A Survey USA poll out yesterday indicated that 75% of those polled thought John McCain should be at the debate. I still think he will make his way down to Oxford for tonight. I just can't imagine him not being there.
CNN reports:
Obama's campaign has argued over the past couple of days that both attending the presidential debate and working on the bailout plan can be accomplished and the event should go on.UPDATE: According to Sid Salter in his Clarion Ledger blog, a highly placed source inside the McCain campaign expects the debates to go forward.
"I think we can do both of these things at the same time. The next president is going to face multiple crises on the same day," Robert Gibbs, Obama's top adviser, said on CNN's "American Morning."
"We've got a presidential debate scheduled. We've got a stage. We'll have an audience. My guess is we'll have a moderator and at least one of the presidential candidates," Gibbs said.
UPDATE x2: The debate is on.
If McCain feels that staying in Washington to get this deal done is more important, then he should send Sarah Palin to the debate in his place!!
ReplyDeleteMccain is caving in to Obama. What a "maverick." First of all, he showed that he is incompetent when HE thinks HE is needed in "Warshington," and then does nothing and says nothing. His grand tactic by him and Bush and Rove backfired and simply revealed that he is incapable of winning this election, even with the help of everyone on his side.
ReplyDeleteWell Dan, hard to pick a place to start....
ReplyDelete1st - McCain isn't caving to Obama, as with each move he has made recently, he is trying to position himself with leverage to control the language and subject matter of the debate
2nd - He is the leader of the Republican party and since it's the Republicans who are not 100% behind Bush's plan, it makes perfect sense that his leadership would be helpful
3rd- warshington??? classy
4th-usually the people on YOUR side actually try to help YOU (unless your bill clinton)
McCain will not be ablle to avoid having a significant portion of this debate spent on the economic crisis. It will be even worse if he tries ot avoid it.
ReplyDeleteAccording to CNN McCain sat silently during the meeting with Bush and Obama. They said Obama was the one who showed leadership by calling out the GOP "new plan".
As far as surrogates being off-message someone needs to tlak to Huckabee too. The rightwing press is on suicide watch right now or so it seems after reading what Pat B., Joe Scarborough, George Will, etc.. have had to say.
Yea, I think it's shapping up to be a make or break for McCain. I would agree with you regarding some measure of the debate being on the economy. I think McCain's concern will be the format. My guess would be that he isn't as prepared for a Q&A with regards to the economy. He needs a format more suitable to him, otherwise I feel he will struggle. Maybe a 1 hr Q&A on foreign policy and then 10 mins each candidate to discuss the economy and the bailout. It'll be fun to watch.
ReplyDelete