Like I said in the GD thread, it’s not entirely a campaign move by McCain. It’s also part of a larger theatrical production by the GOP intended to boost the idea that we have to pass a bill RIGHT THIS SECOND. See also Bush’s prime-time address tonight.
More pressure means a better chance of pushing through a bill that gives the store away to the Wall Street cronies with a minimum of oversight, regulation, or reciprocity. It also means that Democrats who think it’s worth taking a few days to craft a strong bill can be labeled as obstructionists.
I do apologize. I thought I was on another section of the board. Dammit, I didn’t mean to be here. I’ll remove myself immediately, and I apologize for getting caught in this discussion here.
His gimmickery is backfiring on him. Turns out Obama initiated the idea of a joint statement of principle this morning at 8:00. McCain returned his call around 2:30. He agreed to the joint statement, and asked Obama if he wanted to postpone the debate. Obama said they could discuss that later, but to go ahead and put out the joint statement first. Then, suddenly, McCain made his announcement, framing it as though he had initiated some great thing and calling on Obama to follow him.
He is a royal dick, and now anyone with a brain knows it.
"What’s this suspension shit? What’s this bullshit? I don’t fuckin’ care. It don’t matter to Barack. You don’t fool me, man–you might fool the FUCKS down at the Commission on Presidential Debates, but you don’t fool Barack.
This is bush-league psych-out stuff. Laughable, man! HA HAAAA!
I would have fucked you in the ass Friday–I’ll fuck you in the ass next Wednesday instead. You got a date Wednesday, baby!"
Exactly. Kind of reminds me of the rush to invade Iraq.
Should we send in some more UN inspectors, maybe get an international consensus first?
NO, NO, NO, MUST GO RIGHT THIS SECOND!
Both McCain and Obama are sitting Senators. The bailout bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation to be considered since the debacle that is the Patriot Act. Neither Senator has a particularly stellar record of attending hearings or casting votes.
I think it would make all manner of sense for both of them to actually go back to Washington for a few days and get up to speed on one of the major issues one or the other of them will be inheriting come January 20.
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).
I like Schumer’s suggestion. How about we put out $150 billion, so we can buy time to figure this massive complicated problem out, then bring it up again in a few months.
A snap poll in GD is showing that for the time being, many people are not believing McCain, unfortunately his “scorched earth” policy against the media is not helping remove the impression that many people have now that McCain is being less fair or truthful with his campaign edicts.
Couple of issues here–one is that neither McCain nor Obama are on committees that would have oversight of this bill anyway. Two–both of them are getting WAY more briefing on this issue than any other Senator not on the Banking Committee right now–they have advisors for this sort of thing, after all. Third, the Majority Leader has made it clear that they really prefer to get banging on this without the parade and sideshow element of bringing two campaigns for pres into the Senate–they’d just be a distraction, and an unwelcome one. Both McCain and Obama have phones and aides in case anybody needs their input, they don’t have to be physically in the building.
Fourth, and to my mind most important, is that it’s disingenous for McCain to be sounding this “back to work” clarion call when he hasn’t set foot in the Senate since April, ducking out on all kinds of important legislation such as a major Iraq war appropriation bill and the GI Bill as well. Obama’s made it back for important votes, and is running about a 45% missed vote tally to McCain’s 64%. This is a gimmick, and not a very good one, on McCain’s part.
Gee Senator McCain, do you think that maybe the candidates should communicate with the public about the crisis, perhaps in the form of a debate? Do you think that might be more helpful than either Senator who is not on any relevant committee going around the halls with press in tow stirring things up? Haven’t you already admitted you don’t know squat about the economy?
I hope the press follows the bastard around constantly showing what he is doing. The best he can do is hole up in his office.
This is pure bullshit, and it isn’t going to work.
I hope that Obama conducts a 90 minute press conference in the hallways of Congress while McCain is holed up in his office pretending to study.
