BREAKING NEWS! McCain is suspending his campaign and is asking Obama to do the same!

Obama say:

"Thanks... but no thanks." :rasta:

-at least for now ;) I'm heading to school and I just caught part of his statement... wouldn't be suprised if all this is backwards when I get home.

What astounds me is that people are bashing McCain for attempting a bipartisan solution. Stunt or not if Obama refuses then he looks partisan and will look stupid sitting at the debates ALONE. Accepting is the only logical answer.

Both of these senators are sitting senators and as such they should put their current Job as the priority. Time doesn't stop just because you are running for President.

We have a congress with Nancy Pelosi at the head who throws tantrums and refuses to have bipartisan talks to come to resolution on just about anything.

It is beyond me how the people in this forum cry cry cry about how McCain doesn't give a crap and then when he actually does something commendable, publicity stunt or not, you still bash him. This is a perfect example of blindly directing your hate at someone for no legitimate reason.

Go look at McCain since the 90's, he's always talked about practicing bipartisan support, has been hated by his own political base because of it. It's not like this is the first time he's done something like this.

Some of the people in here who replied I really thought would have more sense than that. I will leave those persons names out however.

If Obama had suggested this you would be praising him as if he were the second coming of Jesus proposing cooperation between parties for the better of humanity. You can deny it all you want but you can go through quite a few Obama posts in here and see that.

Personally I hate both these candidates but I'm glad someone has got some sense to address what is important RIGHT NOW!! With the demand for 700 billion by friday it makes TOTAL SENSE that McCain would want to talk about this and put off the debates. After friday it will be TOO LATE and the 700 billion will go through.

Anyway you look at it, this is the right thing to do. We've had a piece of crap congress for the last 3-5 years... if putting everyone on the spot get's them off their asses to do their job then by all means.. I am in support of it regardless of which candidate proposed it.

For once people throw your friggin bias out the window and get a clue.

I am a Obama Supporter and Will Not Be Voting For McCain...
That being said I think that this a good idea....They can put off the Debate till Sat or Sun. I don't think the average American realizes just how bad this will be if they don't fix this....And Reasonably Fast!!!!! Its not that the Feddys are trying to stop a repeat of the 1929 Stock Market Crash.....They are trying to stop a repeat of 1932....Read 'The Grapes of Wrath"

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Originally Posted by Billionfold

I'm more interested in his motives.

Why does he do what he does? What's in it for him? Everybody is motivated by something. I'm not bashing what he's doing, I just want to know why.

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You should be more concerned at the moment with the mess we're in. Even Obama acknowledges that there are times when there is no room for politics, and now is one of those times. However he has not yet agreed to put off the debate with McCain.

The topic for this Friday does not cover economic policy but rather foreign. Which is McCains strong point and Obama's weak point. McCain stands nothing to gain by delaying this debate.

Motives aside the president and congress need to SERIOUSLY address this issue. It is not something that can be put on hold with Friday being the proposed deadline for the bail out.

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Originally Posted by Billionfold

Not arguing with you there.

But like they're really going to put politics aside... it's all politics, baby. :stoned:

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Of course it is, but this is one time I'm glad to see some politics being played, because in this particular situation it MIGHT actually get something done in congress.

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Originally Posted by Billionfold

We'll see if it has any impact on the overall outcome of the ordeal. :stoned:

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I doubt it will. This thing has to get signed into effect. One of the hang ups was "golden parachutes", which is minimal compared to the vast salaries needed to employ the 1,000 plus fund managers needed to operate this maneuver.

The senate should have signed the bill into effect today, and with democrats being the controlling side, they will get some of their demands.

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Originally Posted by Billionfold

I'm more interested in his motives.

Why does he do what he does? What's in it for him? Everybody is motivated by something. I'm not bashing what he's doing, I just want to know why.

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To be fair, you should ask Obama the same thing.

Just look at both McCain and Obama's voting records and tally how many no votes they have between them. It's disgusting. They're afraid to take positions on a majority of issues. Both of them had voted on amendment attached to a certain bill but did not vote for the bill itself!

Besides that point, none of them work in these committees that play a major role in working towards the issues. Aspects of the bailout would be touched on the majority of committees because of the wide variety of issues that arise. It's nice if both suspend their campaigns, but I think it's a cry from McCain to stop the bleeding. Good move though.

Actually, Obama's reasoning for continuing the campaign and debate seem to me to be spot on...These two simplet....err candidates are competing to be in charge of the mess left by the current administration and now more than ever we the people need to hear what they plan on doing to try and correct the sinking ship.

McCain acting like riding back to Washington and working on this full time will make any difference whatsoever is a bit silly in my opinion. Perhaps if McCain had been in Washington and voted on bills (no vote since April on anything) or Obama as well (no vote on anything since July) things might have been different.

Then again, you would think that somebody that aspires to the Presidency should be able to multi-task. :rolleyes:

This is a major stunt.

Earlier this week you had John McCain saying we shouldn't rush into anything, we need to be prudent. But now it's suddenly such an urgent emergancy in his mind that it can only be fixed by both him and Obama joining their power rings on the floor of the Senate! Ludicrous.

What is really going on is that this crisis has been hurting McCain politically. So he is doing a "maverick" stunt to look decisive and like a man of action. But like everything else hs has done lately, it has backfired. It looks like he is ducking the debates for bogus political reasons. People know it is not up to these two senators to fix the problem. The people who are to fix it are working on it right now. Obama and McCain should be participating in their proper roles, which they can do from anywhere in the country. And they should return for the vote. It's not up to them to swoop in and save the day.

In fact the whole idea that McCain and Obama should be the ones to patch this up is more disruptive than anything. I was watching an interview a minute ago in which one commentator claimed that the Congress was near a deal today and could have passed something as early as this evening, but the McCain announcement threw a bomb into the whole deal. I don't know if that is true or not, but it seems like he is probably doing more harm than good.

It's absolutely BS on the part of McCain to say this is about suspending politics for the good of the country at a moment of crisis --- this is 100% about politics and the fact that he is getting hammered. This is an election --- there is no way to "suspend politics" for now. Everything either of these candidates does is seen through the prism of politics, and they both know it. Definitely the suggestion that they suspend politics for now is a political move.

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Originally Posted by daihashi

What astounds me is that people are bashing McCain for attempting a bipartisan solution.

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The funny thing about the partisan and bipartisan dynamics that are working out right now is who is on what side and why.

The Preisdent is the one who has asked for the bailout and made the case that it is vitally important to get it done NOW.

Most of the house and senate have agreed about the urgency of the situation but are hung up on details, and also hung up by the fact that most of the electorate HATES this baliout. It is actually Democratic congressional members who are supporting the bailout from a policy point of view, but who are most squeezed by the election politics of it not being popular. Many Republican congressional members are actually against the bailout from a policy point of view.

So you have Republicans threateneing to vote against it. And you have Democrats saying, Well, I support it, but I'm not going against my constitutency and siding with freakin' BUSH, if the Republicans aren't even going to vote for it!

McCain is in a very bad spot politically, because his party is in most disarray over it, and becasue he has the most political need to distance himself from Bush.

Obama offerred the best bipartisan approach. Their postions aren't that far apart on this thing, so he suggeted to McCain that they issue a joint statement. McCain agreed to that today, then apparnelty blindsided him with this "suspend the campaign" BS. Maybe they will still do the joint statement. That would probably be the most productive and least disruptive approach.