McCain To Debate

Some breaking news - McCain will abandon the "talks" in Washington and fly off to the debate in Mississippi.  Hard to see how McCain helped himself with this.

Comments

[Capt Billy]

Increased frequent flyer miles.

[Wounded Messenger]

Finally, everyone gets a taste of McCain's
Turdle Pie.

[Sue]

Hard to see how McCain helped himself with this.

Distracting Obama?

[Appalled]

McCain is ok if:

There is an agreement on the table; or

There is no agreement, and McCain names names on why there isn't one, and links patriotic duty to reaching an agreement.

The problem with reaching an agreement is House Republicans. McCain gave himself the assignment -- whether he intended to or not -- of bringing them around.

[Extraneus]

McCain probably didn't need to cram for this like Obama did. Spending the day before the test in DC may have hurt O's preparations more than his.

[Bob]

I think he did great by this. Obama was like a dear in the headlights on all this. He went on Fox last night with Brit Hume and couldn't say anything that made any sense! He came off ill prepared to lead in a time of trouble... he's recouping now at a health club.

[Kent Striker]

So McCain can do two things at once.

Now Obama needs to show us if he can even do one thing at once. America hasn't seen any evidence of it yet.

[Sue]

Some PAC should have a commercial out by today with the "call me if you need me" theme.

[Ranger]

Well, McCain can say he tried to do the right thing by suspending his campaign and anwering the call to return to Washington. Obama chose to stay away and leave the problem to others. McCain can then blame Obama and the political culture in DC for trying to make the bail out political and take advantage of the situation and point to giveaways to ACORN as a prime example. McCain can ask why Obama didn't step up and ask for his side to take the ACORN giveaway out of the deal to save it last night.

[hrtshpdbox]

"Now Obama needs to show us if he can even do one thing at once."

Exactly. McCain realized that some time spent doing his job as an elected official was probably a good idea during a crisis; Obama had to be dragged to D.C. by George Bush. Tonight McCain can make Obama look like the punk he is, then head back to work.

[Rich Berger]

I took a look at that Hume/Obama transcript and found this bold statement by BO-

"And, you know, I have I have strong opinions that we shouldn't have gotten into this mess in the first place."

When one of our choices is a guy with prescient hindsight, we're home safe and sound.

[Wounded Messenger]

"McCain can say he tried to do the right thing"

'cause his own party is in revolt......

must remember, Republicans to blame for problem, as well as the failure to solve it.

[pagar]

"The problem with reaching an agreement is House Republicans."

The Democrats don't need a single Republican to pass any thing they want to in the House.

The only reason the Democrats want the Republicans on board is to provide cover for their past misdeeds. Why don't the House Democrats pass their bill? Could it be they don't have all their people on board?

[Sue]

Could it be they don't have all their people on board?

That's my thought. Democrats all over are saying their constituents are pissed as hell, even in bluest of blue Illinois.

[pagar]

"Hard to see how McCain helped himself with this."

McCain already know what he needs to know.
If Obama had a hundred more years to prepare, he is never going to be ready.

IMO, McCain showed, again, why he is qualified and Obama showed another reason why he is not.
Nothing that is said in any of these debates is going to change the fact that the Democrats are running an unvetted candidate who should have never been nominated.

[Cecil Turner]

The problem with reaching an agreement is House Republicans.

Oh, nonsense. Congressional Democrats own this problem, from the CRA to stalling reform to crappy oversight. They control the responsible commitees and houses; and can pass either version (Paulson's or the House GOP's), or impose one on their own. The fact is, they can't find a backbone amongst 'em, and are busy trying to figure out how to load the thing with pork and play politics with the blame game at the same time. Last week it was Bush, now it's House GOP (except when it's McCain)? Riiiight.

[centralcal]

The Republicans can't block the deal - they don't have enough votes. So, no matter what Nancy or Dingy Harry say the ball is and always has been in their court.

[Ranger]

That's my thought. Democrats all over are saying their constituents are pissed as hell, even in bluest of blue Illinois.

Posted by: Sue | September 26, 2008 at 12:22 PM

Yes. I think the Ds know that this could put a lot of "safe" seats in jepardy if it passes with few to no R votes.

The Dems would rather cause a depression than lose an election.

[bad]

The Dems would rather cause a depression than lose an election.

Quite a contrast with McCain's preference to lose an election rather than the war in Iraq.

[TCO]

So now you are coming to agreement with me. I told you several days ago that McCain was flopping and twitching. He should have said straight up, 2 weeks ago, that he was ANTI BUSH. ANTI BAIL OUT. And rode an anti Wall Street, pro free markets policy. That would have been bold like the Palin pick.

McCain is a duffer and now you all are finally coming to my point of view. You owe me. Eat your crow and listen to TCO more in the future.

[Topsecretk9]

--Distracting Obama?--

No debate prep for teleprompter boy?

[bad]

Eat your crow and listen to TCO more in the future.

Place your name at the top of every comment to assist us in that endeavor.

[DebinNC]

"Some PAC should have a commercial out by today with the "call me if you need me" theme"

Someone could reprise Hillary's 3 a.m. ad with Obama blissfully sleeping in his Ben and Jerry pjs next to a phone whose missing receiver is hanging on a "Do not Disturb" sign.

[DebinNC]

"Some PAC should have a commercial out by today with the "call me if you need me" theme"

Someone could reprise Hillary's 3 a.m. ad with Obama blissfully sleeping in his Ben and Jerry pjs next to a phone whose missing receiver is hanging on a "Do not Disturb" sign.

[hit and run]

Good "Morning" JOM.

A lot of nasty stuff going on these days out there.

But for me it's gonna be a GREAT day. One of the best ever.

It's not every day you get to accomplish something on your life list.

And the debate? I'll probably miss it.

Say a prayer for me though. Reading JOM during the debate liveblogging on the BlackBerry while heading south on I95 isn't exactly safe.

[sym]

Come on Tom, McCain's campaign suspension was the greatest act of Presidential candidate responsibility since Eisenhower! Are you calling Newt Gingrich a liar?

[Jane]

So Hit, What was it? I bet I know.

[sym]

BTW, anyone here know McCain's stance on the bailout?

[hit and run]

Jane, arugula.

[bad]

arugula

At a good price, I hope.

[glenda waggoner]

Hit- May your life list be long, happy and documented for all of us to enjoy! It is amazing how life sometimes gives you a list you didn't write, but, one that achieves elucidating satisfaction!

[Jane]

I bet you had a blast Hit.

[Jane]

Glenda!!!! I've been worried about you. Are you all back safe and sound?

[clarice]

free--though I could make him do the dishes.

[hit and run]

Thanks Glenda. Hope things see getting back to normal for you down there.

Jane, hasn't happened yet. Tonight's the night .

Bad, it would be worth it at any price. Though in this case for me, it's free.

Some things money can't buy. But for everything else there's Mastercard government bailouts.

[bad]

Hit must do the dishes.

[Jane]

Arugula was on your "before you die" list?

Oh dear.

[Barney Frank]

BTW, anyone here know McCain's stance on the bailout?

Not exactly, but I bet we'll only know profile in courage Barry's five minutes after the adults make a deal.

[Ann]

Clarice,

What are some of your favorite flowers this season?

[TCO]

McCain seems to be way too process focused (let's do a deal, let's work together, let's spread the political downside) rather than having a definite beleif in how the economy works or in ethics of taking from savers and giving to spenders. Basically, he is not leading from principle. That means there is little to rally to with him. This is the opposite of the Palin meme of rural conservatism.

[clarice]

Huh?

[centralcal]

Hit - Dinner at Clarices. Woo Hoo!

Ann are you sending flowers?

[Bel Aire]

The people gave Congress to the Dems. But they won't lead unless the Repubs agree with them.

I guess I don't understand the concept of 'leading'.

[Ann]

Centralcal,

SSShhh, I am trying to help Hit with a brief or indirect suggestion; a tip; a hint ::wink::wink::

[matt]

There's a reason the call economics "the dull science". Most people simply don't get it. It's an abstraction.

People are upset about a $700 Billion "bailout" but what if it was a chance for the government to buy these securities at a huge discount? Wall Street is cut throat. People almost literally kill for a 1 basis point edge, and here the feds have a chance to pick up these securities for a song?

Bottom line is that the assets have a value. That is what needs to be determined. Once reasonably established, the Feds should buy what they can at the lowest price they can. Right now because of the freeze and uncertainty, the assets have no value. Once there is clarity, the markets will seek their own levels and just maybe, the Feds can make a few dollars towards paying down the debt. But it has to be sold clearly. No smoke, no mirrors.

[JM Hanes]

Rich:

"And, you know, I have I have strong opinions that we shouldn't have gotten into this mess in the first place."

When you can't play the race card, what are you going to do? If he's reduced to the 20/20 gambit a third time, I'd say we've got a new ad.

bad:

"Quite a contrast with McCain's preference to lose an election rather than the war in Iraq."

He can add the economy to that list tonight, too. I wonder if Jim Lehrer will stick exclusively to foreign policy.

TCO:

"So now you are coming to agreement with me."

Sometimes even the Obama handbook can't help you.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Reid’s Senate $56 million stimuluspalooza/oil shale bill fails; roll call vote added

[ben]

Why frame it as a question of whether McCain helped himself? Maybe we should take him at his word, that he thought it was more important to work on the economic situation than do campaign events and debates....it was the Democrats that injected politics into it.

[Pofarmer]

Is Charlie Rangel having delusions of Grandeur or something?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Rich Lowry, who more and more of late is sounding like an Obama press secretary, tells us that the entire Ole Miss audience HATES McCain and will be very hostile tonight.

[Jim Ryan]

Congressman Boehner speaking on Hannity radio now, against the Paulson "bailout"/"handout" to Wall Street and in favor of the House GOP insurance plan:

When you stand on principle you don't have to worry what the outcome is.

Uh huh. Good luck with that, Congressman!

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Someone needs to send Hannity the Kudlow link Paulson-Cantor.

Posted in the other thread, this to me, explains things better than anyone.

[Ann]

Sara,

Is Rich Lowry at Ole Miss? Hannity is and on the way home I heard him say there are alot of young Republicans with McCain/Palin signs everywhere.

Rich Lowry is usually a downer, IMO.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Ann, I don't know where Rich is. I did hear another TV pundit allude to the same thing about the audience, so I'm glad to read what you wrote.

[Pofarmer]

LOL

Just listened Hannity hawking "American Carol" and noticed he isn't mentioning O'reilly is in it.;0)

[clarice]

I hardly read much at NRO any more..I love Jonah and Steyn ..Kudlow and Ledeen--the others not so much. I thought Parker's piece on Palin really stunk BTW.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

My reaction to the Parker piece was that one should not write while green-eyed with envy, it just sounds petty and vindictive.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Is this the thread Jane? or someone? will be liveblogging the debate?

[clarice]

Maybe she(Parker) figures that the Atlantic has finally wised up and will dump Sullivan-- who surely is having mental problems-- and she wants to take his place as the resident "conservative".

[Porchlight]

I think Byron York is at Ole Miss tonight. I like him a lot. Plus he's been closely covering a number of angles JOMers have been particularly keyed into - Ayers, Wright, etc, so I'm almost always interested in his discoveries.

I also like Geraghty and I enjoy Jay Nordlinger's impromptu musings.

But yeah, the NRO folks seem a little out of touch recently. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and guess that they're mostly suffering from campaign burnout.

[Soylent Red]

Well, wherever the live blog's going to be, I offer this in advance and wish you all good luck. Ol' Soylent's got a hot Republican debate date tonight. SO here you go, with apologies to Bobby Dylan:

Oxford Town, Oxford Town
Democrats got their talking points down
Knowledge won't rise much above the ground
Obamessiah bitchin' in Oxford Town

O! went down to Oxford Town
Press corps shills followed him around
All because his face was brown
Better genuflect in Oxford Town

Oxford Town around the bend
If Obama told the truth, he couldn't win
Media blames the color of his skin
Bitter, clinging whitey's just a racist again.

Oxford Town in the early fall
Moonbats whining, starting to bawl
OODA loop shrinking, Barry takes a fall
Somebody better give Axelrod a call

Oxford Town, Oxford Town
Democrats got their talking points down
Knowledge won't rise much above the ground
Obamessiah bitchin' in Oxford Town

[Jim Ryan]

I hardly read much at NRO any more..I love Jonah and Steyn ..Kudlow

Goodness, as soon as I read that I realized I realized I've trailed off of the place, too. A slump in joo-joo since Buckley's death? Hmm.

Jonah's Liberal Fascism is momentous, IMO.

[clarice]

Porchlight--I like York a lot, too. I just forgot his name for a moment.

Very good, Soylent!

[MayBee]

Why frame it as a question of whether McCain helped himself? Maybe we should take him at his word, that he thought it was more important to work on the economic situation than do campaign events and debates....it was the Democrats that injected politics into it.

Exactly.
I don't hear anyone asking if Obama helped himself. You know why? He hasn't done anything except follow McCain.
Why can't we just say McCain is a Senator, he realizes he's got a good chance of being in charge of the country for a few months, and he knew he needed to at least involve himself.

[Jim Ryan]

Of course, VDH.

[Topsecretk9]

Read the memo Obama's camp sent out. Sad.- hint: Obama really, really sucks at debates.

(LUN)

[Soylent Red]

TSK9:

Is that the soft racism of low expectations?

It's gotta be some kind of racism, because as we all know, He's the One.

[bad]

he ain't my one

[matt]

Obama was for the debate before he was against it.....

[bad]

Jake Tapper:

Obama Camp Misrepresents House Republican Quote
September 26, 2008 6:17 PM

The Obama campaign is circulating a Youtube clip of Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. -- the No. 2 House Republican -- talking about the role of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., at the disastrous White House meeting on MSNBC today.

Typical Obama thug tactics.

LUN

[M. Simon]

He is My ONE. And I hope you all work to keep him that way. Jr. Senator from Illinois that is.

We need him here to keep Daley and Blagojevich company. And Durbin needs an experienced understudy.

[centralcal]

Clarice: I was absolutely spitting mad at Parker's piece on Palin. I wanted to fire off a hot email, but I have never had a single email (usally pro, not con) acknowledged, so I figured why bother.

I like York, Steyn, one or two others. The rest - blech!

[glenda waggoner]

Hit, Jane- We are almost back to normal. Most of the power is finally restored in my hamlet, lots of brush and debris still to be cleared and...still have the beautiful daughters with us (our refugees from Galveston). I don't know how we all lived in the same house when they were babes.
And, yes, I envy your plans and companion tonight, Hit! Wish her well for me.

[Elliott]

Saw this at Politico recently:

And Friday's debate will bring the campaign to the Deep South and offer the symbolism of an integrated debate at Ole Miss, the scene of a brutal battle over integration a generation ago.

I had no idea it was such a big deal to have a Republican show up.

[M. Simon]

Well Elliot, after the Democrats in sheets drove them out of the South it is a big deal to have a Republican show up.

[MayBee]

When one of our choices is a guy with prescient hindsight, we're home safe and sound.

ha ha ha ha ha!!

oh, and hit and clarice!!! I love it that you two are going to see each other.

[Sue]

Is that the secret? Hit is getting dinner at Clarice's? Part of me is happy, part of me is unhappy. I want Clarice's dinner damn it!

[centralcal]

Hope you have a wonderful time, Clarice! Hit, take it easy on the beer (grin) and don't get too cocky that you and Soylent are members of a special dinner club! sigh.

[centralcal]

Oh, and Glenda, so nice to have you back. Sorry your daughters are from Galveston - do they have anything at all to go back to?

[Sue]

I have a question about typepad. Does anyone else seem to be having a problem with posts showing up then disappearing? I just read my post and centralcal's post and now the last post on this thread is MayBee's at 7:12pm. It drives me bananas.

[Sue]

And now they are all there. But when I hit refresh, it will be a crap shoot as to whether they still are.

[centralcal]

Sue, I have been having that trouble for about the last 5 weeks. It is very annoying!

Where is DOT? Vacation or something?

[Sue]

I also wanted to urge everyone to go see the Michael Moore spoof, An American Carol. We need to support the few conservatives in Hollywood and this would be a great way to counter the Bush hit job about to come out. Make the numbers large for the conservative flick, and hope no one bothers going to see the Bush hit job.

[Topsecretk9]

Sue
Type-pad
I have too. It's been kooky for a few months now.

[JM Hanes]

While we're waiting for the debate, I wouldn't want the CACklers to miss this gem from Gateway Pundit:

In 1995, former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar refused to implement the federal "Motor Voter" law, which Republicans argued could invite fraud and which some Republicans feared could swell the ranks of Democratic voters.

The law mandated people be allowed to register to vote in government offices such as driver's license renewal centers.

Obama sued on behalf of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. The League of Women Voters and other public-interest groups joined in.

Gateway has more, along with a bunch of links.

[JM Hanes]

Sue:

"Part of me is happy, part of me is unhappy. I want Clarice's dinner damn it!"

I want them here snarking their way through the debate with us!

[Sue]

JMH,

Well, that too. Will Jane be around? Elliott? How will we survive without one or both?

[centralcal]

Hey, everybody - Tom has a debate thread all set and ready to go.

[Jane]

I'm here. And I bet Clarice and Hit will be too.

[glenda waggoner]

CC-Thanks for asking..the daughters moved their furniture + to storage, but their condo has "Vacate the Premises" posted. Rental units for @100 miles are scarce, so the family home is base. They are both employed at UTMB and are being paid in full. One returns Saturday night-she is in pathology, the other, may work from home in a few weeks, being in finance.

[clarice]

Hi all--Just sent Hit home to his family--We had a good time. Sue, I've had the problem , too about disappearing posts--I thought I was imagining them>>LOL

[hit and run]

Just got in, home safe and sound.

Thank you Clarice for a wonderful evening. And tell Mr. Clarice how much I enjoyed it as well.

[richard mcenroe]

How did he help himself with this? You mean a serving US senator, returning immediately to the senate in a time of crisis, to do the job his consituents elected him to do, while his opponent waits around to "see if they need him?"