Why the hell would McCrap's campaign think backing out of the debate would benefit him?

[npincus]

Why would Americans think McCrap couldn't spare 2 hours of his life to have an unscripted conversation before the American people? By any measure, it reflects negatively upon him that he is ducking out... he is not a big player in managing this crisis- yet. My view is that this will irritate more than impress.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Onside kick in football: not likely, but if ya got nuthin else, ya got nuthin else.

[Cosmic Charlie]

20. this kick didn't even go 10 yards, Obama's ball!

[firedupdem]

2. He want to pretend that he's working for the people...He's full

of shit and he knows it. He's doing what Bush needed him to do to scare people in to giving a trillion dollars to his cronies! Not impressive at all!

[orestes]

3. It does steer discussion away from Wall Treet and the economy

and back towards silliness, which benefits McCain. However, I doubt that was the intent. They probably thought they could arm twist the Obama campaign with this gimmick, and instead it's gonna bite em in the ass.

[goodgd_yall]

27. Absolutely

The talk all day will be about this rather than the economy.

[habitual]

4. i think they are scared to death of being confronted with questions

about Rick Davis. Or his past as a super proponent of deregulation. Either of those sink him instantly. They can't allow that. They need to pass something first on sunday, postpone the debate til monday when he can just constantly focus on how HE brought everyone together to get this passed. It is pure desperation.

[nichomachus]

5. I'm sure they did the math

and figured that, as bad as this is, it's better than McCain melting down on national teevee. This they can try to spin -- but if McCain starts screaming, goes completely catatonic, or drops the c**t bomb on national teevee, it's all over.

[SeeHopeWin]

6. WAKE UP!!! Obama was killing him in all the polls and Davis was caught getting paid by Fannie Mae

and tons of bad press about Pailin not letting the press talk to her...

His campaign was imploding---- This stunt just changed the subject

[ecstatic]

14. exactly! This is so obvious. His handlers said HOLY shit you need to come up with something quick

But you are right, it did change the subject. Can't deny that.

[PermanentRevolution]

7. I really think he may have just forgotten he wasn't president...

Maybe he woke up after naptime and had a nice dream that he'd already won. He thought it was real and his staffers haven't had the heart to tell him the truth.

[kennetha]

8. Maybe he's sincere?

What exactly would the point be of holding a foreign policy debate the weekend before a possible meltdown of the entire US economy? If a meltdown did come on Monday, because Congress and the adminstration couldn't get their acts together, the debate about Iraq, etc. would look so irrelevant.

If there is going to be a debate, it should be about the economy.

But why should they stand and debate the economy, when there is actual work of incredible importance to be done in DC?

[dionysus]

24. mccain campaign defense # 48945984758974 from you

christ at least try to hide it...

:rofl:

[kennetha]

29. Let's see

It's usually the guy who is behind who WANTS debates and the guy who is ahead that is indifferent. Obama is ahead. McCain is behind -- according to the latest polls, significantly behind.

So wouldn't mere political calculations lead McCain to WANT the debate to go on? What's the political % for McCain in postponing the debate?

[dionysus]

31. exceedingly weak.

mccain knows he's gonna get his ass kicked if he debates.

you know it, i know it, the american people know it.

even bob dole knows it.

[kennetha]

34. Okay have it your way

McCain, despite being down in the polls, wants to cancel or postpone debates because he wants to forgo his main remaining opportunity to change the dynamic of the campaign. Unlike every trailing candidate in the history of politics, McCain is the one guy who thinks he has more to lose from debating than gain from debating.

That's by far the most reasonable explanation of his motives. I just failed to appreciate your subtle and sophisticated thinking.

Sorry.

[yardwork]

43. McCain may be more incompetent than any other candidate in the history of politics.

Just a possibility.

[tekisui]

26. McLiar sincere....LOL!!!

You're cute.

[Starry Messenger]

30. I think that should be an OP.

I double dog dare you.

[AlinPA]

37. McCain and republicans sincere? No way.

[yardwork]

38. Why would we want the two people vying to be president to talk about their plans?

On the verge of a long-time coming meltdown of the U.S. economy, why would we want to listen for a couple of hours to the two people who want to be president in a few months? What possible interest could this have to the millions of Americans who will be asked to choose one of them in about a month?

Gosh, I can't think of a single reason. It's much more important for McCain to run around like a chicken with his head cut off telling us that the economy is fundamentally strong.

[OwnedByFerrets]

42. Sincere??? From the same people who are keeping us in Iraq for

purely political reasons??? Best laugh I've had all fucking day.:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[CitizenPatriot]

9. because this is distracting us from two issues they don't want to get press

even more than this

the fannie mae disaster with rick davis and how McCain lied about it

and

Palin cheating on her husband with a married man (we might not give a crap, but those hockey moms in the midwest who are voting for her sure as hell DO care about a woman cheating with a married man...that's a whole new ballgame.)

Now we have McCain/Palin, two people who have committed multiple counts of infidelity but YOU should trust them to be honest with you, because, you know...you're so much closer to them than their spouses were...um?

[vstephane]

10. I think he just wants to do something dramatic

to distract and to show his "leadership" and that he's putting "country first". And right now, there is nothing more dramatic than calling for postponing the debate.

I don't know how that will play into the expectation game though if he comes back to debate..

If he doesn't do well, could he blame inadequate preparation and say Obama was preparing full time while he was too occupied with solving the crisis? If he does unexpectedly well, he could say "you asked for it.."

[renate]

19. welcome to DU!

:hi:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. Because an actual debate would be even worse.

McCain ain't got shit.

[Bozita]

12. Bingo! McCain's trying to avoid a nationally televised ass-whoopin!

[goodgd_yall]

28. That's what I think

It seems pretty obvious why he would want to postpone the debate---he's scared. :scared:

[PsN2Wind]

13. It;s a trap

If Obama agrees to suspend and return to D.C., then they will insist that Senator Biden should be there also. That leaves a clear field for the Repub pin-up to be the only one of the principals out there campaigning. Not taking questions but doing the photo-ops where she does pretty well.

[Cosmic Charlie]

21. It's a Tarp!

[FatDave]

33. Dude...

That picture may be the awesomest thing evar!

[Lugnut]

15. They've got nothing.

The McCain campaign has done nothing right to date. They chose an incompetent VP candidate who they now have to hide from the press. Every time their candidate speaks he screws something up. Their campaign manager got busted for his financial dalliances. They lie because they have nothing important to add to the conversation. Now they've tried to pull a fast one that will backfire in a very big way.

[jeffrey_X]

16. because just like the bush admin...THEY THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE STUPID

seriously.

[Ewellian]

17. He probably just wants to postpone it a week.

Move it to Oct 2....at Washington University in St Louis...where they're all set to go ahead with a debate. All they'll have to do is cancel the VP debate which isn't nearly as important as the Presidential debate.

[gal]

18. He is trying to make it look like he cares about the country more than Obama does.

He just didn't expect the people to be smarter than him and demand the debate.

[truthisfreedom]

22. His left eye is drooping out of his face right now. Being in HD is the LAST thing McCain wants

this week. He can't beat Obama in the debate on Friday. He's simply running scared.

[wileedog]

23. I guarantee you there are people in the McCain camp high fiving right now

thinking they "got" Obama. Watch the statements rolling out starting tonight that Obama is putting his political career ahead of the financial crisis. I bet they have ads already shot for it. It was never more than a stunt, and I'm sure to their thinking they had Obama either way.

The question is are people really dumb enough to fall for it. They have assumed from every decision they have made so far - from outright lying ads to selecting a Right Wing Nut Job to get Hillary voters because she is a woman that we are just really, really stupid.

The good news is the early media coverage seems to be making him look like the idiot.

[nini]

25. FEAR - that's all they have to throw at Americans anymore

FEAR the economy is going to collapse right now. Palin is even saying we're going to have another depression if congress doesn't act immediately. FEAR FEAR FEAR!!!

Fuck 'em. That tactic is as dead as McCain's chances of sitting in the Oval Office.

[kennetha]

32. Suppose we have a major meltdown on Monday because no deal gets done.

Who will that benefit politically? Suppose unemployment jumps to 12-15% in the next several months. Who will that benefit politically? What relevance will a debate then have?

[yardwork]

40. Can't think of a single reason why we'd want to hear from the two people who want to be president.

Gosh, if unemployment jumps and the economy melts down, I guess nobody will care about electing the guy who needs to be president in late January when the current squatter gets evicted.

[creeksneakers2]

35. When McCain cut off campaigning for a day

When the hurricane hit New Orleans, he spent his supposed day off entirely before cameras packing up CARE packages for phantom recipients and talking about how he thinks politics is less important than a crisis. He's all phony and if he goes to Washington it will be to slander Obama.

[yardwork]

36. Because they know that participating in the debate will end McCain's career?

He must be in really bad shape. I know there's been a lot of speculation that he has dementia, or has suffered a stroke, or has some other really serious health problem. Maybe it's true.

[AlinPA]

39. Media could build it into a case of him being a true patriot, "putting the country

ahead of politics" and all that phony bullshit that he spouts. 'muricans would then look to him as their great leader. Media has huge power now.

[Neutralator]

41. When you've nothing left, you throw the towel. Goodbye Maverick! /nt