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September 24, 2008
Breaking: McCain Announces Suspension Of Campaign - Challenges Obama To Do Same And Join Him In Washington To Address Financial Crisis In Washington (Updated)
Topics: Political News and commentariesJust now, announced on Fox News - more to come.
Updated via Pamela Geller:
Carl Cameron, chief political correspondent for FOX News, is reporting: John McCain is suspending his campaign and calling upon Barack Hussein Obama to do the same and return to Washington with him and work on passage of the bill to solve the financial meltdown.From Fox News via TWS:McCain is asking that the debate be postponed Friday night on the foreign policy debate (McCain's strong point)
John McCain announced that he will suspend his presidential campaign on Thursday to return to Washington to help with bailout negotiations. He urged his opponent Barack Obama to do the same.Now watch for the Obama camp to try to spin this so it was their idea. However, the messiah has one of two choices to make - neither are attractive for him. He can go to Mississippi and debate by himself or he can respond to McCain's request to join him in Washington, showing McCain to be the leader and true maverick that he indeed is.The Arizona senator also asked the Presidential Debate Commission to postpone Friday's scheduled debate with Obama so that he can work on the financial crisis bailout plan now on Capitol Hill.
"America this week faces an historic crisis in our financial system. We must pass legislation to address this crisis. If we do not, credit will dry up, with devastating consequences for our economy. People will no longer be able to buy homes and their life savings will be at stake. Businesses will not have enough money to pay their employees. If we do not act, ever corner of our country will be impacted. We cannot allow this to happen," McCain said.
New update: In his piece titled "McCain's Bet," Richard Miniter calls McCain's campaign suspension 'a shrewd move for the McCain campaign', if not necessarily an example of 'country first':
In a shrewd move, Senator McCain has just proposed delaying Friday's first presidential debate-in order to convene a meeting with Obama, President Bush and other decision-makers from both parties to sort out the financial mess.Paul at Powerline writes at McCain "suspends" his campaign:It makes McCain look engaged in solving the number one issue on the minds of Americans, right now. It gives him a bigger bully pulpit to fight the Christmas tree of legislation that is winding its way through Congress now (even student and car loans have been added to the bailout).
It minimizes the power of Rep. Barney Frank, who has rolled his Senate counterpart, Chris Dodd, and is leading the congressional effort. Rep. Frank is a key Obama ally.
It also presents a strategic problem for Obama. Until now, the Illinois freshman has been able to coast, saying he supports what Rep. Frank and other Democrats are doing. If Obama and McCain attend a White House summit, each will have to lay out detailed proposals for reform. Obama would have to lock himself in-and take criticism for his ties to Fannie and Freddie.
And if Obama refuses to attend the summit, he effectively announces that he is unready to lead in a crisis.
McCain may also believes he needs the time in Washington, in the context of congressional debate, to get his bearings on this issue. McCain tends to operate on instinct and his instincts, in turn, are sometimes driven by personal interaction. He may feel that his instincts won't kick in on this crucial but unfamiliar matter until he's closer to the action.
Here are side by side time lines of what happened between the campaigns today, according to the campaigns, from The Brody File:
From The Obama Campaign:Update: Barack's White Lies has a post up on Obama's Press Conference: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.
From the McCain Campaign:
Senator Obama phoned Senator McCain at 8:30 am this morning but did not reach him. The topic of Senator Obama's call to Senator McCain was never discussed. Senator McCain was meeting with economic advisers and talking to leaders in Congress throughout the day prior to calling Senator Obama. At 2:30 pm, Senator McCain phoned Senator Obama and expressed deep concern that the plan on the table would not pass as it currently stands. He asked Senator Obama to join him in returning to Washington to lead a bipartisan effort to solve this problem.
4:56 - Barack ends press conference. Says he still wants debate to take place, but I sense that he knows it's not going to happen.Update at RedState: Masterstroke or Political Suicide? McCain Halts Campaigning to Focus on Economic Crisis; asks Obama to do the SameCNN - Dems instantly on attack. Schumer - the last thing we need in these delicate negotiations is the injection of presidential politics." Schumer thinks McCain was weird, and he hasn't been on capital hill for so long that he can't be helpful.
4:52 - in response to question on matching McCain in suspending campaign and advertising, Barack said he plans on debating Friday night.
4:50 - McCain called Barack back in response to the joint statement inquiry and said he thought they should both return to Washington, perhaps even meet with the President. But Barack again hinted that McCain moved faster than Barack expected after their conversation. Barack said he's talked often with key players in Washington, such as Sec Paulson.
445 - Barack is speaking, explaining that today's actions by McCain were preceded by his call to McCain this morning suggesting that they issue a joint statement regarding the Wall Street crisis. He also added that his call to McCain was instigated by GOP Senator Tom Coburn, who called Barack to say that a joint statement would be appropriate.
4:15pm Update - It appears that Obama, who will speak this hour, believes that he can't afford to follow McCain's lead, and instead wants a showdown. With the White House issuing a statement in support of McCain's decision, Harry Reid has made a statement calling for the candidates to hold their debate, saying they'd only be a distraction in Washington.
More commentary here ...
Other coverage:
Dan Riehl: As Obama Balks, What McCain Should Do
Jim Geraghty: McCain Suspending Campaign To Deal With Wall Street Crisis; Wants Debate Postponed
Hot Air: McCain suspends campaign to deal with economy, calls for debate to be postponed; Update: No dice on the debate, says Obama camp; Update: McCain pulling ads
Posted by Abdul at September 24, 2008 2:52 PM
Dear Abdul:
Barry Obama should be there. He is on the Senate oversight committee:
Senator McCain's request constitutes a courteous reminder that Senator Obama should be doing his job rather than bragging about all his ambitions for America. Clearly, we have a testament to Obama's dedication to the American people and the courage of his convictions. Succinctly, where was he as this epic financial crisis was erupting?
With Aloha,
Posted by: harry at September 24, 2008 3:25 PM
Good points, Harry. Obama has never been ever to lead anything, he's in truth always been a follower - albeit one with good spinmeisters to make him appear to be in charge. Clearly, this man is an empty suit.
Posted by: Abdul at September 24, 2008 4:12 PM
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