The Debate Is On!
Posted on September 26, 2008
I admit I was a little worried, but at the same time I couldn’t imagine this debate not happening. Time to grind Obama up!
Statement By McCain Campaign On Negotiations
John McCain’s decision to suspend his campaign was made in the hopes that politics could be set aside to address our economic crisis.
In response, Americans saw a familiar spectacle in Washington. At a moment of crisis that threatened the economic security of American families, Washington played the blame game rather than work together to find a solution that would avert a collapse of financial markets without squandering hundreds of billions of taxpayers’ money to bailout bankers and brokers who bet their fortunes on unsafe lending practices.
Both parties in both houses of Congress and the administration needed to come together to find a solution that would deserve the trust of the American people. And while there were attempts to do that, much of yesterday was spent fighting over who would get the credit for a deal and who would get the blame for failure. There was no deal or offer yesterday that had a majority of support in Congress. There was no deal yesterday that included adequate protections for the taxpayers. It is not enough to cut deals behind closed doors and then try to force it on the rest of Congress — especially when it amounts to thousands of dollars for every American family.
The difference between Barack Obama and John McCain was apparent during the White House meeting yesterday where Barack Obama’s priority was political posturing in his opening monologue defending the package as it stands. John McCain listened to all sides so he could help focus the debate on finding a bipartisan resolution that is in the interest of taxpayers and homeowners. The Democratic interests stood together in opposition to an agreement that would accommodate additional taxpayer protections.
Senator McCain has spent the morning talking to members of the Administration, members of the Senate, and members of the House. He is optimistic that there has been significant progress toward a bipartisan agreement now that there is a framework for all parties to be represented in negotiations, including Representative Blunt as a designated negotiator for House Republicans. The McCain campaign is resuming all activities and the Senator will travel to the debate this afternoon. Following the debate, he will return to Washington to ensure that all voices and interests are represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners.
John McCain made an urgent appeal to House Republicans at their 9:30 leadership meeting Friday morning.
A senior House GOP leadership aide involved in the negotiations described McCain’s message this way, “We need a deal. We need a deal. We need a deal.”…
House Republicans seem poised to cave on this (says one House Republican, “We don’t want to be seen as obstructionists”), although they have been assured that some of their ideas can be incorporated into the final deal.
Specifically, House GOP leaders want the bill to include federal mortgage insurance as an alternative to the wholesale buying of mortgage securities.
Here is what reflects well on McCain after all of this. As Ed Morrissey explains, fixing this financial crisis is much more important than tonight’s debate.
The debates themselves are nothing more than political stunts. They pit two candidates against each other to discuss complicated issues, and give them each 120 seconds to discuss them. The debates exist to produce sound bites, not public policy. They’re a game show aimed at people who don’t pay attention to policy and make up their minds by determining who delivers the best comeback.
If the presidential race featured two Governors rather than two Senators, then the debate could go on. Governors would have no role in developing public policy to address the crisis. However, Senators already have a job in Washington, and actual policy should take priority over a television show, especially since we still have more than five weeks in which to reschedule it.
Barack Obama and John McCain already have jobs, and in a crisis, that’s where they should focus.
McCain recognized this, and Obama did not. I think most people know that McCain had rather stay in Washington tonight and hammer out a solution, but Obama’s refusal makes this a political risk McCain can’t afford. I hope McCain creams Obama in tonight’s debate.
» Filed Under 1st Amendment, Economy, Elections, News, Politics As Usual
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4 Responses to “The Debate Is On!”
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McCain blinked.
I believe this whole thing has just cost him the election.
Regardless of how McCain performs in this debate only one message will come it.
McCain blinked.
I meant to say, there will only be one message coming from tonight’s debate. Regardless of how McCain does. Regardless of what happens there.
The message from tonight’s debate, the thing that everyone will be talking about around the watercoolers on Monday is that McCain Blinked.
Fred’s gone blinkers.
lol at Machine!