Admissions and Round Up

So first thing’s first: I didn’t see all of the debate. I was watching in erm, mixed company, and felt that subjecting my guests to unrestrained yelling at the TV that may or may not contradict their own personal beliefs was certainly no way to be a good host.  I’ll have more, surely outdated opinion later when I’ve had time to watch the whole thing. For now though, you’ll have to settle for a few links.

Like I said, I’ll be back later with some of my own thoughts, but for now, here’s a video of Biden’s post-debate pwnage.

Not Well Spoken

This is just shocking, SHOCKING, I tell you that the McCain campaign is looking for some way to shift the debate schedule so that the VP debate is conveniently “reschuled” (perhaps after the election?). All told, if I were one of Sarah Palin’s handlers and I saw this brutality (it really gets good at 4:30), I’d be running for the North Slope as well.

COURIC: But he’s been in Congress for 26 years. He’s been chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation, not more.

PALIN: He’s also known as the maverick, though. Taking shots from his own party, and certainly taking shots from the other party. Trying to get people to understand what he’s been talking about — the need to reform government.

COURIC: I’m just going to ask you one more time, not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation?

PALIN: I’ll try to find you some, and I’ll bring them to you.

Yes, that, or the McCain campaign puts you back in the reporter-proof bubble where they’re hiding Carly Fiorina.

Won’t Be Fooled Again

Well it seems that at least initially, McCain’s “suspension” of his campaign is being read for the cheap political stunt we’ve come to expect from the McCain 24 Hour News Cycle Presidential campaign. TPM points to a Snap Poll by Survey USA, that among other things, asked people what they thought of McCain’s gambit.

What to do about debates?

Hold as Scheduled 50%
Hold with Econ Focus 36%
Postpone 10%

Suspend Campaigns?

Suspend 14%
Continue 31%
Refocus on Fin. Crisis 48%

Will cancelling the debate be good for America?

Good 14%
Bad 46%
No Difference 35%

Debate On?

Early signs indicate Obama is looking to keep the debate as scheduled. Good.

Asked how the Obama campaign will respond to McCain’s call for a delay in the debate, an Obama adviser emails: “We’re inclined to do the debate.”

I’m not sure why pending legislative processes would preclude one from debating on a Friday night, or why two people hoping to be President wouldn’t be able to do both.

Pause…Not

John McCain has suspended his campaign in an apparent effort to bring his financial expertise to Washington, an effort I’m sure is in no way related to trailing by 9 points with a debate around the corner. The Obama campaign, not looking to play follower, claims they initiated contact. Two good reactions:

TPM:

What’s changed today in the financial crisis other than John McCain’s poll numbers tanking? Isn’t this the campaign equivalent of faking an injury when you’re down late in the 4th quarter? Note too that McCain was in the midst of debate prep when he made this decision.

Look at what appears to have happened. Obama reached out to McCain privately to agree to a shared set of bailout principles. McCain went off the handle again and tried to use the crisis as a way to call off the debates.

Ezra Klein:

But this only makes sense if you’ve been running, well, John McCain’s campaign. A bread-and-circus show meant to distract Americans from the issues at hand. If that’s your model of politics, then it makes a certain sense to suspend your relentless festival of diversion to focus on the financial crisis. Debates, however, are not planned by Steve Schmidt or run as 30-second ads. They are a moment when the presidential candidates appear before the American people and articulate their agendas in detail and at length. There’s every reason to focus tomorrow’s debate on the economic crisis, but no reason to cancel it. And, indeed, McCain is not canceling everything. He is still giving his speech at the Clinton Global Initiative. He is simply hiding from the debate. He’s a kid pulling the fire alarm because final is coming up and he hasn’t studied. Such a panicked response to declining poll numbers and major national events does not inspire confidence. You don’t get to call time out when you’re president.

I’m not entirely sure how this will play out, but I’m inclined to believe this makes McCain look like a huge a pussy. Were he not getting his ass kicked and not poised to get drubbed in a debate, what are the odds he suspends his campaign? Also, note the last time McCain pulled this sort of stunt, the public soured on it pretty quickly.

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