AP - Obama rejects McCain call to delay debate

[bridgit]

'NEW YORK (AP) — Republican John McCain said Wednesday that he wants to postpone Friday's debate to deal with the nation's financial problems, but Democrat Barack Obama said "it's more important than ever" that the country hear from its next president.

The White House rivals maneuvered to claim the leadership role on the financial crisis that has overshadowed their campaign, leaving the question of whether they will hold their first debate Friday in doubt. Obama said he would go ahead with his debate preparations, while McCain said he would stop all advertising, fundraising and other campaign events to return to Washington and work for a bipartisan solution.

"It's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who in approximately 40 days will be responsible for dealing with this mess," Obama said in a news conference in Clearwater, Fla. "It's going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once."

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.'

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iE2JCSH5p9r2GBkQWS9TWAMzmuvQD93DAMT81

[Erin Elizabeth]

1. That's exactly how I feel about it.

If anything, this debate is now even MORE important, because Americans need to make good, well-informed decisions (well, they need to do that anyway) in light of the financial crisis. Hell, there will probably be more people watching it now than before!

And someone else on DU posted all the incidences of presidential debates going forward during the Civil War, the Great Depression and WWII.

This is a huge, lame cop-out and it will backfire badly for McCain. He's a chicken shit.

[bridgit]

3. Most agreed, even MORE important. McCain's act smacks of the cheesiest form of grand-standing...

Jam over and check this vid, Letterman has it right: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7173841&mesg_id=7173841

McCain says he needs to be in DC for whatever reason? So where's his running mate: Palin? Why isn't she going forward with the campaign as his surrogate? Its a disgusting display of political Kabuki on McCain's part and at a time when America and the world need far, far better. McCain just tipped every card he has in his hand and he has no answers for having done so.

[Olney Blue]

2. Obama is fearless.

[bridgit]

4. That works, he needs to be

[uppityperson]

5. Exactly. Pres needs to multi-task, and we need to hear from those who Would be President.

[bridgit]

6. Most def, treating this stuff like cards in a polictical deck is what got us here...

If McCain really has something to say let him say it in debate, its time for John McCain to put up or shut up

[Cha]

7. MROP! Those folks at Ol Miss in

Oxford are depending on Obama to show up for the debate since mcchicken can't be bothered.

[bridgit]

8. Girl Howdy I'd be there, they couldn't stop me, I'd be yakking my head off Big Time!!

[Elidor]

11. If Obama showed up and McCain wasn't there, wow

Free advertising, while McCain looks very publicly stupid. That would rock.

[ShortnFiery]

10. Someone quipped, that this will either "work" for McCain, or he will be the FIRST republican

presidential candidate in modern history to lose Mississippi.

Oh yeah, that would be sweet. :-)

[Cha]

12. There are folks at Ol Miss in Oxford depending on that debate

to happen..with or without mccain.

I'm posting this around 'cause mccain's not thinking about these people in his desperation to move palin's debate further back 'cause she hasn't been fully vetted yet.

<snip snip>

"Ironically enough, if John McCain goes through with his threat to skip the foreign policy debate scheduled for this Friday for the sake of prolonging and complicating the ongoing negotiations over the Paulson bailout package, it may end up creating another distressed asset -- the University of Mississippi's investment in Friday's face-off. Officials from Ole Miss told ABC News today that a cancellation would be "devastating" to the University -- and that a postponement might not be possible:

Andrew Mullins, special assistant to University Chancellor Robert Khayat, told ABC News that the Ole Miss campus has been transformed to accommodate the candidates and the press. Road blocks are in place on campus and in the community and the debate television set for the candidates has already been constructed. He said the university has spent roughly five and half million dollars getting ready for the debate.

Mullins also noted that if the Commission on Presidential Debates asks the campus to hold the debate at a later date, he is not sure the university would be able to accommodate them.

"It's huge. You cannot just say that you're not going to do this thing," Mullins said. "I don't have any idea whether we do the debate" at a later date. " probably wouldn't do it."


<more>
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/24/ole-miss-officials-debate_n_129057.html

[WindRiverMan]

9. Yes, it is time for IDEAS not the same old rhetoric

I think this looks bad for McCain.

[bridgit]

13. Imo its a window onto his twisted view of America as a thing to be toyed with

I'm looking for him to drop near 6-7 pts by Monday maybe more