# McCain suspends campaign, asks Obama to do the same. What?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 24, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040 "2008-09-24T19:04:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/241 "2008-09-25T01:43:27Z")
So why can’t they move friday’s debate to DC? There’s got to be a hotel ballroom or high school basketball arena available. They could do their double knot cyferin’ all day and skip off to the debate that evening. What’s the big deal? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/242 "2008-09-25T01:43:45Z")
Obama [has agreed to attend a financial-crisis “summit” with Bush and McCain in Washington tomorrow.](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/24/president_bush_calls_obama_and.html?hpid=topnews) Which still leaves time for the debate Friday in Oxford, Mississippi. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/243 "2008-09-25T01:44:15Z")
I’m going to love watching Super McSame solving this: [Bad News For The Bailout](http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/09/23/bailout-paulson-congress-biz-beltway-cx_jz_bw_0923bailout.html) > [@](#): > > “The secretary and the administration need to know that what they have sent to us is not acceptable,” says Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn. The committee’s top Republican, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, says he’s concerned about its cost and whether it will even work. > > In fact, some of the most basic details, including the $700 billion figure Treasury would use to buy up bad debt, are fuzzy. > > “ **It’s not based on any particular data point** ,” a Treasury spokeswoman told [Forbes.com](http://Forbes.com) Tuesday. “ **We just wanted to choose a really large number**.” – bolding and amazement all mine. And in 48 hours to boot. Has the US lost its collective marbles? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/244 "2008-09-25T01:45:54Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > “Ummm… ‘Maverick!’?” I move that Sarah Palin from here on out be then known as Goose. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/245 "2008-09-25T01:50:26Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > I move that Sarah Palin from here on out be then known as Goose. She’s from Alaska. Come on, she’s GOT to be Iceman. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/246 "2008-09-25T01:51:07Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > Apparently McCain paid a visit to Katie Couric on account of Couric’s hatchet job on Palin. > > You _have_ to watch this. > > [I’ll bring em to ya.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbg6hF0nShQ) Christ. It’s like a clip from Borat. It’s painful and embarassing. Has this been aired on TV yet? ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/247 "2008-09-25T01:52:39Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Christ. It’s like a clip from Borat. It’s painful and embarassing. > > Has this been aired on TV yet? Absolutely. [Olbermann](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#26876917) is showing clips of it. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/248 "2008-09-25T01:55:32Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > Apparently McCain paid a visit to Katie Couric on account of Couric’s hatchet job on Palin. > > You _have_ to watch this. > > [I’ll bring em to ya.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbg6hF0nShQ) No wonder they are so desperate to stop the VP debates. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/249 "2008-09-25T01:55:43Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > Apparently McCain paid a visit to Katie Couric on account of Couric’s hatchet job on Palin. > > You _have_ to watch this. > > [I’ll bring em to ya.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbg6hF0nShQ) Good Christ, that was painful. Her as president? I’m amazed she got elected as governor. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/250 "2008-09-25T01:57:30Z")
My GOD, the man is insane… He’s getting stranger and stranger by the day… The idea of McCain becoming president just gets more and more terrifying… ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/251 "2008-09-25T02:00:25Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > Wow. > > Bit of an aside, why on earth does that woman sound like she’s from Duluth? “Ah’ll try to find ya some and Ah’ll bring em to ya.” I don’t know how it works in AK, but in the CONUS, if you have to “try to find” something, that’s a good indication that it ain’t there in large amounts. Just sayin, Sara. That whole interview was moderately horrible. Between the ongoing war and this economic mess, the absurdity that is Palin is overloading my nerves. Watching her interview is like watching one of those tone deaf losers auditioning for American Idol. Except instead of train-wreckity entertaining its scary and embarrasing. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/252 "2008-09-25T02:04:49Z")
Rachel Maddow just reported a staffer at the McCain campaign just accidentally sent the talking points on suspending the campaign to the press. I can’t find the talking points themselves. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/253 "2008-09-25T02:06:26Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Rachel Maddow just reported a staffer at the McCain campaign just accidentally sent the talking points on suspending the campaign to the press. I can’t find the talking points themselves. Anyone? [Absolutely.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10238480&postcount=221) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/254 "2008-09-25T02:08:01Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Rachel Maddow just reported a staffer at the McCain campaign just accidentally sent the talking points on suspending the campaign to the press. I think all campaigns should do this more often. It’s more effective and less time-consuming than having some talking head pretend to be supporting the idea when he’s actually just reciting what he read on one of these sheets anyway. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/255 "2008-09-25T02:11:06Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Good Christ, that was painful. Her as president? I’m amazed she got elected as governor. > > Daniel Oh yeah?! What other Governors can deal with witchcraft this effectively? huh? huh? [Sarah Palin, Thomas Muthee and witchcraft](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7908417017753937183&ei=PvPaSIjNKomwrQL4ipSmCw&q=witchcraft+%2B+Palin&vt=lf) Witchcraft, it’s what ails the world today. ---
**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, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/256 "2008-09-25T02:14:13Z")
> [@Daffyd](#): > > My GOD, the man is insane… He’s getting stranger and stranger by the day… The idea of McCain becoming president just gets more and more terrifying… I’m starting to think that it’s distinctly possible that he’ll just completely lose it in public and start a red-faced screaming rant. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/257 "2008-09-25T02:16:38Z")
[McCain Camp Wants To Postpone VP Debate](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/24/mccain-camp-wants-to-post_n_129079.html) This really is getting embarrassing. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/258 "2008-09-25T02:21:16Z")
[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/24/mccain-camp-to-propose-postponing-vp-debate/](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/24/mccain-camp-to-propose-postponing-vp-debate/) You guys had a 6 page political ripsnort and didn’t invite me? Sheeeesh. Almost half a mind not to bring you this present… CNN: > [@](#): > > McCain supporter Sen. Lindsey Graham tells CNN the McCain campaign is proposing to the Presidential Debate Commission and the Obama camp that if there’s no bailout deal by Friday, the first presidential debate should take the place of the VP debate, currently scheduled for next Thursday, October 2 in St. Louis… Now that’s putting country first, yessiree Bob! The McCain crew is willing to sacrifice the enormous political advantage offered by Palin crushing Biden in a debate, for the sake of the country! Excuse…please… getting kinda choked up here… ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/259 "2008-09-25T02:23:23Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Letterman should have guests suddenly cancel on him more often. Well, having ween that, _I’m_ never going to cancel on him. Not that I expect that to ever come up. Does anyone know if that Couric interview was actual live footage, or was that a joke? Was Olbermann actually scheduled to appear on the show beforehand? Could someone who has a TV fill me in on the full details after The Late Show airs? As far as the original issue of McCain’s campaign suspension goes, my theory is that McCain really does have to hurry back to Washington to try to convince the Republicans in Congress to do something that isn’t going to be a huge albatross around his neck in November. Obama can easily deal with the Democratic leadership by phone, email, videoconferencing, whatever. They’re mostly on the same side, and they all want Obama to win with huge coattails for the party. Everyone has similar aims, Obama’s interests in the Senate are being looked out for. McCain, on the other hand, pretty much has to oppose Bush to have a chance in November. He needs to be in Washington to figure out how things stand on the Hill. He needs allies to get something going. He can’t support the Bush plan and he can’t support the Democrats’ plan. He needs to find a “maverick” with a third plan (or less likely, his campaign has a plan to shop around) and learn why it’s the best plan. Basically, I think McCain really does need to be in Washington to handle this crisis, but for his campaign’s sake, not the good of the American people. And if he can dodge the VP debate altogether (I think he is willing to debate Obama himself, those aren’t likely to sway support much either way), so much the better. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040/260 "2008-09-25T02:23:49Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > I’m starting to think that it’s distinctly possible that he’ll just completely lose it in public and start a red-faced screaming rant. I’m tellin’ ya…John McCain: secret Obama supporter. The man’s an effing hero, throwing his reputation and career down the toilet of history just so’s Obama can get elected… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-suspends-campaign-asks-obama-to-do-the-same-what/465040.md?page=14)