Obama Wants to Debate

John McCain is so overwhelmed by the challenge of responding to the economic crisis that he wants to suspend the presidential campaign and delay Friday's first debate between the Republican and Democratic nominees for president.

Barack Obama says presidents need to be able to multitask.

"Presidents are going to have to deal with more than one thing at a time," explained the senator from Illinois

So, while Obama says he and his campaign will work with the McCain camp to advance a proposal by the Democrat to have the two campaigns develop a joint statement on how the crisis can and should be resolved, he still wants to debate.

"I think we should continue to have the debate," Obama told reporters in Florida, arguing that, "With respect to the debates, it's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who in approximately 40 days will be responsible for dealing with this mess."

The Commission of Presidential Debates appears to share Obama's view. The CPD announced Wednesday afternoon that it intended to go ahead with Friday night's debate.

Though it was McCain who attempted to appear presidential by proposing to put the campaign on hold -- after viewing polling data that suggested his poll position was tanking -- it was Obama who finished the day looking to be in calm, serious and in control.

Noting that he was in constant contact with Democrats and Republicans in Washington -- including Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, with who he has spoken twice today -- Obama said he was more than willing to join McCain in Washington if it might help advance negotiations toward a bipartisan resolution of the financial crisis.

But, Obama added, both he and McCain have campaign planes that can get to Washington and still make it to Oxford, Mississippi, in time for Friday night's debate. And the Democrat suggested that a debate -- perhaps one more focused on the economy that would previously have been the case -- remains timely and appropriate.

"In my mind," said Obama, "it's more important than ever that we present ourselves to the American people and describe where we want to take the country and where we want to take the economy."

Besides, he suggested, if the candidates do go to Washington in order to encourage negotiators, it's probably good for them to leave.

"What I think is important is that we don't suddenly infuse Capitol Hill with presidential politics," said Obama, offering a viewpoint with which few Americans would be likely to argue.

Comments (18)

1. Good grief Mr. Nichols.

   Are you guys working your ass off today or what?

   Posted by Benchrest at 09/24/2008 @ 5:03pm

2. If McCain is afraid of a debate and wants to posture, let him do it!

   DEBATES HELP THE UNDERDOG, NOT THE ONE LEADING IN THE POLLS!

   I would suggest to McCain having a debate on the economy instead...and when he rejects this proposal, paint him as someone that continues to be clueless when it comes to the economy.

   Posted by Metteyya at 09/24/2008 @ 5:12pm

3. Right response.

   Ball's in McC's court.

   So will he continue to chicken out?

   But hey, wait a sec ... he can stay in DC & stay up all Friday night negotiating about the economy, which he says he knows nothing about (so he'll need at least all night, even if it's past Paulson's deadline or bedtime), if he wishes ... & the eminently qualified person he's chosen as his substitute/successor, should he be unable to perform any or all duties, she can just go in his stead.

   No problem.

   Just a happy solution for all.

   Posted by sloper at 09/24/2008 @ 5:14pm

4. Here's the funny thing about McCain wanting to stop the debate to go to Washington. All he and Obama are now are senators. They have one vote each. Their presence in D.C. in not going to be paramount to the crisis at hand.

   McIdiot is trying to use this situation to grandstand and dodge questions about his voting record along with alliances in the banking industry. He's part and parcel of the problem and he knows damn well he's in for a serious ass kicking.

   What a coward he truly is.

   Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/24/2008 @ 5:16pm

5. Obama should invite Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney, Ralph Nader and the candidate of the Constitution Party to join him at the debate, McCain or no McCain.

   I believe these are the other candidates for President who have a mathematical chance of being elected based on the number of states in which they are on the ballot, which is the most objective standard for inclusion in the Presidential and Vice Presidential debates in an Electoral College system.

   Posted by cka2nd at 09/24/2008 @ 5:21pm

6. I wonder how the Republican spin doctors will make this come out. 'McCain would rather save the economy than win this election.' Something like that, probably.

   It's not that difficult to guess the real reason McCain doesn't want the debate to go forward: he's scared. And with good reason, because how could this debate not focus heavily on the economic crisis? A crisis which McCain has told us isn't such a big deal since America's economy is basically sound. McCain knows very little about economic affairs, as we know, and this debate would prove to everyone that he's not the right man to be in charge of America's economic affairs.

   Posted by Amsterdam69 at 09/24/2008 @ 5:21pm

7. But hey, at least McCain is not a chicken hawk - just a chicken.

   Posted by Amsterdam69 at 09/24/2008 @ 5:24pm

8. Hey guys... I hate to post and run, but I felt the need to spread this to you. Sorry I've been away the past few days. My mom is in town. Anyway, I just read this. Hopefully you'll find it interesting.

   As we told you earlier this month, the National Enquirer was reporting that Republican VP nominee, Sarah Palin, had an affair with her husband's former business partner.

   In fact, the guy that Palin was accused of having an affair with, even filed an EMERGENCY motion to have his divorce records sealed in Alaska!!!!

   Yea, because that's not suspicious right?

   John McCain's camp even threatened legal action for the Enquirer meddling. But that didn't stop them, thankfully.

   So what did the Enquirer discover?

   That Palin did have an affair with an individual named Brad Hanson!!! That's her husband's former business partner.

   They were both married at the time. And according to reports, three members of Hanson's family have already sworn - one by affidavit - that Palin and Hanson were having an extramarital affair!

   Hanson owned a snowmobile dealership along with Palin's hubby, Todd, who got rid of the partnership after hearing stories about the affair, which allegedly took place back in 1996.

   And, despite denials from Palin and Hanson, Jim Burdett, a Hanson family insider, has opened up about the family's secret and even passed a rigorous polygraph test in an effort to reveal the truth - that the affair did take place.

   Posted by jorcheim at 09/24/2008 @ 5:25pm

9. Burdett says, "I've known about Brad having had an affair for a long time, but it wasn't until just recently that I learned his affair was with Sarah Palin. Sarah was elected mayor of Wasilla, Brad became a city council member in the nearby town of Palmer, and they started an affair. Todd found out about the affair and was so mad he broke up their partnership at the snowmobile dealership."

   Another source, who's remaining anonymous but has given a sworn affidavit as well, is saying, "Todd was away on business a lot and Sarah felt lonely. Brad was a good listener, and Sarah talked to him at length. Eventually, she real­ized she was falling in love with him. When Todd got back from one of his trips, Sarah told him that she had begun to have feelings for Brad."

   Posted by jorcheim at 09/24/2008 @ 5:25pm

10. She had an affair?

    That may be the only thing we've learned about her that a majority of women -- men, too -- can genuinely relate to. Certainly not her belief in witchcraft. Or shooting wolves from planes.

    Hang in there, divine Sarah, and if ol' Johnny can't make it on Friday night, do your duty as his ever-ready qualified standby & get yourself on down to Oxford, Mississippi in his place.

    Just talk fast & few will notice you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

    Posted by sloper at 09/24/2008 @ 5:33pm

11. There it is... clear as day.

    With Wall Street tied up in knots... and swallowing its own tail... McCain, who's history and campaign are filled with examples of 'how to prosper from the back side of dubious economic legislation'...

    ...has given us his 'solution' for falling behind in the polls. And fearing any one of many possible knock out punches that Obama could easily deliver on Friday... he has opted for...

    ...wait for it...

    ...more subterfuge, and disingenuous posturing... because it has obviously worked so well in securities, and Iraq, and the economy, and job creation in the US...

    WOW!... Who could have thought that 'more of the same' would be SUCH an ingenious solution?

    It never would have occurred to most of us...

    Posted by ttr at 09/24/2008 @ 5:55pm

12. Typical McCain/Palin political strategery...

    I'm glad that they are going on with the debates. I was really looking foward to it. It supposed to be about national security and foreign policy issues, McCain's strongest suit, but instead, the debate would have turned economic rather quickly. So what does he do?

    Tries to cancel.

    To the McCain camp and his cronies....HAHAHAHAHAHHA!

    This move to cancel, while litteraly millions wait to see where he stands on serious issues, cops out to say, "I'm going back to Washington."

    Dammit, where were you before?

    Posted by Daisenryaku at 09/24/2008 @ 6:27pm

13. Flip flop, flip flop, cut and running, liar, military lunkhead, economy know-nothing. His advisors, like Phil Gramm, helped cause the world financial mess, so let them squirm in it. The Republican party and their corporate party pals are in panic mode. The crap has hit the fan, all the years of avarice and irresponsible spending have come to bring the grand ol party to it's knees, FINALLY!

    Posted by Allerdyce at 09/24/2008 @ 6:28pm

14. Also. Before we hear from the Republican's about how Presidential McCain is being. Why is he still speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative on Thursday if this is of such importance? Why didn't he suspend his campaign TODAY, fly to Washington and start hammering this out?

    Why is it only the debate he is choosing to miss?

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/24/2008 @ 7:33pm

15. Group hug?

    Posted by winyahn at 09/24/2008 @ 8:54pm

16. "But, Obama added, both he and McCain have campaign planes that can get to Washington and still make it to Oxford, Mississippi, in time for Friday night's debate. "

    what, can't they planepool?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/24/2008 @ 9:39pm

17. Posted by jorcheim at 09/24/2008 @ 5:25pm

    say hi to mom for me.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/24/2008 @ 9:43pm

18. Posted by jorcheim at 09/24/2008 @ 5:25pm

    look what has happened to america.

    the incomparable jorcheim is quoting the national enquirer.

    LOL.

    not that i fault you, sir. you do have an enquiring mind ;+}

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/24/2008 @ 9:45pm