John McCain's Debate Gambit: Epic Fail
Holy polly! SurveyUSA sure is quick with its data gathering. They've already gathered a bunch of info on the public's opinion of John McCain's patriotic/desperate attempt to stop the merry-go-round.
This was obviously all pulled together really fast, so I can't speak to its accuracy, but Markos Moulitsas pulls out the important numbers…
The first debate between John McCain and Barack Obama is scheduled to take place in two days. Should the debate be held as scheduled? Should the debate be held, but the format changed to focus on the economy? Or, should the debate be postponed?
Hold as scheduled 50
Hold with focus on economy 36
Postpone 10…
Is the right response to the turmoil on Wall Street to suspend the campaigns for president? To continue the campaigns as though there is no crisis? Or, to re-focus the campaigns with a unique emphasis on the turmoil on Wall Street?
Suspend 14
Continue 31
Refocus the campaign 48…
If Friday's presidential debate does not take place, would that be good for America? Bad for America? Or would it make no difference?
Good for America 14
Bad for America 46
No difference 35
Not entirely encouraging for McCain, is it?
But at least he has that 10 to 14 percent on his side.
RSS
Today, the McCain campaign suspends campaign activities because the economic crisis is too important for the public to be distracted by less important matters. Four weeks from now, expect the Republican administration to use the same tactic to suspend the entire election, claiming that solving the economic crisis (or another *crisis* manufactured for the purpose) is too important for the distraction of a mere election. We seriously underestimate these folks if we imagine they will surrender the reins of power peacefully. We heard it well put last night on The Daily Show. The Bushies were characterized as people who would not be happy until our children were fighting over road kill and George W. Bush was not the worst president ever, but the last one. One must laugh, or one will cry. Or scream. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Isn't John McCain a self proclaimed ignoramus on the economy? Why is his input so necessary?
Because the best thing to do when there is a crisis is to not talk about it or take any kind of action. Very Maverickity.
John McCain is a wiennie when the chips (his poll ratings) are down. Examples of those who kept campaigning when the going got tough:
– 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.”
- September 24, 1968: The Vietnam War raging, two major American political leaders had already been assassinated that year, student revolts around the world, and a sizable portion of the country in full backlash against the civil rights movement, Humphrey drew some of the biggest crowds of his campaign during appearances in Ohio.
But John McCain feels he can’t do debate prep and make up his mind about the bailout proposal at the same time. He wants an extension. What a wien.
McCain's vain attempt at a Catch-22 argument: Obama puts his campaign ahead of the country or if he goes to Washington he's following McCain's lead. I'm sorry, McCain's a total sexist remark.
Those 10-14% also think Hitler got it right.
Kinda like a Freudian slip .. Dontcha think. McCain's subliminal way of saying I really belong in Senate, not the White House.
Thing 1
I think what is so befuddling about this to most people still on the logic train, so roughly the 70%-80% that say to the debate…'bring it on' (to use my FORMER main man's euphemism)…is that it reveals the ideological fantasy at the heart of far right conservative ideology… Democracy and America gets done right when everything works smoothly, without all that fussy "politics", i.e. discussion, deliberation, you know the things great Republicans like Abraham Lincoln were masters at. "Bipartisan" or "reaching across the lines" in Neo-Con speak is really another way of saying "you are either with us or against us". It is the dream people lived the first year or so after 9/11, the sublime suspension of politics, when difference disappears only because a situation arises where we become blind to it. It is the dream of a politics of no parties because the two parties have become One party. It is an unlivable and, as One party systems in history show, an impossible dream. People know that know, and people are smart enough to figure out that four planes falling unexpected from the sky into our towers of Babel is NOT the same kind of event as an overproduction of homes and bad credit. But if we want to make that comparison it certainly begs the question now of which politicians have been misleading me and my fellow conservatives, yeah, I'm conservative, all along.
Thing 2
Right now, McCain has two jobs. And he was ELECTED to BOTH of them: 1) a Senator 2) a Presidential candidate. As a Senator he has specific duties assigned to him, i.e. specific committees he sits on which focus on specific policy areas. He does not sit on any committees pertaining to the economy. So, actually drafting this legislation is NOT his job.
His job as presidential candidate, which he officially accepted at the RNC, actually is a strange job because in it he is actually applying for an even MORE IMPORTANT and MORE DEMANDING job than a 1 in 100 Senator–the one and only President of the United States.
In an age of cell phones, blackberries, internet, and with legion of staff, not to mention a “tough” Vice Presidential running mate (remember her?) not only does McCain not need to be in Washington to be involved, he has a responsibility as an employee of a major political party of the American people to present his politics. Why couldn’t he have suggested to hold the VP debate early? Or why doesn’t he send Palin out to shoulder the campaign in his stead?
For 8 years now we’ve had a government which has talked at us not to us, told us everything we wanted to hear but without the sincerity it takes to truly care about the bonds of our words, and substituted the image of plenty, determination, and success for a reality of adversity, ideologues, and problems…lots and lots of problems. They said, ’small government’, and we get a multi-nationals, hyper-deregulation, loss of domestic jobs, and a police state apparatus. They said, and still say, ‘we’re for the common man’, while pocketing millions from OUR labor.
It’s time for solidarity. It’s time to say no to cynical politics of the neo-liberal/neo-con affluent elites regardless our stand at this point on moral issues. I’m pro life. I’ve been pro life all my life. And although it almost sickens me to do it this election, these crooks simply need to go. They NEED to GO!!
I've heard of Chicken McNuggets, but Chicken McCain?
What do you repubs say about your Chicken McCain now?
But, what do expect from someone who graduated(?) 5th from the bottom of his 600 person class at the Naval Academy?
Too bad, it's test time John, and your Admiral daddy can't get you through this time.
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This is completely in line with McCain's core campaign strategy: show the world I am not what I am. Kind of the Reverse Popeye Stratagem, if you will.
He's old: show up on the Daily Show more than any other guest.
He's a Bush guy: talk about what a maverick he is.
He's right, but not far right: hire Sarah-cuda Palin onto the ticket.
He's rich: Call Obama an elitist and talk about his book proceeds.
He's against regulation: call for new regulations on already-failed banks.
He's not good on the economy: suspend his campaign to fix the economy.
And on and on.