# I call bullshit on John McCain's purely political "suspension" tactic. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 24, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046 "2008-09-24T19:32:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/81 "2008-09-25T01:37:19Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > That’s funny- that’s _exactly_ what I thought, as well. Word-for-word. [Mine](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10237179&postcount=41) wasn’t quite word for word, but the sentiment was there. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/82 "2008-09-25T01:49:53Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > You shit eating scum sucking fucking worthless moron. He decided to put his senatorial duties on hold when he decided to run for president. He is the nominee his fucking job is to make his case for why he should be president. Part of that job is to present his views and debate the other contender so the people can make an informed decision as to who should lead this country through the fucking quagmire that the republican party has gotten us into. What the fuck, you think the hundreds of other senators congressmen and various other officials can’t get along without John McCain pounding his chest screaming “country First”. You fucking weasily apologist worthless motherfuckers make me want to move to South America and join the revolution against this retarded country full of morons like you. Christ. Overreact much? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/83 "2008-09-25T01:58:18Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Since Obama wouldn’t do it, he recruited Palin to hold his hand. Maybe she should wear a nurse’s uniform while touring. That would be cool, but I’d go more for a French maid outfit, myself. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/84 "2008-09-25T02:00:49Z")
[QUOTE=cricetus] Bush has invited both candidates to meet, and Obama agreed. Good call by Obama, respecting the president’s appeal. I can’t see any way for McCain to spin this now. [/QUOTE] McSame really is between a rock and a hard spot on this one. He’s portrayed himself as a maverick (of 26 years standing, of course) but there’s a limit to how much he can diss the GOP on the bailout. I lost much respect for him way back but he isn’t handling this supposed ‘crisis’ well at all. Shrub’s winsome announcement that the economy is IN PERIL and people could lose their savings, their retirement funds, etc. wasn’t exactly a rousing testimony for the GOP’s wise financial handling. Clusterfuck, anyone? McSame’s immediate attempt to bail on the debate just smacks far too strongly of panic. It sure doesn’t play well at _all_ toward confidence, control and _leadership_, coming right on the heels of his campaign’s ludicrous demands for concessions to Palin’s inexperience in debating. Or even handling normal press coverage, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/85 "2008-09-25T02:09:39Z")
> [@TVeblen](#): > > McSame’s immediate attempt to bail on the debate just smacks far too strongly of panic. It sure doesn’t play well at _all_ toward confidence, control and _leadership_, coming right on the heels of his campaign’s ludicrous demands for concessions to Palin’s inexperience in debating. Or even handling normal press coverage, for that matter. [McCain Camp Wants To Postpone VP Debate](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/24/mccain-camp-wants-to-post_n_129079.html) ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/86 "2008-09-25T02:11:10Z")
I think it’s brilliant. It gives McCain six more days to cram up, and it gives Palin an indefinite extension to clam up. ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/87 "2008-09-25T02:13:53Z")
What I think is funny is that Republicans here aren’t pissed that McCain is ruining their shot at the Whitehouse. McCain just made himself out to be yellow. There’s no other word for it. It’d take roughly 10 hours of McCain’s day to go to Mississippi, debate, then come back to DC. That’s being generous. I’m assuming that he can take his own plane. Secondly, wtf does he even want? I read he wanted a joint session of Congress with the President? Who the fuck wants that, and why would that help? This is not the way laws are made, people. Politicking is done in the back rooms and also in committee. What McCain wants is a giant photo-op to get his stance on the economy better. McCain’s problem was that he’s spent 26 years doing dick-all about the economy and he wants to somehow be seen as if he knows a goddamned thing about it. I’m sure all of the Republicans and Democrats in DC are out there yelling, “Hey! Let’s get these two guys who never deal with this to bog down in intricate policy detail!” Jesus McCain, it’s so goddamned disrespectful what you’re doing. He’s done nothing but shit all over the process all the way. I can’t wait for this asshole to get defeated. He’s now made TWO huge mistakes before even being President. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/88 "2008-09-25T02:22:26Z")
While McCain is acting in a spirit of bipartisanship and putting “country first,” he’s airing ads with looming shadows, lies, and scare tactics to talk about how all of this is Obama’s fault somehow. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/89 "2008-09-25T02:26:14Z")
[QUOTE=Merkwurdigliebe] What I think is funny is that Republicans here aren’t pissed that McCain is ruining their shot at the Whitehouse. McCain just made himself out to be yellow. There’s no other word for it. It’d take roughly 10 hours of McCain’s day to go to Mississippi, debate, then come back to DC. That’s being generous. I’m assuming that he can take his own plane. [/QUOTE] Wonder if he’ll try to weasel out of flying down to the debate claiming concern over wasting fuel? I can’t think of any more ludicrous excuse he could pull out that he hasn’t already tried. And trying to postpone Creationist Barbie’s debate _next week_ as well? Because the Governor of Alaska has immediate and vital obligations about the bail out too, no doubt. Clusterfuck of epic proportions. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/90 "2008-09-25T02:32:27Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Not only that, but according to [Drudge](http://drudgereport.com/flash3cbm.htm), McCain went amnd taped an interview wih Katie Couric right after he cancelled with Letterman: Keith Olbermann evidently took JM’s place on Letterman’s show. Keith said it would be a good show to see as Letterman was “on fire” about it. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/91 "2008-09-25T02:36:24Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Keith Olbermann evidently took JM’s place on Letterman’s show. Keith said it would be a good show to see as Letterman was “on fire” about it. There’s a link of it in GD. Boy, was Dave _pissed_. I think about 47% of the US population would not think it was anywhere near as funny as I did. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/92 "2008-09-25T02:47:22Z")
Amid the shock and amazement at watching this meltdown as it happens, I really feel kinda sorry. I _liked_ McCain. He could have been one hell of a president had he maintained the noble and forthright war hero image he’s kept up for decades. If he’d stuck to his opening campaign promise to keep things clean and hadn’t allowed the weasels to run his campaign, he could have beaten Obama in a walk, and I wouldn’t even have minded that much. But this…this is ridiculous. When _Bush looks level-headed by comparison_, something’s gone horribly wrong. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/93 "2008-09-25T02:48:35Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > He also doesn’t miss a chance to hammer Obama about not agreeing to “town hall” formats or traveling to the place together (which I thought was the stupidest idea I’d ever heard). The 2nd debate is town hall format. Questions will come from the audience and Email. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/94 "2008-09-25T03:00:26Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > The 2nd debate is town hall format. Questions will come from the audience and Email. Obama will cream him. McCain doesn’t know how to use email. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/95 "2008-09-25T03:04:52Z")
I love Newt’s statement: > [@](#): > > “He put everything on the line to try to put together a bipartisan sizable economic package to replace the failed Paulson bailout package. This is the greatest single act of responsibility ever taken by a presidential candidate and rivals President Eisenhower saying, ‘I will go to Korea.’” I disagree: I think it’s the single greatest act of responsibility in _HISTORY_. Virgin Mary’s saying to the angel “Yeah, why not, robes’ll cover it…”, Lincoln’s saying to the south “We’ll trade y’all Sumter for your ass… and then we’ll take Sumter back!”, Julius Caesar saying to his men"[Janus we cross the Rubicon, galley](http://www.romancoins.info/C.Fonteius.jpg) we take a breather and reassess the situation and maybe send Pompey a fruit basket", Oppenheimer and Fermi and Bohr saying “Well, could be just a new way to scare rabbits from the garden or might set off a chain reaction that destroys the world and all life on it… I say nothing ventured nothing gained, try it!”… all these were less than trying to decide between the pot roast and the stuffed bell peppers at Mellie’s Diner compared to the responsible acting of McCain. Thank you Newt for putting it in perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/96 "2008-09-25T03:11:32Z")
Here is what McCain wants out of this whole farce. 1. He wants the public to believe the negotiations on a bailout are failing in his absense. He wants some of the GOP Congressional leadeship to say the same, and call out for his help, if necessary stalling any progress until McCain arrives. 2. When McCain arrives, in closed-door sessions the GOP will immediately cave on the restrictions and protections that the Dems are looking for. 3. McCain will walk out and declare a triumph of his leadership. Oh yeah, and he bails on the debate where he would be crushed like a grape by Obama. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/97 "2008-09-25T03:19:23Z")
[QUOTE=omni-not] I think it’s brilliant. It gives McCain six more days to cram up, and it gives Palin an indefinite extension to clam up. [/QUOTE] Palin’s relative silence couldn’t be more damning, IMO. She’s auditioning for Maybe President. McCain’s asinine ‘crisis calls me away!’ ploy might have actually worked, sort of, if Palin had been able to swing right into his campaign commitments. Instead she’s still doing her asinine cheerleader impression, firmly sheltered under a ban against scary, hostile reporters. It’s a phony crisis but also a total fiasco as a preview of, you know, actually governing vs. just campaigning. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/98 "2008-09-25T03:29:02Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > McCain’s move was, to me, clearly another attempt at a Palin. The Palin thing worked; it gave him a bump and seems to have impressed some voters permanently. But his campaign is flagging, and acted very stupidly last week, so he decided to try another Hail Mary pass. > > It’ll take a few days to determine what the effect is. Most people here see it’s nonsense, and it is, but this board isn’t a representative data sample. Ah, the very wise **RickJay** is exactly on point here. It was another ballsy swing for the stands move and I’m going to be very curious just how it plays out. I thought ( and think ) Palin was a godawful choice. But damn if it didn’t work for him as a political maneouver, at least in the short term and maybe even the long if it successfully energizes the sluggish Republican base. Everyone with a vested interest in McCain’s success will be praising this as statesmanlike. It _might_ work. Though I’m betting against it. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/99 "2008-09-25T03:54:29Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > …When _Bush looks level-headed by comparison_, something’s gone horribly wrong. The Huffington Post is going nuts over all this, but [this rather humorous take](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/mccains-economic-plan-blu_b_128990.html) on McCain’s propensity to be not level-headed (combined with [George Will’s criticism](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202583.html?) of his emotional reactions) furthers my view that, even if I agreed with him, McCain simply can not be President. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046/100 "2008-09-25T04:28:29Z")
McCain’s goal is to move the first debate to displace the VP debate, which will somehow never work out to be reschedualed. Palin is hopeless without prepared lines. It is not just her ability to draw crowds that has McCain and Palin campagning as one…she can’t be trusted to fly solo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-call-bullshit-on-john-mccains-purely-political-suspension-tactic/465046.md?page=6)