Balkinization: Delaying the debate

Comments:

Obama is, according to press reports, taking time off from his full time job as a senator to run for the presidency, and he's taking take off the campaign to actually learn enough about foreign policy to bluff through a debate on Friday night. Meanwhile the nation faces a financial crisis. Is it too much to expect that Obama put the campaign aside for a few days to actually do the nation's business? And given press reports that Democrats were going to refuse to support any legislation that doesn't have Mccain's support, it seems that McCain's presence is required--the Democrats need a leader, and in a time of crisis, apparently they've found one. How sad that it isn't their candidate for the presidency. I suppose that McCain could simply do the nation's work and allow Obama to give a little speech on the stage by himself Friday night. That'd be fitting, wouldn't it?

# posted by

Thomas : 3:35 PM

One wonders exactly why holding a debate and meeting in Washington are mutually exclusive.

Insufficient time to put in work on a rescue compromise and debate prep.

McCain is reluctant to sign onto the present plan and Reid has made it clear that the Dems will not vote for any plan which McCain declines to sign onto. The Dems understandably do not want to pass this alone and have McCain flog them with the issue before the election.

What is notable about all of this behind the scenes dealing is Obama is apparently irrelevant to these negotiations. Indeed, given his long history of declining to vote for or against bills in the Illinois Legislature and now the Senate, it is even money whether Obama would show up to vote on this bill.

But I have a further question: Would Senator McCain, committed to "putting country first," also suggest that the deliberations at his proposed summit would be enhanced by the insights of Gov. Sarah Palin?

Please. Palin is not part of the Congress and Executive which will have to make this decision.

The only reason McCain invited the financially clueless Obama to this summit was because McCain calculated that Obama would rather debate than do his job on the Senate, making Obama look like he could care less what the Senate enacted so long as he was elected in the fall.

Look's like McCain's gambit is paying off as Obama is insisting on attending the Friday debate and will only return to the Senate “if it would be helpful.”

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 3:55 PM

I now realize that McCain is responding to an initiative of Obama that the two issue a joint statement, though, of course, Obama did not suggest cancelling the debate. He can answer the mindless insults offered by thomas and bart depalma himself. (And, by the way, do they really believe that Mr. Straight Talk has distinguished himself over the years with his understanding of the economy, something that even he has suggested was not his forte?)

# posted by

Sandy Levinson : 4:17 PM

This is just another sign that the McCain campaign is in very deep trouble. There simply isn't any reason to rush anything, let alone put any trust in the Bush administration or the Republican Party to act in good faith.

Ever notice how they always whip up some sort of crisis just before the elections? Like Iraq for example?

I want no compromises with these people: I want them defeated at the polls and prosecuted for their crimes.

# posted by

Charles Gittings : 4:18 PM

i think it just once again shows mccain's disdain for the little people. by that i mean all the thousands who worked so hard with their time and their money to put this debate together. by all means go protect your cronies on wall street, they certainly need it more than we do.

# posted by

prin : 4:22 PM

One wonders exactly why holding a debate and meeting in Washington are mutually exclusive.

In all fairness to McCain, that may very well be the case, since his participation in those meetings may likely take as much or more preparation than the debate.

# posted by

John : 4:32 PM

Until this story emerged and for several months, I have assumed McCain was poised for the White House. This remarkable maneuver reflects a degree of desperation I hadn't detected. It is plainly no more than symbolic, in the most derogatory sense, to back-burner a campaign under the pretense that either candidate's participation in the wrangling over a so-called bailout would make the slightest difference in the effectiveness of the result. There is absolutely no reason the important issues couldn't be addressed during the debate, lending at least a token of transparency to the affair. I can now imagine that a good number of reluctant supporters for McCain will have tired of the deep cynicism demonstrated by this silly posturing.

# posted by

Dean C. Rowan : 4:37 PM

This maneuver reminds me of the choice of Sarah Palin. I didn't know at the time whether it would be a good move for McCain or a bad one, but I knew it wasn't something he would have even considered if he felt he could win without doing it.

# posted by

Steve M : 4:37 PM

Is this the same McCain who said the economy was strong a week ago?

# posted by

Eric : 4:39 PM

This may work out, but I agree with you that it's pretty gimmicky and pathetic. I thought the political play here was to oppose the bailout. That's really the only card left he could play to win the election. But it'd be pretty risky. This is relatively low risk, but also pretty low reward. Best case scenario, Obama says no and McCain can grandstand a little about how Obama's putting the campaign ahead of his country, or some nonsense like that. Might get him a 1-2 point bump in the polls. Then again, if this is reported as the cynical ploy that it is, it could backfire a bit. Let me say, though, that I don't see the connection between this and his putative lack of honor or shame. There's nothing wrong per se with doing silly things like this to win an election. What matters is to not be so obvious about it.

# posted by

Asher : 4:45 PM

sandy levinson said...

I now realize that McCain is responding to an initiative of Obama that the two issue a joint statement, though, of course, Obama did not suggest cancelling the debate.

Is that the latest spin out of the Obama camp? In any case, I am having a hard time seeing how holding a summit between Congress and the White House is a response to a suggestion to issue a joint statement.

He can answer the mindless insults offered by thomas and bart depalma himself.

Tell you what. If you stop the "mindless insults" concerning Sarah Palin's lack of experience, I guess I can do the same for the less experienced Obama. Deal?

And, by the way, do they really believe that Mr. Straight Talk has distinguished himself over the years with his understanding of the economy, something that even he has suggested was not his forte?

McCain appeared to have a pretty good grasp of the oncoming Freddie and Fannie crises back in 2005 when he was one of three cosponsors of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005. Thus, on this subject, I would assume that McCain arguably has superior judgment to those of his fellow senators who claimed that Freddie and Fannie were sound.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 4:57 PM

This bit of grandstanding would have more credibility if the McCain campaign had not gone out of its way to avoid any spontaneous interaction with the press.

It now appears that McCain is "pulling a Palin."

I would argue that it is more important that the American people see this debate than it is that either McCain or Obama address the financial crisis personally. They both have staff and fellow-Senators who can keep them informed and seek their advice.

# posted by

Floridan : 5:03 PM

It's a Bail Mary pass. (Mickey Kaus said it first, about the Paulson plan; but it fits McCain's desperate manoeuvre even better.)

# posted by

James Wimberley : 5:04 PM

Prof. Levinson,

I appreciate that you are unhappy and that you seem to generally loathe her, but I don’t see the point of your comments about Gov. Palin. I would not vote for her because I would never vote for a Republican and because many of her political beliefs are anathemas to me. I don’t, however, see that she has any less experience or background or ability to grasp economic concepts than does Sen. Obama. I also don’t see any reason to believe that Obama intuitive sense about these matters is necessarily superior to hers.

Both Obama and Palin have extremely limited backgrounds and experience in economic matters. Hers is probably slightly better since she is presumably involved in the budgeting process for her state. As far as I’m aware, Obama’s only creditential in that regard is his experience as a community organizer and his good sense in selecting Joe Biden as Vice-President

Also, it is worth remembering that three of the four people running for President/VP serve in the US Senate. We seems to be in a serious economic mess and I, for one, would be very grateful all three of these men would be so kind as to devote themselves to their jobs as senators, or else resign so that ours who are prepared to do the job of a US senator can be appointed to replace them. More specifically, Biden and McCain are very senior members of committees that probably will need to sign off on any legislation. It would also be helpful for the country if McCain and Biden were involved to express and represent the positions of their respective (potential) future administrations.

It would also be helpful if Obama would participate in the business of the Senate at a time of serious national crisis. He might look at it as an opportunity. Instead of seeking to establish himself as a leader by telling us how he would lead, he might try actually leading.

Mitch Guthman

# posted by

Mitch Guthman : 5:09 PM

And Obama says no, he'd still like to debate:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/Obama_on_debate_More_important_than_ever.html

# posted by

Asher : 5:14 PM

We seems to be in a serious economic mess and I, for one, would be very grateful all three of these men would be so kind as to devote themselves to their jobs as senators

Seems like it was just the other day that McCain was going to be taking a nap before the debate.

# posted by

Eric : 5:22 PM

Actually, Obama has a well-thought out set of policies on economic issues. It is one of those things that ought to be noted, but instead gets ignored due to the sound bite nature of modern campaigning.

Obama, after all, was at Chicago, that bastion of monetarism and "free market" economics. In it he developed an economic philosophy that begins with the market based solutions, but also recognizes a role for government in the rather pervasive problem of market failure.

For more see:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/magazine/24Obamanomics-t.html?ref=magazine&pagewanted=print

To this I would simply note the well-thought out policies posted on his campaign website. They are consistent with this pragmatic philosophy.

I like this approach. Someone else might disagree with it, but can not, I think, honestly say it is not carefully thought out. Or that there are not prominent economists who agree with him on these fundamentals.

Economics is a STRENGTH for Obama.

# posted by

Chausovsky : 5:23 PM

James Wimberly: Actually, I'd call today's stunt a "Hail Barry!" pass.

# posted by

Eric : 5:28 PM

So Mr. Plain Talk, who has held no genuine news conference in over a month, now wants to reschedule the Friday debate because of the economic crisis. Instead, he is seemingly callingn for a national summit of leaders, including himself and Obama, to meet in Washington and put their collective minds to the task of rescuing the US economy.

Yes. McCain can bring to the table everything that he learned from Keating....

Of course, McCain needs to suspend his campaign in such dire times; all his campaign staff and economic advisors are in Washington lobbying for their piece of the $700B pile, there's no one left to work the hustings....

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 5:32 PM

Sorry, the link from a couple of posts ago is from a NY Times magazine article by
DAVID LEONHARDT

# posted by

Chausovsky : 5:35 PM

Thomas:

Is it too much to expect that Obama put the campaign aside for a few days to actually do the nation's business?

He's got his answer up for you here.

As for "do[ing] the nation's business", that's pretty rich coming from a supporter of the guy that last voted in the Senate in April, and who's missed more votes these last two years in the Senate than any other Senator because he was to busy campaigning.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 5:37 PM

"Bart":

If you stop the "mindless insults" concerning Sarah Palin's lack of experience,...

They're not "insults". They're "observations". Do you really think we ought to teach 'creationism' alongside evolution in biology class? What about her lies, her "foreign experience" of seeing Kamchatka, her misstatements on the amount of energy Alaska produces, etc.?

Clue fer ya, "Bart": There's a reason the McCain camp has put up a firewall between her and the press....

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 5:44 PM

"Bart" DePalma:

McCain appeared to have a pretty good grasp of the oncoming Freddie and Fannie crises back in 2005 when he was one of three cosponsors of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005.

As I pointed out a couple threads back, renaming the agencies was just moving deck chairs on the Titanic.

The bill did nothing to require any stricter standards in lending.

Not to mention the fact that the problem (and the threat of an absurdly horrible collape of the economy) was the highly leveraged securities, which n a downturn would quickly be worth nothing (not the low-income mortgages, that would just depreciate the usual 10-20% with any significant market drop). These securities were the brain-child of the Wall Street geenyuses (and the folks that allowed financial institutions to construct such), and this 2005 bill did nothing about that.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 5:50 PM

Mitch Guthman:

I don’t, however, see that she has any less experience or background or ability to grasp economic concepts than does Sen. Obama.

Fershure. Running up a $20M debt in Wasilla certainly qualifies her as a Republican preznit-to-be.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 5:54 PM

Obama: I think that it is going to be part of the president’s job to deal with more than one thing at once. I think there’s no reason why we can’t be constructive in helping to solve this problem and also tell the American people what we believe and where we stand and where we want to take the country.

The "Presidents have to be able to talk and chew gum schtick" is amusing coming from the candidate who is doing nothing but debate prep.

I believe that both Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama can tell the People where they stand best by actually taking a stand on a rescue package this week. One would think that Mr. Obama would jump at the chance to start creating a resume during a genuine crisis rather than simply giving canned responses in a canned debate.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 6:05 PM

Was the Presidential Election in 1944 postponed because World War II was being fought? The obvious answer is NO. This is a grand-standing stunt by McCain: Nothing more - nothing less.

# posted by

Unknown : 6:16 PM

Was the Presidential Election in 1944 postponed because World War II was being fought? The obvious answer is NO. This is a grand-standing stunt by McCain: Nothing more - nothing less.

Horrendous analogy (no one's calling for the election to be postponed, the war was an ongoing thing, not a sudden crisis), but yeah, Obama won this point. I wonder what McCain's next nutty gambit will be.

# posted by

Asher : 6:23 PM

"Bart" DePalma:

I believe that both Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama can tell the People where they stand best by actually taking a stand on a rescue package this week. One would think that Mr. Obama would jump at the chance to start creating a resume during a genuine crisis rather than simply giving canned responses in a canned debate.

McInane's "Hail Mary" grand-standing isn't working.

And Reid told McInane to go stuff his pompous Keating-filled self. "Don't call us; we'll call you...."

On another topic, Laura Bush, Karl Rove, and the American public don't think that Palin's up to the job.

And if you want to see other RW "apostates" (you might get a clue, "Bart") dump on McInane, check out George Will and Andrew Sullican (saw the latter on Bill Maher last night and he was scathing....)

This has to be a real good week for you, "Bart". ;-)

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 6:24 PM

There is already a forum for a "national summit of leaders, including himself and Obama, to meet in Washington and put their collective minds to the task of rescuing the US economy." It's called the United States Congress.

# posted by

-bwg : 6:28 PM

On a related topic (you know, like setting aside other things, Glenn Greenwald has an interesting post:

The decision this month to permanently deploy a U.S. Army brigade inside the U.S. for purely domestic law enforcement purposes is the fruit of the Congressional elimination of the long-standing prohibitions in Posse Comitatus (although there are credible signs that even before Congress acted, the Bush administration secretly decided it possessed the inherent power to violate the Act). It shouldn't take any efforts to explain why the permanent deployment of the U.S. military inside American cities, acting as the President's police force, is so disturbing. Bovard:

"Martial law" is a euphemism for military dictatorship. When foreign democracies are overthrown and a junta establishes martial law, Americans usually recognize that a fundamental change has occurred. . . . Section 1076 is Enabling Act-type legislation—something that purports to preserve law-and-order while formally empowering the president to rule by decree.

The historic importance of the Posse Comitatus prohibition was also well-analyzed here.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 6:29 PM

>>I don’t, however, see that she has any less experience or background or ability to grasp economic concepts than does Sen. Obama.

You must be psychic, since Palin won't talk to the press. And the one interview and one informercial she gave certainly indicated that she lacks the ability to grasp any of the important issues of the day. As to background, I guess Harvard Law and Chicago are massively overrated.

# posted by

zod : 6:41 PM

On this Day....

– September 24, 1864: The nation is literally at risk of collapse, mengaged in a large-scale civil war: “Yet the campaign for the presidency was “now being prosecuted with the utmost vigor,” as one could read in the New York Times.”

– September 24, 1932: The nation is mired in Depression, coping with it a full time job, “Yet Herbert Hoover prepared to give a large speech in Iowa and Franklin Roosevelt had just given what became a famous address to the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco.”

– September 24, 1944: World War II well under way, with the United States engaged in fierce fighting, “Yet President Roosevelt had just officially launched his campaign for a fourth term, while Thomas Dewey took his turn speaking in San Francisco, challenging Roosevelt’s supremacy.”

I don't see any campaign suspensions there. Hmmm.

http://edgeofthewest.wordpress.com/2008/09/24/neither-rain-nor-sleet-nor-gloom-of-night/

# posted by

zod : 6:43 PM

The President called Obama personally and convinced him to come back the the capital tomorrow to attend McCain's summit between the candidates, Congressional leaders and the President to develop an mutually agreeable rescue package.

It also appears that the President extended an olive branch to the Dems in the form of adding their demand for CEO pay caps in his group of principles. As you well know, Bush does not give ground easily, so the Administration must be very very concerned that this package get passed ASAP.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 9:24 PM

"Bart" DePalma:

The President called Obama personally and convinced him to come back the the capital tomorrow to attend McCain's summit between the candidates, Congressional leaders and the President to develop an mutually agreeable rescue package.

"McSame's summit"?!?!?

Of course Dubya's going to carry water for the sorry McSame's latest stunt/eedjitcy. And Obama will politely heed the preznit's request. But WTF McSame has to offer to this kaffe-klatsch is a Deep Dark Secret (outside of what he learned from Keating).

If the preznit would ask Obama to delay the debate, I sure hope Obama tells him to Get Stuft.

It also appears that the President extended an olive branch to the Dems in the form of adding their demand for CEO pay caps in his group of principles. As you well know, Bush does not give ground easily, so the Administration must be very very concerned that this package get passed ASAP.

The Dubya bill was DOA. Not too many people listen to "Mr. 19%"'s ideas any more (although Obama did extend the courtesy of the office in accepting the invite).

Of course, one does wonder what the hurry is to all this, since McSame told us the "economy is fundamentally strong" as recently as a week ago (but didn't tell Palin, because she said "Wauugggh, waaaugghh, we're gonna go into a Great Depression!!!!".....

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 9:34 PM

Whoops, someone is showing their Rovian slip:

The President called Obama personally and convinced him to come back the the capital tomorrow to attend McCain's summit between the candidates, Congressional leaders and the President to develop an mutually agreeable rescue package.

Whopper. I just listened to Bush, and he did not mention that it was McCain's summit. He said that he (Bush) asked Obama and McCain to come in.

Bart, for someone who's decided to vote for Obama, you seem to be going out of your way to distort the facts against him. Did you go to the Mark Anthony school of exposition?

# posted by

Fraud Guy : 9:51 PM

Kudos to the McSame/MsBull…winkle campaign for their latest in “shiny-thing” gimmickry.

But of course, this is no substitute for substance!

How can this McSame/MsBull…winkle campaign subsist on nothing but “shiny-thing” gimmickry you ask?

When you’ve got nothing of substance that anyone wants, your campaign has become a mockery of late-nite talk shows and you’re falling off the cliff in the opinion polls, well then just trot out some more “shiny-thing” gimmickry.

As in this long, long line of “shiny-thing” gimmickry:

- A moose is loose Sarah MsBull…winkle
- We are all Georgians now.
- We should have had more regulation.
- The Surge has been successful.
- A chicken in every pot.
- A rabbit out of every hat.

McSame will play the very same role in leading us out of this financial ditch as he has done on all things economic during his entire career.

That will be nothing, nada, zilch! McSame, after all, knows nothing about economics. He’s said so himself, repeatedly and endlessly.

And what pray tell can we expect from McSame/MsBull…winkle campaign going forward?

Why more “shiny-thing” gimmickry, of course!

And it might just sell to the very same Republican folks who invested in Pet Rocks.

Shorter Obama: “Political Statesmanship.”

Shorter McSame: “Political Stuntsmanship.”

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# posted by

Anonymous : 10:21 PM

This comment has been removed by the author.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 10:49 PM

Fraud Guy:

President Bush called Obama at around 6:30 PM and personally asked him to attend McCain's suggested summit tomorrow. Of course, Obama could not be seen to refuse such an invitation and agreed to come. Bush then announced the summit during his economic address later at 9:00 PM.

It seems that either McCain and Bush agreed to this summit ahead of time or Bush followed McCain's lead. In either case, it will appear to the public that this summit is a McCain initiative in which Obama is playing a decorative role.

What will be interesting is whether a deal will be cut tomorrow and whether McCain will be able to claim credit for that deal.

There has been a great deal of reporting on background that the leadership closed in on a deal with the White House today before the McCain announcement. However, Obama and the Dems postured against the Paulson plan and publicly claimed it was unacceptable so they could get credit for any changes. However, McCain stole a march on them by calling for this summit during the Dem posturing. The plan would appear to be for the deal to be announced after the summit, thus making McCain look like the catalyst, if not the architect of the deal, while Obama is placed in a supporting role.

The Dems are in a corner here. If they go ahead with the deal, McCain will at minimum share the credit and may end up with all of the credit. However, if a deal is not cut tomorrow, McCain will stay in the capital working on one with Obama put in the position of either continuing to follow McCain's lead or going to Mississippi for a debate which will not occur while some very unhappy markets take a dive on Friday because a deal was not reached.

The question is whether the voters will like any deal which comes out of this maneuvering. If so, McCain may have pulled another Palin here. If not, McCain will get the blame for a lame deal. McCain is nothing if not a political version of a river boat gambler.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 11:11 PM

Given that McCain suggested this summit before Bush called Obama and then announced his invitation on television, either Bush and McCain coordinated it ahead of time or Bush is following McCain's lead. In neither case does it appear that this is a Bush idea.

Oh, it was Steve Schmidt's idea. None of those two bozos, Dubya or McSame, is devious enough to come up with this kind of crap, even when they're desperate. Schmidt is the kind of guy that will do anything when there's nothing legitimate left to do.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 12:38 AM

McCain is nothing if not a political version of a river boat gambler.

A quality which should serve him well as President! At this point I really feel that if you're a patriotic American you can't vote for this guy. Four years of Clintonism redux won't be the end of the world.

# posted by

Asher : 12:40 AM

Bart,

Sorry, dodging spambots surrounding your reply.

You have an interesting skew to your view of what happened today.

I have not heard anything like it on the news, in the paper, or online; it seems to be unique to you at this point. Perhaps you are trying to build steam for your viewpoint, and submarine your decision to vote for Obama, but right now, it's not out there.

For now, I kind of prefer the option that I saw on Letterman and at Obsidian Wings (ThatLeftTurninABQ)--even if Obama and McCain are in DC hammering out a proposal, their VP choices should pick up their debate, format, topics, and all while the candidates are locking horns. Just as if they had to pick up the reins by virtue of being a heartbeat away from that position if they were elected, they should be able to pick up in the middle of a crisis. Then next week they can have McCain and Obama fill in at the VP debate.

Of course, Letterman brings up another issue--what do you say to someone who has to cancel in an emergency rush to get to DC, then you find them a short time later chatting with Katie Couric and waiting overnight to go to a conference before leaving. Some emergency. Some lie.

Even my local news radio is reporting that McCain "lies"--not reported as, or seems to be, but actually using that word, at an outlet that breathlessly repeats administration talking points at most times. There may be a potential positive spin that you can wring out for McCain, but the narrative has shifted south on him, even to the point that the Keating 5 is coming up again. That's gotta hurt.

# posted by

Fraud Guy : 12:49 AM

"Bart" DePalma:

This was plainly McCain's political ploy and a rather good one because Obama was cornered into playing along.

Oh, yes, we know it was a political ploy. Nothing about "saving the country", it's about saving McSame's neck.

What will be interesting is whether a deal will be cut tomorrow and whether McCain will be able to claim credit with Obama playing an involuntary supporting role.

What does McSame have to offer? Why should people be listening to him. Oh, yeah, forgot. "Keating"...

If a deal is not cut tomorrow, McCain will stay in the capital working on one with Obama put in the position of either following McCain's lead or going to Mississippi for a debate which will not occur while some very unhappy markets take a dive because a deal was not reached.

Oh. So as long as McCain gets a break, it's fine if the markets tank.... IC.

At best, Obama can share the limelight and this will be a political tie.

Why do you assume that McSame can actually do anything?

The guy that thought everything was wine and roses last week, who has Gramm as his advisor, a raft of lobbyists (including for the Macs) on his staff, thinks he can fire the head of the SEC (which he calls the FEC), doesn't even know what his own committee's purview is, and wants to do for health care what the Rethuglicans have done for Big Bidness, is going to go to Washington, knock some heads together, say "stop the sh*t", and everything will be OK?!?!?

At best, it's theatre. He thinks that the American people are rubes, they are stoopid. In your case, he may actually be right.

At worst, McCain has pulled another Palin on Obama.

Indeed. Have you seen the tapes of the "witch-proofing"? Or heard the Couric "I'll have to get back to you on that" interview?

Yes, that Palin choice was a stroke of pure geenyus ... as well as an enormous step forward for this country. McSame has brought the Hruska Doctrine into executive office considerations as well.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:16 AM

There has been a great deal of reporting on background that the leadership closed in on a deal with the White House today before the McCain announcement. However, Obama and the Dems postured against the Paulson plan and publicly claimed it was unacceptable so they could get credit for any changes. However, McCain stole a march on them by calling for this summit during the Dem posturing. The plan would appear to be for the deal to be announced after the summit, thus making McCain look like the catalyst, if not the architect of the deal, while Obama is placed in a supporting role.

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"

All theatre. Wow. At least "Bart"'s honest about it.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:19 AM

Watching events unfold on TV from abroad, I had three reactions in quick succession:

(1) "See that man, upon the screen, that's John McCain, the Drama Queen"

(2) Is this a further example of personality change suggesting early Alzheimers ?

(3) How could the McCain team be so stupid ?

Overnight, I thought, is there nothing the Karl Rove protégés running the McCain campaign would not do to get the candidate some free airtime spouting mindless platitudes in a quasi-presidential setting ?

This is a clown being marketed by the techniques of detergent selling: "McCain washes whiter"

"Whiter than what, dear chap ?"

"As compared to old fashioned 1950's laundry soap, of course, but we shan't mention the comparator in the commercial."

# posted by

Mourad : 2:42 AM

Bob and Ray back in their early Boston radio days had a "commercial" skit for a new soap product: FUG!

Here's how it went:

"If 'RINSO' won't rinse it, and 'DUZ' won't do it, then 'FUG' it.

And the closing of their baseball broadcaster skit fits George W today: "This is Wally Balou, rounding third and being thrown out at home."

# posted by

Shag from Brookline : 6:41 AM

tray said...

BD: McCain is nothing if not a political version of a river boat gambler.

A quality which should serve him well as President! At this point I really feel that if you're a patriotic American you can't vote for this guy.

The patriotism snark aside, you have a legitimate point. If you are a risk adverse voter, McCain may not be your cup of tea.

Four years of Clintonism redux won't be the end of the world.

If only.

Clinton was a principle less status seeker who would adopt any politics in order to gain and preserve his power. Because he lived in conservative times, Clinton adopted conservative politics and was arguably the second most domestically conservative President since Reagan.

In contrast, once you get past the rhetoric, Obama is and always has been a leftist. What little record he has is solid and even radical (voting against Illinois BAIPA) left. Despite his rhetoric, he has absolutely no record of crossing party lines for a compromise. The best a conservative could hope for if Obama is elected is that he turns out to be another ineffective one term wonder like Carter without doing the damage Carter did to the country.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 8:35 AM

(The real question is whether John McCain, whom I once admired greatly, has any remaining sense of honor or shame.)

The most interesting thing will be to see whether or not the McCain camp tries to reshape him into a someone capable of restoring sane regulation to an industry deregulated into pieces, or if they try instead to smokescreen him through this.

Trying to reshape him will be hard given his voting record, associations with Gramm, and relative wealth (among other things). I think they will lean in the direction Bush appears to be leaning - spread fear to smokescreen around the need to restore basic regulatory structure needed to prevent another crisis after the bailout.

I'm thinking we hear McCain prattle on about home forecolsures, the scores of lost jobs that will happen if wallstreet isn't bailed out.

# posted by

John : 9:02 AM

Bob Shieffer on CBS News reported:

I am told, Maggie, that the way McCain got involved in this in the first place, the Treasury Secretary was briefing Republicans in the House yesterday, the Republican conference, asked how many were ready to support the bailout plan. Only four of them held up their hands. Paulson then called, according to my sources, Senator Lindsey Graham, who is very close to John McCain, and told him: you’ve got to get the people in the McCain campaign, you’ve got to convince John McCain to give these Republicans some political cover. If you don’t do that, this whole bailout plan is going to fail. So that’s how, McCain, apparently, became involved.

He has gotten what he wants, he’s going to have this meeting, kind of a summit today with the president and Barack Obama. I’m told that the leaders of both parties are getting close to having some kind of a bill. The question, though, is whether rank-and-file Republicans, especially, are going to vote for this.

# posted by

Bart DePalma : 12:58 PM

In contrast, once you get past the rhetoric, Obama is and always has been a leftist. What little record he has is solid and even radical (voting against Illinois BAIPA) left. Despite his rhetoric, he has absolutely no record of crossing party lines for a compromise.

He sold out on FISA, basically lied about his position on Kennedy v. Louisiana. These are small examples, but I think that ultimately he's a pragmatist who will do what he can to hang onto office.

# posted by

Asher : 1:23 PM

Mourad:

This is a clown being marketed by the techniques of detergent selling: "McCain washes whiter"

"Whiter than what, dear chap?"

"As compared to old fashioned 1950's laundry soap, of course, but we shan't mention the comparator in the commercial."

Such as "Brasso". MP3 here.

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:36 PM

"Bart" DePalma:

Despite his rhetoric, [Obama] has absolutely no record of crossing party lines for a compromise.

Lie.

If you are a risk adverse [sic] voter, McCain may not be your cup of tea.

When the eedjit/flip-flopper/more-macho-than-Dubya "Wizard of Oz" has nuclear weapons, yes, I'm "risk-averse".

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 1:43 PM

Who wouldda think it?

McSame flew to Washington to torpedo the agreement....

Cheers,

# posted by

Arne Langsetmo : 8:26 PM