Subscribe"McCain advisers said they are also reaching out to the Obama campaign to discuss pulling political television advertisements.
Advisers also say that McCain still wants to participate in all three presidential debates, but that the schedule is up in the air."*
Might this have more to do with his campaign's admission that McCain has not done much to prepare for the debates?
Why not change the topic of the debate to the economic crisis?
Obama supporter and chief debate negotiator Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., told MSNBC that "we can handle both," when asked about his reaction to McCain's call to postpone the first debate because of the administration's bailout plan. He believes they are making good progress on Capitol Hill on the bailout and his initial reaction is that the work on the Hill should not preclude the debate from taking place.So where's the fire, McCain? Yeesh. Let the committees do their work and stop trying to get a piece of it. And - well positioned, Obama team.
An Obama campaign official told ABC News the Democratic presidential candidate called McCain this morning to suggest a joint statement of principles.
McCain called back this afternoon and suggested returning to Washington.
Obama is willing to return to Washington "if it would be helpful." But reiterated Obama intends to debate on Friday.
McCain and his top advisers said the Republican presidential candidate has not committed to voting for the massive financial bailout plan proposed by the Bush administration, with aides saying he will reserve final judgment until there is a final product.
Since Obama Seems to Want to Go On with the DebateOMGWTFLOL… er, I mean to say, yes, while it would be a considerable challenge for Barack Obama to engage Sarah Palin in a freewheeling debate entirely about foreign policy two weeks before the planned vice-presidential debate, I believe that progressives should be willing to make that sacrifice for the good of our country in this difficult time.
Many readers relay that they'd like McCain to just offer Palin step in for him.
'Whatever the merits of the whole Edwards love child story, are we really supposed to believe that one of America's most famous trial lawyers wouldn't sue a publication that printed defamatory and slanderous lies about him?
Also, it's worth pointing out that while the Enquirer may or may not be scrupulous in its choice of stories — that's in the eye of the beholder — it is pretty scrupulous about its facts. They win lawsuits. They've broken a host of stories the MSM guys couldn't.'"
"Whatever the merits of the whole Sarah Palin adultery story, are we really supposed to believe that one of America's most famous hockey moms wouldn't sue a publication that printed defamatory and slanderous lies about her?
Also, it's worth pointing out that while the Enquirer may or may not be scrupulous in its choice of stories — that's in the eye of the beholder — it is pretty scrupulous about its facts. They win lawsuits. They've broken a host of stories the MSM guys couldn't."*
“With Wall Street’s financial institutions in turmoil, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) argued in a series of interviews today that his experience on the Senate Commerce Committee meant he knew ‘how to fix this economy.’ ‘I understand the economy. I was chairman of the Commerce Committee that oversights every part of our economy,’ McCain told CNBC’s Squawk Box [video].
But, as the Washington Post points out, the Commerce Committee doesn’t oversee ‘every part of our economy,’ let alone ‘the very areas now in crisis’:‘In fact, it is the Senate Banking Committee that has oversight of “banks, banking and financial institutions; control of prices of commodities, rents and services; federal monetary policy, including the Federal Reserve System; financial aid to commerce and industry and money and credit, including currency and coinage.”It’s not that surprising that McCain is confused about the Commerce Committee’s economic responsibilities, considering that he freely admits, ‘The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.’”
According to its Web site, the Commerce Committee oversees 13 areas, beginning with the Coast Guard, and continuing through “regulation of consumer products and services … except for credit, financial services, and housing” — the very areas now in crisis.’
"John McCain, whose ads skewer Barack Obama for his 'celebrity' status, has his own close ties to show business, the new issue of Us Weekly reports exclusively.
The 72-year-old was recently made TV-ready by makeup artist Tifanie White who's worked on So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol.
McCain paid the 2002 beauty-school grad $5,583.43 for her services, according to the Federal Election Commission."
John McCain, still on the fence whether to back the proposed $700 billion bailout of Wall Street, huddled this morning with a panel of business executives, including former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.Because if there's one thing that billionaire executives understand, it's how regular folks like us can regain our confidence in Wall Street and in Washington.
The Associated Press reports that McCain said he wanted to discuss "how we can make sure that the American people regain confidence on Main Street so that they can regain their confidence in Wall Street and in Washington."
"Some moderates may see this maneuver as further evidence of McCain's erratic, impulsive temperament. Others could interpret it as a desperate gimmick, given that McCain's isn't 'suspending' anything other than two days of debate prep. The Democratic congressional leadership won't make it easy for McCain to claim a political victory. (Harry Reid is already saying his presence 'would not be helpful.') And if the final bailout is unpopular with the public--which seems likely--McCain could be blamed. So there are significant risks involved."
COURIC: You've said, quote, "John McCain will reform the way Wall Street does business." Other than supporting stricter regulations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago, can you give us any more example of his leading the charge for more oversight?
PALIN: I think that the example that you just cited, with his warnings two years ago about Fannie and Freddie--that, that's paramount. That's more than a heck of a lot of other senators and representatives did for us.
COURIC: But he's been in Congress for 26 years. He's been chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation, not more.
PALIN: He's also known as the maverick though. Taking shots from his own party, and certainly taking shots from the other party. Trying to get people to understand what he's been talking about--the need to reform government.
COURIC: I'm just going to ask you one more time, not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation?
PALIN: I'll try to find you some and I'll bring them to you.
"Mr. McCain said that after speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on Thursday, he would return to Washington to work on the bailout package."Pussy!
“I think it's the longest Hail Mary in the history of football or Marys,” said Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who has been the House’s lead negotiator with both the Senate and the administration on the bailout package...Meanwhile, this in CQ Politics about Obama's call to the Republican statesman, keeping in mind that McCain believes it is time to rise above petty squabbling:
“They’re not mutually exclusive,” said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), the Democratic Caucus chairman, of the upcoming debate and work on the bailout. “It’s not like canceling the debate will help to resolve this.”
“That’s absurd,” said Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.), a senior House Democrat. “Does he think because there's a financial crisis we should cancel the election?”
But McCain spokesman Brian Rogers countered that Obama and McCain never spoke in Wednesday morning.So there *Pbbt*
“Sen. Obama phoned Sen. McCain at 8:30 a.m. this morning but did not reach him. The topic of Sen. Obama’s call to Sen. McCain was never discussed. Sen. McCain was meeting with economic advisers and talking to leaders in Congress throughout the day prior to calling Senator Obama,” Rogers said.
Financials are sold off and shorts return, destroying Morgan Stanley. Washington Mutual fails. Washington Mutual has 143 billion in FDIC insured deposits, which is three times the size of the FDIC fund. FDIC breaks. Wachovia fails. Other national and regional banks will fail. The govt will have to pass an emergency FDIC bailout to cover all those deposits. And the fat cats on Wall Street don't have Wachovia savings accounts. Morlochs like us do.That's absurd. My bank's not WaMu, and it has tons of money. No one except you is claiming that ATMs are going to stop working, that's just idiotic.
Depositors, i.e. you and me, cannot get at our money. In other words, your ATM cards and debit cards won't work, because there's no bank account connected to it. How much cash do you have on you right now? Because you're going to live off of that until your next payday, assuming you'll have one (see below).
Do you rely on a debit card? Not anymore. No cash means you're going to go to your credit card. But with cash frozen in the system the price of what money is still free to move will skyrocket. In other words the interest rate (i.e. the price of money) will go through the roof. So the money for groceries your credit card lent you is going to accrue 30% interest.-- pastabagel
President Bush invited John McCain, Barack Obama and congressional leaders to the White House on Thursday to discuss his administration's proposed bailout of the financial industry and press them to back the plan.
The invitation was extended Wednesday evening, and Bush called Obama personally to ask him to the Thursday afternoon meeting, which Obama accepted, his campaign said.
CLINTON: But when this is over, and after the Jewish holidays, which follow close on it, I intend to go to Florida, to Ohio, to Northeast Pennsylvania and to Nevada, at a minimum. I may do events in Arkansas, depending on what the Democratic Party does down there. And I have some fundraising for them in California and New York.The cracker vote! Wow.
KING: Do they ask you, go here, go there?
CLINTON: Yes.
KING: All right. (INAUDIBLE). Why are you -- are you kind of feeling Jewish, that you're waiting until after the Jewish holidays?
CLINTON: No. But I think it would be -- if we're trying to win in Florida, it may be that -- you know, they think that because of who I am and where my politic base has traditionally been, they may want me to go sort of hustle up what Lawton Chiles used to call the cracker vote there.
But Senator Obama also has a big stake in doing well in the Jewish community in Florida, where Hillary did very well, and where I did very well. And I just think respecting the holidays is a good thing to do.
KING: I was just having a little fun.
CLINTON: I know.
KING: We'll be right back with Bill Clinton.
Don't go away.
Perhaps this will shine an unflattering light on my psyche. But, like many of you, I have a busy schedule, with lots of work obligations and meetings. I also end up doing a decent number of panel discussions and speeches, though I try hard to keep those to a minimum. And like everyone, sometimes I get tired or overwhelmed and I wish I could get out of this or that responsibility.I mean this, as a very genuine question, with the desire for an honest answer: based on his actions for the last few weeks, can anyone who supports McCain- not just hates liberals, hates Obama, LURVES Sarah Palin, but actually, legitimately supports John McCain-
Occasionally in these moments, in a perverse kind of private entertainment, I've found myself imagining what would happen if I pawned off on someone just the ballsiest, most inane excuse for flaking on some commitment. And not something that people might buy -- nothing entertaining about that -- but just something completely off the wall and nonsensical. What would people's reaction be? Speechless, laughter, tearing me limb from limb? Would they ever speak to me again?
So, let's see, I can't moderate the panel because I've been called to Washington to give a special briefing on guerilla tactics to be used against the Taliban?
Or maybe, I want to be at the meeting, but as weird as this sounds, all the bridges and tunnels out of Manhattan have been shut for the day. Some counter-terrorism thing probably. I tried renting a helicopter but they're all booked by people at the UN.
Isn't this pretty much what John McCain tried to pull today? But actually really did it? And on a national stage? He wants to cancel the debate? And maybe also Palin's debate. Are you kidding? Why not cancel the election too? And because he has to go back to DC to solve the financial crisis? Really? The topic he knows nothing about and after he's shown up less in the senate in the last two years than anyone but Tim Johnson, the guy who had the stroke? Which of my employees is going to call from home tomorrow and say they can't come to work because of the financial crisis?
One of the advantages of running a presidential campaign is that roughly half the country is deeply committed to believing or at least saying that virtually anything you do or say makes sense. And so it is here. But, look, if you were living in the real world, if you were some hotshot young executive at a Fortune 500 company trying to rise in the ranks, and you pulled some whacked crap like this, it would probably get you blackballed permanently. People would think you were either deeply unreliable or maybe just had a screw loose. And yet here he is -- is he kidding? He can't debate Barack Obama because he's got to go to Washington and save the economy? It's like the biggest 'dog at my homework' in history.
I know that this is a stupid question, but if Johnny Mac is suspending his campaign why are they still running his spots on my local TVBecause, as has been made abundantly clear over the last several weeks, John McCain is a pathological liar.
"The Congressional Budget Office director yesterday told Congress that the proposed bailout may worsen the current financial crisis. 'Ironically, the intervention could even trigger additional failures of large institutions, because some institutions may be carrying troubled assets on their books at inflated values,' Peter Orszag said. 'Establishing clearer prices might reveal those institutions to be insolvent.'" *
"Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) defended his economic adviser Carly Fiorina, saying that he was 'proud of her record.'
...When...[McCain]...convened a high-profile roundtable to discuss the financial crisis with 12 economic advisers in New York yesterday, one absence was notable: Carly Fiorina."
Mr. McCain seems willing to say anything, do anything, to get to the White House so he can go to war with Iran. If he needs to recline naked in Macy's window, he would do that, or eat live chickens, or claim to be a reformer.When you've lost Keillor, you've lost Wobegon.
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and DAVID ESPO – 13 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Warned that time was running short to bolster the distressed economy, congressional Republicans and Democrats reported agreement in principle Thursday on a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, and said they would present it to the Bush administration in hopes of a vote within days.
Emerging from a two-hour negotiating session, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., said, "We are very confident that we can act expeditiously."
"I now expect that we will indeed have a plan that can pass the House, pass the Senate (and) be signed by the president," said Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah.
The bipartisan consensus on the general direction of the legislation was reported just hours before President Bush was to host presidential contenders Barack Obama and John McCain and congressional leaders at the White House for discussions on how to clear obstacles to the unpopular rescue plan.
Key lawmakers said at midday that few difficulties actually remained.
"There really isn't much of a deadlock to break," said Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
"CNN: On the topic of never letting this happen again, do you agree with the way the Bush administration has handled the war on terrorism, is there anything you would do differently?That's not a press conference or really any kind of questioning at all. You could grab the guy working the register at a department store and they'd be able to answer similarly, and just as emptily. She's terrible.
A: I agree with the Bush administration that we take the fight to them. We never again let them come onto our soil and try to destroy not only our democracy, but communities like the community of New York. Never again. So yes, I do agree with taking the fight to the terrorists and stopping them over there.
POLITICO: Do you think our presence in Iraq and afghan and our continued presence there is inflaming islamic extremists?
A: I think our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan will lead to further security of our nation, again, because the mission is to take the fight over there. do not let them come over here and attempt again what they accomplished here, and that was some destruction. terrible destruction on that day. but since September 11, Americans uniting and rebuilding and committing to never letting that happen again.
POLITICO: Do you support the reelection bids of embattled Alaska Republicans, Rep. Don Young and Sen. Ted Stevens?
A: Ted Stevens trial started a couple days ago. We’ll see where that goes.
POLITICO: Are you gong to vote for them?
[no answer.]
JERSEY JOURNAL: What do you think of bailout package before congress?
A: I don't support that until the provisions that Sen. McCain has offered are implemented in Paulson's proposals."
"Across the country, McCain campaign offices are up and running, accepting volunteers, conducting phone banking, literature dropping and over GOTV activities. This held true on a local, state, and even regional level. The Huffington Post called up 15 McCain-Palin and McCain Victory Committee headquarters in various battleground states. Not one said that it was temporarily halting operations because of the supposed 'suspension' in the campaign. Several, in fact, enthusiastically declared the continuation of their work. Others hadn't even heard that the candidate for whom they were devoting their time had officially stopped campaigning."
"Horrific, horrific, horrific excerpt of Palin explaining why living close to Russia and Canada makes her a foreign policy expert. She comes across as a blithering idiot. At some point, Republicans have to ask themselves why they're willing to risk our national security, should McCain die in office, on someone who is quite clearly not ready to lead our nation in a time of crisis. Watch the video -- 'Palin on foreign policy.'"Transcript:
COURIC: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?
PALIN: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land-- boundary that we have with-- Canada. It-- it's funny that a comment like that was-- kind of made to-- cari-- I don't know, you know? Reporters--
COURIC: Mock?
PALIN: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.
COURIC: Explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.
PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our-- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia--
COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?
PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We-- we do-- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where-- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is-- from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to-- to our state.
Obama would rather be out on the float singing 'Danke Schoen'
what else happened in that Superbowl?
I think they would think that Obama would blink and also suspend his campaign.
This isn't the first time McCain has suspended his campaign.
Governor Palin (my favorite nickname is Caribou Barbie) said "a surge in Afghanistan also will lead us to victory there as it has proven to have done in Iraq. And as I say, Katie, that we cannot afford to retreat, to withdraw in Iraq. " If we won, why can't we withdraw?! Great, we won, let's go home!Victory has been redefined as "being in Iraq". You didn't get the memo?
“One would think that some of John McCain's Republican colleagues might actually want to help him become president of these United States, but no: given the opportunity to ensure that the presidential candidate might be able to make a substantive contribution to bailout measure negotiations, McCain's friends in the Republican Party put their noses to the grindstone and worked out a deal without any Maverick input. Clearly Republican leaders are totally in the tank for Obama.
How painful was the thought of working alongside McCain? Over at Politico, they report that Barney Frank minced few words, saying: ‘Nobody mentioned him. The man's irrelevant to the whole process. No Republican mentioned his name. I'm the only one who raised his name. They winced when I did.’ Frank also compared McCain to a cartoon superhero:‘He's been irrelevant to the process. He remains to be,’ said Frank. ‘I was afraid that his dropping in here, like Andy Kaufman's Mighty Mouse -- ‘here I am to save the day’ -- I thought that would slow things down. I didn't see any sign of our Republican colleagues paying any attention to him whatsoever.’”
"One of the concerns I've had over the last several days is that when you start injecting presidential politics into delicate negotiations," Obama said, "then you can actually create more problems rather than less."So, there's going to be a debate after all. Great! Now I have to re-order the keg and 12-foot hoagie that I canceled after McCain ran for cover. That's a $50 tap deposit I'm not getting back. You see? He's already bad for the economy. God damn it, McCain, make up your rabbit-ass mind.
When asked whether Friday's debate will go on if McCain doesn't show up, Obama said: "I hope he does."
CNN has learned that the University of Mississippi -- site of the first presidential debate -- has been told by the Presidential Debate Commission to continue preparing for the event.
Both McCain and Obama advance teams were seen on stage going through sound and video checks from their candidates' respective podiums.
That's a $50 tap deposit I'm not getting back. You see? He's already bad for the economy.
“Nice stunt our hero pulled. Now things are worse. McCain reckless fratboy rashness politicized a deal that was almost done. Compete freaking moron. Don't believe me, read Politico:‘A high-profile White House meeting on Treasury’s $700 billion Wall Street rescue plan ended Thursday on a sour, contentious note, with no joint endorsement by the two presidential candidates, Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama.Wall Street had posted a gain of 197 points earlier in the day, buoyed by hopes of an agreement. The markets had closed by the end of the White House meeting, but Friday could bring turmoil, and there will be immense pressure now by Treasury to get back on track before Monday.”
Democrats complained of being ‘blindsided’ by a new conservative alternative to the plan first put forward by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. And the outcome casts doubt on the ability of Congress to move quickly on the matter, even after leaders of House and Senate banking committees reached a bipartisan agreement Thursday on the framework for legislation authorizing the massive government intervention.
It was McCain who urged President Bush to call the White House meeting attended by House and Senate leaders as well as Obama, his Democratic rival. But the candidates left without commenting to reporters outside, and the whole sequence of events confirmed Treasury’s fears about inserting presidential politics into what were already difficult negotiations.’
Another sports analogy: the No Más Fight.
A medical professional weighs in about melanoma.
A doctor weighs in about McCain's health.
Reader Mail about McCain's health.
As Democrats met in the White House's Roosevelt Room after the meeting with Bush, Paulson told them, "Please don't blow this up," according to sources.McCain's stunt sort of reminds me of the Clinton/Republican-controlled Senate stand-off in the mid-90s. McCain is going to try and pass this off is doing what's best for the country, and that it's all on the Democrats to move his plan forward and help America. The Dems in this case can either hold their ground and tell McCain to take his wrench out of the gears, or cave in one way or the other. I have a feeling some clumsy blend of the two may be made, wherein both parties and both candidates can claim partial victories. But it'd still be nice to see the Dems simply cross their arms on this and browbeat McCain into backing off.
Sources say Frank was livid, saying, "Don't say that to us after all we've been through!"
House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., reportedly said, "We're not the ones trying to blow this up. It's the House Republicans."
Paulson replied, "I know, I know; it's both sides," according to a Treasury Department spokeswoman.
There's no way McCain's stupid enough to skip the debate.Oh, I don't know about that.
McCain, in a striking departure from his platform of corporate tax breaks and an extension of President Bush's tax cuts, assumed the mantle of economic populist, blasting what he called the "reckless conduct, corruption, and unbridled greed" of Wall Street and railing against multimillion-dollar severance packages for CEOs as "disgraceful.""And so what we need to do is, propose LESS regulation and MORE corporate tax breaks."
"Americans put a lot of trust in the bankers and brokerage firms of Wall Street," he said in Tampa. "Too many people on Wall Street have been recklessly wagering," he continued, on "an endless quest for easy money."
J. Pierpont Flathead (730 AE - 789 GUE) was a capitalist, banker, and monopolist who achieved success through his business aptitude and corruption. He used the military and his connections to eliminate competing lemonade stands and banks. He disappeared while using his bank's teleporting vault system...His autobiography was entitled "I'm Rich and You Aren't - So There!".
John McCain sought to change the subject from his out-of-touch response to the economic crisis with a big announcement that he was 'suspending' his campaign. But the only thing McCain really wants suspended is the American people's disbelief. In fact, he's been in full campaign mode the entire time...Hmm, maybe he really does have a "Bad Motherfucker" wallet.
When McCain finally arrived in Washington, almost twenty-four hours after his announcement -- and after Congressional leadership announced a deal in principle -- he huddled with his lobbyist campaign advisors while his running mate held a political rally and his political spokesmen and surrogates were out in full force, continuing to attack Barack Obama.
So make no mistake: John McCain did not 'suspend' his campaign. He just turned a national crisis into an occasion to promote his campaign. It's become just another political stunt, aimed more at shoring up the Senator's political fortunes than the nation's economy. And it does nothing to help advance this critical legislation to protect the American people during this time of economic crisis.
The entire concept of this is enough to make me want McCain impeached from his senate seat if it's even legally possible to do so.The Constitution doesn't explicitly forbid it, but neither does it explicitly say that it can be done.
Remember when the criticism of the not-heroic-enough Vietnam War hero with the rich heiress wife was all over the news in 2004?
The sad reality is, no matter what McCain does, close to 50% of the votes will go for him
That Hitler in the bunker video could be repurposed for McCain's office on Nov. 4th, and it would be spot on
I too would like to hear a rational pro-McCain/Palin platform.Well, then, with all due respect, I suggest that you get used to disappointment.
After so many years of being guided by our anti-intellectualism and voting against anybody who acts like he thinks he's smart, suddenly our entire future hinges on having faith that these guys are smarter than we are.
That feeling you're feeling right now? Hoping and praying that your leaders are smarter than you? Please remember that feeling when you go in the voting booth.
If only Obama hadn't rejected McCain's invitation to ten town hall style debates, then he never would have had to resort to teh crazee.
If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself.Parker isn't the WSJ. She's a major columnist at the right-wing website Townhall- founded by the extreme-right-wing Heritage Foundation. This isn't moderate Republicanism or pro-business conservatism. This is Palin's right-wing base, declaring flat-out that Palin should not be vice-president.
If Palin were a man, we'd all be guffawing, just as we do every time Joe Biden tickles the back of his throat with his toes. But because she's a woman -- and the first ever on a Republican presidential ticket -- we are reluctant to say what is painfully true.
"...McCain will be going to the debate. Someone just blinked. This whole debate stunt was yet another erratic and questionable decision by McCain. In the midst of a crisis, we've seen who the real John McCain is and it says a lot to the American people McCain isincapable of managing the nation in a crisis. Where Obama has been measured in his response, McCain and the Republicans are playing politics with the international economy and making a bigger mess."
“The difference between Barack Obama and John McCain was apparent during the White House meeting yesterday where Barack Obama’s priority was political posturing in his opening monologue defending the package as it stands,” said the McCain campaign statement.WTF.
“John McCain listened to all sides so he could help focus the debate on finding a bipartisan resolution that is in the interest of taxpayers and homeowners. The Democratic interests stood together in opposition to an agreement that would accommodate additional taxpayer protections.”
“John McCain listened to all sides so he could help focus the debate on finding abipartisanresolution that is in the interest of [corporate] taxpayers and [mutiple] homeowners.The Democratic interestsEveryone else stood together in opposition to an agreement that would accommodate additionaltaxpayer protectionsthe wealthy.”
Just 30 percent say they support Bush's package, according to an Associated Press-Knowledge Networks poll released as White House and congressional leaders struggled to rescue the plan after House Republicans rebelled against it. Despite the president's pleas that the package is urgently needed to prevent an economic meltdown, 45 percent say they oppose Bush's proposal while 25 percent said they are undecided.
The poll found a standoff over which presidential candidate would do better handling the financial crisis, with about a third opting for Republican John McCain and about the same number preferring Democrat Barack Obama.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a McCain supporter, said the Republican made a "huge mistake" by even discussing canceling the debate.
"You can't just say, 'World, stop for a moment. I'm going to cancel everything,'" Huckabee told reporters Thursday night in Alabama before attending a benefit for the University of Mobile. He said it's more important for voters to hear from the presidential candidates than for them to huddle with fellow senators in Washington.
McCain says: "My friends..." = 1 sip of beerFurther suggestions welcome and appreciated.
McCain pronounces it "Warshington" = 1 sip of beer
McCain says "POW" or mentions "My time in Hanoi." = 5 shots of whiskey (Since he can only get away with it once, amirite?)
“After days of saying that John McCain would not attend Friday's presidential debate unless an agreement on a bailout package for the markets was ‘locked-down,’ the McCain campaign has gone back on its word.
On Friday, it announced that the Senator would head down to Mississippi even though, as they readily admit, much work remained needed on the bailout agreement.
The whole episode left even conservatives admitting that the McCain campaign looked erratic and a bit foolish with no apparent direction or guiding principle.
‘It just proves his campaign is governed by tactics and not ideology,’ said Republican consultant Craig Shirley, who advised McCain earlier in this cycle. ‘In the end, he blinked and Obama did not. The 'steady hand in a storm' argument looks now to more favor Obama, not McCain.’
Shirley added, ‘My guess is that plasma units are rushing to the McCain campaign as we speak to replace the blood flowing there from the fights among the staff.’”
Sheldon Schurer, the counsel for Democrats Abroad in Israel, spoke on behalf of Obama and running mate Sen. Joe Biden: “Sarah Palin is an extremist, unfortunately,” he said. “She’s out of step with traditional values. Her values are not my values. She is against abortion even in cases of incest and rape. It’s wrong,” said. “Global warming she doesn’t attribute to human responsibility. She wanted to ban books from the libraries.”A nice show, since 2007.
“That’s an outright lie. You prove that, you prove that,” shouted Zell, jumping out of his seat. “I challenge you. I challenge you.”
“I made a statement based on what I heard and read,” a somewhat shocked-looking Schurer said.
The audience cheered – though it was not clear which side they were supporting.
“That was a nice show,” an audience member said.
He talks a lot about having hope and visualizing and creating a better tomorrow without actually specifying his vision of what a better tomorrow would look like, or the steps required to achieve that.
Well, she might be able to help, but her specific area of expertise with regards to this is more that when Harper rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where... where do they go? It's Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is... from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Canada, because they are right there. They are right next to... to our state.Comedy Central blocks their videos to anyone in Canada and routs us to the infinitely sucktacular Comedy Network. Is there any other way to watch these things?You should bring this to Sarah Palin. She is governor of a state which borders your great country and she should be able to help.
If Palin were a man, we'd all be guffawing, just as we do every time Joe Biden tickles the back of his throat with his toes.I think this is a poor analogy.
Obama: It's true, Doc; I'm a wabbit alright. Would you like to shoot me now or wait 'til you get home?* Which McCain has already won. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
McCain: Shoot him now! Shoot him now!
Obama: You keep outta this! He doesn't have to shoot you now!
McCain: He does so have to shoot me now! [to Lehrer] I demand that you shoot me now!
[Lehrer looks at the camera, unsure if McCain knows what he's talking about. As McCain sticks his tongue out at Obama, he is shot. McCain walks back over to Obama, gunsmoke pouring out of his nostrils]
McCain: [to Obama] Let's run through that again.
Obama: Okay.
Obama: [deadpan] Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home?
McCain: [similarly] Shoot him now; shoot him now.
Obama: [as before] You keep outta this, he doesn't have to shoot you now.
McCain: [re-animated] Hah! That's it! Hold it right there! [to audience] Pronoun trouble. [to Obama] It's not "he doesn't have to shoot you now," it's "he doesn't have to shoot me now"
[Pause]
McCain: [angrily] Well, I say he does have to shoot me now!! [to Lehrer] So shoot me now!
[Lehrer obliges and lets him have it]
"One side effect of McCain's debate gambit is, I'm told, that everyone at Ole Miss now hates him. It will make for a very hostile audience tonight among those students and faculty attending. He might have to apologize for creating the uncertainty or make some explanation up front, which is never ideal."
McCain seriously mistated his vote concerning the marines in Lebanon. He said that when he went into Congress in 1983, he voted against deploying them in Beirut. The Marines went in Lebanon in 1982, before McCain came to Congress. The vote came up a year into their deployment, when the Marines had already suffered 54 casualties. What McCain voted against was a measure to invoke the War Powers Act and to authorize the deployment of U.S. Marines in Lebanon for an additional 18 months. The measure passed 270-161, with 26 other Republicans (including McCain) and 134 Democrats voting against it.and
--Glenn Kessler
John McCain raised an old Republican canard, repeated often in the primaries, when he claimed that Obama's health care plan would eventually turn the health care system over to the federal government. The Illinois senator proposes helping individuals purchase health insurance through a system of subsidies and tax credits. He is also in favor of mandatory health insurance for children. But he is not advocating a state-run health system, such as the one that exists in Britain and some European countries. Under the Obama plan, individuals will still be free to choose between different types of health insurance, and will be able to choose their own doctors.
So, name one possible VP who would have had a serious shot at saving the McCain ticket.Jesus.
posted by fourcheesemac at 12:26 PM on September 24, 2008 [3 favorites]