FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
" NEW YORK -- Sen. John McCain said he will "suspend" his presidential campaign on Thursday and will return to Washington to focus on the unfolding economic crisis. In the meantime, he called for a delay in the presidential debate scheduled for Friday night in Mississippi.
Sen. McCain also called on his Democratic rival Barack Obama to join him back in the capital.
"It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration's proposal. I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time," the Arizona senator said in statement issued by the campaign. "Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington."
McCain speaks on the financial crisis Friday at a hotel in New York.
He also called on the Commission on Presidential Debates to delay Friday's debate, the first of three scheduled, and he asked President Bush to convene a meeting with congressional leadership, including both himself and Sen. Obama.
"It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem," he said. "We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved."
The Arizona senator compared the situation to that facing the nation following the 2001 terrorist attacks, saying politics must be put aside for the moment.
"We must show that kind of patriotism now," he said. "Americans across our country lament the fact that partisan divisions in Washington have prevented us from addressing our national challenges. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country," he added.
The bold McCain statement comes as political figures in Washington had begun to assess the fallout of the bailout package on the presidential race. Both candidates have been put into difficult situations: to oppose the package could appear irresponsible in the face of financial turmoil, but support is dicey without a broad national consensus that has not yet materialized.
The Obama campaign had no immediate comment. Sen. Obama is currently in Florida preparing for the Friday debate, which is set to focus on foreign policy issues."
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I do not agree with McCain and I hope Barack Obama goes ahead with the debate.
Perhaps with an "empty chair for McCain" ???
What's your opinion?
7 comments:
I agree with you. McCain will be handing the election over if he does that, which, of course, I'd like to see happen.
I just don't understand politics. Whatever one side does, the other side seems to feel a compulsive need to criticize.
Ca
One of the talking heads was reading a Blackberry message that came from one of Obama's representatives live on the TV. It said that Obama had called McCain this morning at 8:30 recommending they come together on this crisis and that they talk to the public jointly...and I think McCain said he agreed to this approach. If this is true it says volumes about McCain!
Tabor I ,heard Obama make this same statement himself about the phone call to McCain early this morning about a joint statement. McCain called him back at 2:30 PM today and suggested suspending both their campaigns and also the debate. Obama said it would be wiser to release their joint statement, go ahead with the debate, and follow up.
The next thing Obama knew McCain was on TV announcing his solo plans to suspend campaign and wanting to reschedule debate.
One good line that Obama had was that as president it is necessary to be able to do two separate things at once. :)
I certainly agree with you. Just finished watching the debate in which McCain did participate. First intelligent exchange I've heard in a while.
I agree with you Janet. But you see that McCain DID show up at the debate...wise choice. It would have been political suicide on his part. I thought he did a fair job...but nowhere near as well as Obama. And I hated the fact that he never once looked Barack in the eyes when he spoke, he didn't even look his way.....very telling, and something I'm NOT at all comfortable with. He acted like a brooding child as far as I'm concerned...not a person I want speaking for me and running my country.
The debates are really that important, are they? What do they prove? Who gains from them? It's not something I would lose sleep over if they decided to cancel all of the debates.
Cop Car
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