Not before he released it to the media... http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/McCains_gambit.html?showall edit: he didn't email you... some staffer did.
the media will not be happy with mccain bailing. after all the logistics and planning that they've done for the debates... they now have to cancel plans on a whim. i wonder if this will backfire. you saw what happened to o'reilly's tone after obama appeared on the factor - it softened up quite a bit. i don't expect mccain's sudden change to be well received by the media who were supposed to cover it.
I'm not convinced that this move is purely political. But, even if it is just a campaign stunt to McCain, I think it is the right thing to do and I commend him for doing it. I hope Obama does likewise. We just had a thread lamenting that Obama and McCain weren't more involved. They need to be. They don't need the distractions of a debate (which will suck up much more than an hour, as they prep) when they have actual governing to do.
The Nerve!! Basso would you say the same thing if Obama first came out and said "let's stop the debate for a moment"? Basso I think you are a intellectual man/woman(?) Would 1 hour of debate really hurt the economy? What can McCain or Obama do to turn this around? And if the debates are halted why not have a 1 hour debate of Palin vs Biden? Would you oppose that as well or the inputs of Palin and Biden is as much needed as McCain and Obama?
god i hate mccain. i volunteered to do phone banking for obama, and yesterday was my first day. I spent 3 hours calling people to invite them to a debate watch party! damn you mccain!
calm down guiliani, im an independent conservative and i too think mccain is running scared. i also think your blind and pathetic.
I think you have an excellent point. McCain is making another enormous risk here. The numbers of times he's done that during this campaign don't speak well of the quality of his judgement. Republican, Democrat, or Independent, I really can't see how anyone would want this man in the most important job in the country and, indeed, in the world. It's beginning to sink in with me that John McCain may simply be unfit for our highest office. Before, I disagreed with him more on the issues than on how I thought of him personally. I used to like him a great deal. His pick of Palin as VP shook those feelings a hell of a lot. This blows away any remaining ideas I had that the McCain we all thought we knew remains, if he ever truly existed.
John McCain has skipped more votes this session than any other senator and now he demands the candidates shut down their campaigns and return to Washington for this? I guess he saw the poll numbers beating his brains out.
good point. he didn't even show up to vote on the new GI Bill (probably cause he figured that not showing up was better than voting nay)
Did he offer to let Obama make a joint statement with him first? Did he call him first, or did he make the offer through the media?
I want to believe that McCain is sincere, but there are just too many signs pointing the other way. I'm surprised he didn't pull this stunt Friday morning telling the public 'AIG ate my debate homework'. Obama is in a no win situation. Shrewd move by the repubs though. Obama looks self-serving if he goes forward w/ the debate. And McCain looks like the leader by initiating this if Obama agrees.
I need help here... Does anyone have a term that is current like "weak sauce" but describing something of a greater magnitude? Would you say "giant p***y" is more appropriate?
Let me check my book ( Official Political Terms ) Flipping through the pages and stop at McCain... Hmmm Nope that's not one of them but close lol
Is McCain going to work 18-20 hours a day this weekend if the debate is cancelled? What is he going to do honestly? Is he going to stay up all night and try to 'get things done' in Washington? Will 2 or 3 hours of his precious time will really slow Washington down this weekend? IMO, its a purely political PR BS move...
What's the big deal? They agreed to a number of debates and they will still have that number of debates. What does it really matter if it is this Friday or a week or two later? I am sure that DaDakota approves of this move.
