"Obama Camp: 'The Debate is On'"

[understandinglife]

However a senior Obama campaign official said Obama "intends to debate."

"The debate is on," a senior Obama campaign official told ABC News.

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.

Yes, being Presidential means being able to do a bit more than run and hide ...

[billyoc]

1. Set up an empty chair for the gutless wonder.

[lame54]

23. The empty chair would have better answers

[dascientist]

2. YES!!!!!

[phantom power]

3. Thank god, he's playing this the right way.

[Fluffdaddy]

4. GREAT. we can't let Obama/Biden suspend the Campaign, while Palin is free campaign on.?

[BlooInBloo]

5. THAT'S MY PRESIDENT!!!!

:woot:

I know that's not a smiley, but I think it really shoot be.

[mscuedawg]

17. We need a :fistbump: one too!!!! WHOOT!!!

[BlooInBloo]

22. For history's sake, I'd go with :terroristfistjab:

:rofl:

It's worth the time it takes to type.

[intheflow]

57. Here ya go:

[mscuedawg]

61. WOW!!!

:yourock: THANKS MUCHO!!!! My smiley hero!!!

[mscuedawg]

62. how come...

when i do it ... i get :fistbump: ???? :(

[intheflow]

67. It's in my photobucket account.

Not a DU smiley, just one I found online.

[mscuedawg]

69. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

:blush:

[Eyes_wide_ open]

60. you rang?

[intheflow]

56. You could try this smiley:

{woohoo} = :woohoo:

[K Gardner]

6. They have the PERFECT opportunity here to show Gramps as an incompetent, desperate fool.

[bdamomma]

7. we can walk and chew gum at the same time, or

we can multi task better than them. or will they the repigs turn this around and say McInsane cares about the economy and the dems don't?

[MindMatter]

75. That's not fair. McCain CAN do two things at once

Run AND hide

[redstate_democrat]

8. CHECKMATE!

:rofl:

Let McCain explain why he can't debate while Obama makes his way to MS.

[Mz Pip]

9. They can have the debate in DC

Afterall isn't foreign policy supposed to be important???? Now it's not? Is BOMB BOMB BOMB Iran off the table?

[DarthDem]

10. YES!!!!!!!!

McAsshole will have to show up, too. Ha-hee!!! This is GREAT!!

[firedupdem]

11. Good! Those slimy bastards! n/t

[WeDidIt]

12. BAM!

This makes McCain look old and tired. Obama clearly says, "I can handle both a debate and the approach to the financial crisis."

[Alter Ego]

13. Boo-fucking-ya.

"We can handle both."

Never thought I'd be so happy to hear Rahm Emanuel speak. Four words--"We can handle both".

Yes, America, we are (SHOCK!) capable of showing leadership while running for the Presidency and going through the democratic process.

[aquamarina]

Damn skippy it is.

[Mme. Defarge]

14. K&R! n/t

[bigwillq]

15. I hope they keep their promise.

Obama should debate.

[Maven]

16. EXCELLENT.

This was the right way to go.

Gobama.

[MikeE]

18. Yes!!!

We can do both. :yourock:

[Vinca]

19. This is nothing but an overt, cheesy political move by McBush.

Obama needs to say that if he can't handle 2 things at once, he's probably not qualified to be president.

[hamsterjill]

20. All right!!!!

Yes we can!!! Yes we can handle both!!!

[SweetieD]

AGREED!

[Mme. Defarge]

21. Now, more than ever,

the American people need direct, substantive information and reassurances from their candidates for the highest office in the land. For that matter, the rest of the world needs this as well.

[myrna minx]

24. Excellent. No snow day for McCain. He still has to take the test.

:woohoo:

[Ganja Ninja]

25. Smart move by Obama.

Show up and let McCain deal with the fallout.

[ticapnews]

26. Obama should show up and if McCain isn't there...

either hold a press conference with the assembled media, or give a speech about the economic situation.

Put Obama talking about this mess on one channel, and Bush and McCain on another and I think everyone knows which network gets the higher ratings.

[City Lights]

27. dupe

[City Lights]

28. Music to my ears! nt

[TheDoorbellRang]

29. Someone in the comments called McCain "an empty suite"

I don't know if it was on purpose or a typo, but it cracked me up! :rofl:

[RiverStone]

30. Must Read! Must Debate!

kicked! :hi:

[TheDonkey]

31. FUCK YES

[4_Legs_Good]

32. There's no reason they can't go to Washington and then still sit down and chat for 90 minutes

tomorrow.

That's how Obama should frame this:

Yes, I contacted Senator McCain this morning so that we could work together on a joint statement, and late this afternoon he agreed by issuing this announcement to the press. I'm eager to solve this problem, and let's leave the campaign trail for the next couple days and get back to Washington to meet with the President.

But there's no reason why we can't still sit down tomorrow night in Mississippi for an hour and half and talk about the future of the country.

David

[PermanentRevolution]

33. I hope to god this works...

Because, although I think that Obama is making the right call here, whether it helps or hurts is going to depend entirely on the average voter's perception of McCain. Because McCain, from now until November, is going to be constantly accusing Obama of putting politics first and pointing to this as the proof.

If people see McCain's argument as transparent political theater, then it'll help Obama. But if voters buy into McCain's spin, it's going to hurt. It depends on who wins the battle of perception...

[Gregorian]

34. If not----replace the VP debate in lieu!

Because you just know what this means. Little Sarah will follow suit.

[tblue37]

73. They're already trying to postpone the VP debate, too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7176188&mesg_id=7176188

[pkz]

35. Go!!!!!

have the debate, if McGramps doesn't show up, O can make a speech

[AspenRose]

36. Hell yeah, IT'S ON MFers!

You can choose to not show up if you want, chickensh*t McCain, but OBAMA WILL BE THERE.

And he will be there FOR OUR COUNTRY.

[gademocrat7]

37. Yes

Obama can handle both. He is intelligent, calm and collective.

[1corona4u]

38. YES WE CAN!!!!!!

[flpoljunkie]

39. McCain appears to be in a panic mode. He could gin up a market meltdown. How incredibly dumb!

[Fluffdaddy]

40. Ok Now I want to see a press release from Obama.....Now

[gblady]

41. YES!

now that's what I'm talking about, Barack!
Go get the little weasel!

[Clio the Leo]

42. This is the equivalent of not choosing Hillary.....

.... it's a touch decision, may not be popular with everyone, but Barack MUST show the world that he's running things.

To cave would be devastating.

[Gregorian]

43. America wouldn't want this kind of behavior in a crisis.

Imagine this guy sitting in the Oval office. He can't think on his feet. He can't multitask. A two hour chat is trivial. Putin or some other leader on the phone saying he has submarines off shore might be even more difficult. And we can't chance this guy at the helm.

[vaberella]

44. Which is it? Obama made the call or they're debating in Washington?

I'm not sure if we're expecting a postponement or a move.

[mvd]

45. Obama's right! What, are Obama and McSame the only two..

working on the crisis?!

[Jersey Devil]

46. John McSame can't walk and chew gum at the same time

"we can handle both" - :applause: :applause:

[ieoeja]

47. K&R

[Willo]

48. There ya go! Game on or game over!

McCain can't handle two sets of cue cards at the same time.

What an utterly stupid think to suggest.

How many issues would a decent president normally have to handle in a day or week?

Now multiple that by 2 or 3 for the next president.

McCain: "I can't handle this shit!"

[Bernardo de La Paz]

49. The old guy can't multi-task. . . . nt

[YvonneCa]

50. FANTASTIC. This is great news. This is a pattern...

...and it IS possible to both believe there is an economic crisis AND think the crisis is being used for political reasons.

This is a disgusting pattern by John McCain. First, Gustav during the RNC and now the economic crisis. McCain has nothing ...no good record...to run on. He uses these crises as a way of avoiding events where he has no chance to really compete. Like the convention, like a debate.

Gustav: He saw Obama's convention and knew he couldn't compete. So he said he needed to postpone it for unity (Country First), during a hurricane crisis. He really knew his convention was not going to be able to compete...either with numbers of people or in content. So he canceled day one, and then 'scaled down' the celebration.

Georgia/Russia: "We're all Georgians now." Really? He was ready to take advantage of the crisis...show he was a leader. And then the Georgians requested Joe Biden come over. :)

Now, the economic crisis: He's not ready to debate. Did you hear Joe Biden on foreign policy this morning? The issues he raised about McCain will ALL be raised in the Friday debate (if it happens). So what does McCain do...suspends his campaign and cancels the debate. Why? He says it's because of unity in a time of crisis (Country First). He says he and Obama need to come together. BALONEY! He's USING this crisis for political reasons.

I'm not buying. ABSOLUTELY not.

And here's what some don't understand. When we Democrats say McCain is 4 more years of Bush, this is why...the disgusting tactics of using crises for political gain. Bush did it with 9/11 and Iraq. Shameful.

McCain is following the same pattern...Gustav, Georgia, and the economic meltdown.

We are in REAL TROUBLE is the American people fall for this AGAIN.

[Strawman]

51. Good. Call this out for what it is. Pure gimmickry

McCain can't defend his record on the substance of the issues involved in this crisis so he wants to make it about some non-sense about "putting politics aside" to deal with the issue. If Obama goes along McCain can claim he lead in the crisis. If Obama doesn't go along he's betting that the details of the problem are too confusing for "stupid" voters and that they will find it easier to wrap their brains around his nonsense narrative on this issue.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

52. Great opportunity for Obama to make a 45 or 90 minute prime time address to the nation.

Great opportunity for Obama to make a 45 or 90 minute prime time address to the nation.

If McPalin doesn't show up, that their problem.

The time slot is booked. Obama will do fine with or without McCain.

[MadrasT]

53. Yeah, baby! THAT is our NEXT PRESIDENT!!!

[1corona4u]

54. Expecting a statement from Obama soon...

[understandinglife]

63. Rough Transcript ...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/24/164032/550/81/609096

"Every American has a stake in solving this crisis ..."

"The clock is ticking but we have to get it right."

First, we need a bipartisan board overseeing accountability.

Second, Americans should be treated like investors.

Third, we will not bail out Wall Street without helping homeowners.

Finally, not one dime to reward the same Wall Street CEO's who got us in this mess. No welfare for Wall Street execs.

There are times for politics, and then there are times to rise above it.

This is no longer a Democratic or Republican problem. It is an American problem, requiring an American solution.

Question: Is McCain playing politics cancelling the debate?

Answer: This is exactly the time the American people need to hear from the people who will be dealing with this mess. ... It's more important than ever.

Lots of talk of bipartisanship ... no bankruptcy reform in this package, and Republicans should hold off on their issues in this package.

Question: You staying in Florida or going back to DC?

Answer: If I can be helpful, I'll go back. Talking to Paulson, Pelosi, Reid. As presidents, we'll need to deal with more than one thing at a time.

Question: Should both you and McCain be present for vote for the package?

Answer: (Basically) yes, it's important for the message.

Question: McCain has suspended his campaign ads ... will you?

Answer: My general view is that the American people need to know what we'll do to move the economy forward ... I plan to debate.

There are going to be a whole host of structural issues that will have to be dealt with by the next administration .... jobs, college tuition, ... Let's solve the immediate problem and then make sure we continue to present long-term solutions.

That's leadership you can believe in ....

[understandinglife]

65. NYTimes front page: "Obama Rejects McCain’s Call to Delay Their First Debate"

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25mccain.html

[understandinglife]

66. DIGG Link to Video ...

http://digg.com/business_finance/Barack_Obama_Responds_to_McCain_Wanting_to_Cancel_Debate

[blue_onyx]

55. GREAT!!

Glad I was wrong....I thought he would cancel

:bounce:

[genna]

58. I agree he can chew gum and walk at the same time.

[kestrel91316]

59. Hit 'em again, hit 'em again, harder, harder!!!!!!

[jesus_of_suburbia]

64. Obama sounds Presidential by not caving to McCain. FANTASTIC decision.

McCain can't tell us what to do.

[crazy_vanilla]

68. wooooo hoooo

[understandinglife]

70. Now they have made it unambiguous - they are a JOKE.

[vanderBeth]

71. THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!

:woohoo:

[Az_lefty]

72. fuck it..if McCoward's a no-show then invite Bob Barr.

[OakCliffDem]

74. The Republicans will find some stand in - like Lieberman

[Froward69]

76. Wheeee !!!

:toast:
:toast:



:toast: :applause:

[jrockford]

77. McCain's strategy will hopefully backfire...

they were saying on NPR yesterday that neither senators were needed or be much help in D.C. right now and they both missed many votes already that it seems silly to cancel the debates

[AtomTan]

78. Since when?

"Yes, being Presidential means being able to do a bit more than run and hide ..."

Since when?