will be watching due to the drama of McCain's cancellation. Maybe this could turn out reasonably well for him.

Just brain storming here.

Here's what O should do:

1. Agree to come back to D.C. to debate the bailout in the Senate.
2. Move the debate Friday evening to D.C. Because I live here, I'll travel anywhere, anytime to witness the debate firsthand!! :yep:
3. Third, Obama needs to take leadership: let America know that he mark of a good leader is being able to do multiple things at the same time and be effective at it!!

give a speech....

aimed at the empty podium?

outlining his plans for the economy?

At 8:30 this morning, Senator Obama called Senator McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal. At 2:30 this afternoon, Senator McCain returned Senator Obama's call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement. The two campaigns are currently working together on the details.

Wait ... Wait

What's changed today in the financial crisis other than John McCain's poll numbers tanking? Isn't this the campaign equivalent of faking an injury when you're down late in the 4th quarter? Note too that McCain was in the midst of debate prep when he made this decision.

Look at what appears to have happened. Obama reached out to McCain privately to agree to a shared set of bailout principles. McCain went off the handle again and tried to use the crisis as a way to call off the debates.

--Josh Marshall

This is political move by McSame and if Obama lets him get away with it I have to wonder how he will stand up to other leaders.

McCain just proves again that he isn't at all up for the job.