McCain suspends campaign

McCain suspends campaign, calls for Obama to do same *** ?

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain announced Wednesday that he is suspending his campaign to return to Washington and focus on the "historic" crisis facing the U.S. economy.


McCain said it was time for both parties to come together to solve economic crisis.

The Arizona senator called on his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, to do the same.

The Obama campaign announced that Obama would make a statement shortly.

He also urged organizers of Friday's presidential debate at the University of Mississippi to postpone the event.

"I am calling on the president to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress, including Senator Obama and myself," McCain told reporters in New York. "It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem."

It was not immediately clear how extensive the suspension he announced would be -- whether it would include dropping television advertising or just canceling scheduled appearances. McCain took no questions after reading his statement.

McCain's announcement came just hours before President Bush was scheduled to address the nation on the troubled state of the U.S. financial system -- a problem for which his administration has proposed a $700 billion bailout.

In response, the Obama campaign said Obama called McCain at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to ask if the Republican nominee would join him in a joint statement of "shared principles and conditions" for the proposal. It said McCain called back at 2:30 p.m. -- shortly before his New York announcement -- to agree, and "The two campaigns are currently working together on the details."

The bailout plan has met with a cool reception in two days of hearings on Capitol Hill, where both Democrats and Republicans have expressed skepticism about the proposal drafted by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

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"It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration's proposal," McCain said. "I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time."

But he added that he believes Congress could forge a consensus on legislation "before the markets open on Monday."

McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, were in New York to meet with world leaders at the United Nations. They had met with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.

"Senator, governor, I'm really honored to be here with you. I know you have a very important campaign to run," Saakashvili said. "Overall, I have to say I greatly appreciate the solidarity we felt from the American people."

Earlier, Palin met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Obama on Wednesday lashed out at the Bush administration and his opponent on the handling of the crisis on Wall Street as well as the $700 billion bailout plan by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson.

Congress and the White House are trying to negotiate the details of what would be the most sweeping economic intervention by the government since the Great Depression. Bush has asked Congress to act quickly on the bailout proposal following news of failing financial institutions and frozen credit markets.

"The clock is ticking on this crisis. We have to act swiftly, but we also have to get it right," Obama said in Dunedin, Florida. "And that means everyone -- Republicans and Democrats, and the White House and Congress -- must work together to come up with a solution that protects American taxpayers and our economy without rewarding those whose greed helped get us into this problem in the first place."

Obama said it's unacceptable to expect the American people to "hand this administration or any administration a $700 billion check with no conditions and no oversight when a lack of oversight in Washington and on Wall Street is exactly what got us into this mess."

He said struggling homeowners must be taken care of in any economic recovery plan -- and that taxpayers should "not be spending one dime to reward the same Wall Street CEOs whose greed and irresponsibility got us into this mess." Read more on both candidates' recovery plans

He also hit McCain for switching from his stance as an advocate for market deregulation to a strong supporter of regulation since the Wall Street crisis became front-page news.

"He's suddenly a hard-charging populist," Obama said. "And that's all well and good, but I sure wish he was talking the same way over a year ago, when I introduced a bill that would've helped stop the multimillion-dollar bonus packages that CEOs grab on their way out the door."

McCain's bombshell comes as a new CNN "poll of polls" out of Virginia on Wednesday shows McCain with the slimmest of leads in a state that traditionally has been a safe bet for Republicans.

The latest polls could be a warning sign for McCain that he still has work to do to lock down certain states where previous GOP nominees had to spend little time or effort doing so. Watch more on where the candidates stand in the latest polls »


In the new poll of polls, McCain holds a 1 percentage point lead over Obama (47 percent to 46 percent) in Virginia, while 7 percent remain undecided.

 

In the new national Poll Obama has a 9 percentage point lead, McCain has to do something Drastic to bring people back into his favor when it comes to the economy and this is it.

 

So, "something drastic" is doing the job he was elected to do?

Wow, I had no idea.

 

Cut and run....

If McCain thinks that his vote and counsel will make the difference, he's more full of hot air than I thought.
This is a ploy to escape the questions as to HOW he would address these issues. And, just like Palin, if you have no answers, the easiest way to not divulge that is to not allow questions.

I think that Obama should do the debate. Let them post a cardboard cutout of McCain, and allow that cut out to answer/address.

 

Sometimes a president has to walk and chew gum at the same time.

 

:iagree:

Sherry

P.S. But I do think they need to do the job they were elected to. Still don't think it will be hashed out by Monday. This is something way to big and complicated for that.

 

So, since Obama is saying he still wants to debate on Friday and those putting this together state that it is still going to happen on Friday what will happen if McCain doesn't show? I know, I know, they'll work something out ahead of time...but what if they were not to work it out. Would Obama have the whole time?

Interesting,
Sherry

 

I did not like how Obama said that a President will have to do more than one job/taks at a time.... However why could he not be in the voting on important things as a Senator during the Primary and so too then? Now before anyone pulls tally's on who has voted the most and so on I am only saying this because Obama used the comment about doing 2 things at once but it has not been his past.

 

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/obama_dismisses_mccains_call_f.php

I think if McCain doesn't show up, they should just put a cardboard cutout of him there to answer questions.

 

So you do realize McCain missed more votes than Obama, right?

 

OK, here's the deal. Probably somebody else got this figured out before I did, but I think the idea is to postpone the first Presidential debate until next week, and then have it instead of the VP debate. This way the knight in shining armor saves the hockey mom from having to debate big, bad Joey from Scranton.

 

Well, I would guess that Obama is updated on this constantly. As far as I know they have yet to take a vote across the board. Questions are being asked and I would guess any he has are getting asked by someone. Doesn't mean he has to be in the room the whole time to understand what is going on. When it comes to negotiations and all my best guess would be that Obama will be right in the middle.

Even though we have this HUGE economic problem we also have many other issues that need tended to and I want to make sure that as each law gets passed they are looking at how it will effect us in the long run. What with national disasters, occupations, wars, the economy, etc. the person we vote for needs to be able to understand how to delegate some parts of the steps to decision making. Those are just some of my thoughts.

Thanks,
Sherry

 

Smart alec,
Sherry :jester:

 

But, but, but... I already had that pulled up! :mrgreen:

http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=9490

http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270

 

Two things: 1. McCain wants to grab the headlines 2. He wants to buy more time. My suggestion is that have the vice president debate move to this Friday then.

 

McCain spoke to the Letterman folks today to cancel his appearance. McCain then went to do the Katie Couric interview. Letterman has some on point comments about McCain's ducking out. Letterman allegedly asked the McCain campaign to send in the #2 QB, Palin.

McCain/Palin campaign = smoke and mirrors...or the Wizard of Oz, but they remind us to pay no attention to (McCain) the man behind the curtain

 

I couldnt agree more ! Im so glad you said this !

 

Just curious, but I have a feeling ya'll would be singing a different tune had Obama made the suggestion. I'm just saying.....................................

 

I really do not care either way if they postpone or do not post pone. I am fine with Obama or McCain continuing or stopping. I just found it funny that Obama said that he will not postpone because a president will have to do 2 jobs at one time.... however both McCain and Obama should of done this for their states. Just like our Senator should be present more often too. I know McCain has been out a lot and I would never try to deny or down play that. I just think Obama's comment a little backhanded that is all.

 

Let me get this straight.

When Katrina hit, you libs were all over the place jumping up and down and screaming because Bush was continuing his Presidential duties and life...and didn't stop working to sit stoically in the Oval Office and await word on the condition in New Orleans. You guys were all over him about how he shouldn't continue on with his job as President, as though nothing was going on.

Now we have a very dire situation with our American Financial System....and a Presidential Candidate is saying he is going to put off campaigning for at least a few days, and go to Washington and do his job as a Senator and help try to figure out what to do...and suddenly you libs think that he should continue on campaigning during this crisis as though nothing has happened.

You claim that the President should be able to walk and chew gum, KD?

Bush walked and chewed gum...and you guys bashed him for being indifferent to a crisis.

Now you want it the other way. You aren't fooling anyone. Libs are so afraid of Pain and McCain and the obvious turn around of this race, that you can't hide it.

You are freaked by the idea that American people will see good in McCain for setting the country as his top priority....while your guy arrogantly stamps his foot and insists that getting on stage in front of the cameras is much more imporant.