McCain suspends campaign, returns to Washington

[agricola]

Somewhat breaking news:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/NEWS07/80924084

[Balog]

Damn, I was hoping he'd had some health problems and was dropping from the race. Palin for pres. 

[MicroBalrog]

This doesn't sound like a good idea.

[jrfoxx]

Wow, a politician that is actually going to spend time doing his job, instead of focusing soley on getting re-elected? McCain really IS a maverick. That type of thing is becoming nearly unheard of any more, as it seems all politicians care about anymore is getting rich, and kissing arse (to get re-elected, or get richer, depends on the day).

Now, Im sure someone (and I'd agree they are probly at least partially correct) will point out that this is in and of itself, at least somewhat politically motivated as far as doing it just to look good, and thus kiss arse, and get elected, but at least he's doing something useful WHILE he's kissing arse and getting elected. Even that little bit seems to be getting rarer and rarer anymore.

[MicroBalrog]

Wow, a politician that is actually going to spend time doing his job, instead of focusing soley on getting re-elected? McCain really IS a maverick

He needs to get elected. The best thing he can do for the country as of now (apart from stepping down and letting Palin take over) is do everything he can to beat Obama.

[jrfoxx]

ETA:

This doesn't sound like a good idea.

Hard to say if it is or not , really. I tend to agree that NOT campaigning while the race is so incredibly close is a big deal, but as I mention, whether he is doing this to be genuine, or as a political stunt, or a combo of both, it may actually be more effective than just touring around having rallies, giving speaches, etc, as people may see (again, wheteher true or not) that he is "putting country first", and it will help him.

It's a big gamble from a purely political, campaign standpoint, but I think the odds of it having no effect, to some positive effect, on his poll numbers/campaign is more likely than it hurting him.JMHO though, I'm certainly no politacl analyst or startagist, so I may be way off, and you spot on. I guess we'll possibly find out in a week or so through the polls though.

[Monkeyleg]

It may give him some ammo for ads in the last couple of weeks of the campaign, which is when the undecideds finally make up their minds (my father used to wait until the last Sunday).

The risk for McCain is that the Senate may actually vote on something. No matter what the bailout looks like, it's going to tick off some segment of the population. His safest route would be to follow the Democrats (which is pretty much what he's doing already), and then attack Obama for not even voting "present" during a crisis.

[agricola]

It may give him some ammo for ads in the last couple of weeks of the campaign, which is when the undecideds finally make up their minds (my father used to wait until the last Sunday).

The risk for McCain is that the Senate may actually vote on something. No matter what the bailout looks like, it's going to tick off some segment of the population. His safest route would be to follow the Democrats (which is pretty much what he's doing already), and then attack Obama for not even voting "present" during a crisis.

This is risky, but it is necessary at this stage.  The Democrats have managed to thus far successfully blame Bush, McCain and the Republicans generally for their own complete snafu over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which has somewhat extended to today - the same day that Harry Reid was demanding this:

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/09/bailout-triangulation-harry-re.html

Which is perhaps yet another example of be careful what you wish for.  If McCain can be seen to get a reasonable compromise here then it will massively boost his own economic credentials.  If he doesnt, then some long-overdue attention will be turned on the people who are actually responsible for this.  Either way, Obama will be more focused on getting out more negative ads.

[lupinus]

Actually, I think it's a great idea.  He now is the politician who put politics aside for the sake of the country.  And whatever Obama does in response, he looks bad.

He goes back to DC?  He's following McCain's lead because he can't follow his own.  Even though he did follow, he didn't think to do it himself.  It's merely a response to save face cause he was pushed into it.  He looks bad.

He doesn't go?  He's a capitalizing ahole out campaigning while McCain is doing what's better for the country.  He looks bad, and like an ahole.

The great O has no options now to look good, though A looks less bad.  Whoever in the McCain camp that came up with this is a genius.

Unless of course it backfires, and the public think it's a political move and John feels a world of burn.

[ronnyreagan]

the public think it's a political move

Well, that's certainly what it looks like to me.

[MicroBalrog]

His safest route would be to follow the Democrats (which is pretty much what he's doing already)

What's the point of having a Republican candidate if he's going to just follow the Democrats?

[Monkeyleg]

What's the point of having a Republican candidate if he's going to just follow the Democrats?

Whoever said McCain was a Republican?

If Obama actually follows McCain's lead and goes back to DC, that's something that could be used later on as well. A commercial could mention that, when Russia attacked Georgia, Obama waited until McCain responded. And, when McCain decided to go back to DC, Obama waited and then followed. "Who's the real leader?" or some line like that.

[MicroBalrog]

Obama has just stated he will not come back to D.C.

[wquay]

I was really looking forward to the debate on Friday.

Risky move by McCain. Will either pay off big, or mark the beginning of the end.

I'm skeptical, especially since by McCain's own admission he knows very little about the economy.

[Monkeyleg]

Obama has just stated he will not come back to D.C.

Doesn't make much difference. He wasn't ever there much anyway.

McCain doesn't have to know much about the economy. He just has to look like he's doing something. But it is still a risky move.

[lupinus]

Obama has just stated he will not come back to D.C.

Doesn't make much difference. He wasn't ever there much anyway.

McCain doesn't have to know much about the economy. He just has to look like he's doing something. But it is still a risky move.

Today?  Maybe not.  But it gives McCain a world of ammo to use later.

[Leatherneck]

Of COURSE it's political. Everything these two senators do is political from now until the election.

What McCain should do is stay the course and haughtily say: "I'm gonna go do my job. If Barry feels a debate is more important than addressing the crisis with the economy, then Sarah Palin will debate him."   

TC

[GigaBuist]

His safest route would be to follow the Democrats (which is pretty much what he's doing already)

What's the point of having a Republican candidate if he's going to just follow the Democrats?

I've been asking myself that since the primaries.  Kinda wish more Republicans did.

[RocketMan]

Harry Reid set up McCain in a masterful fashion.  It was a lose/lose for him regardless of which course he chose.
And I am positive that Reid was acting as Obama's surrogate in this.

"...the same day that Harry Reid was demanding this:"
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/09/bailout-triangulation-harry-re.html

First Reid demands that McCain had better be on board for there to be any hope for the negotiations to succeed.  McCain then had to respond by either asking the debate be postponed so he could go to DC, or by declining to go to DC and continue campaigning.

Either move makes him look bad.  Going to DC makes it look like he is trying to dodge the first debate. Obama's camp has already made that claim.
If McCain had signaled that he was not going, then Obama would have scheduled a trip to DC to make it look like he cared about what was happening and was "doing something".

Bad news for McCain all the way around.  And he is currently nine points down in the latest poll of likely voters.
I think he's toast.

[Jamisjockey]

Damn, I was hoping he'd had some health problems and was dropping from the race. Palin for pres. 

The left would eat her for lunch.  She's not ready....yet....

[Waitone]

A few observations in no particular order
--Losing candidates are typically the one's who want to debate.  Leading candidates can only screw up.
--Leave it to a fighter pilot to pull some unexpected stunt.
--Why is McCain headed to DC?
----Because he wants to exert some leadership and head off a train wreck?
----Or is it because he can't bear the thoughts of a compromise being cut and him not getting credit for it?
----or is it because he heard the GOP could muster only 4 votes in favor of the bailout and McCain simply can not tolerate his buds standing on principle (regardless of what that principle is)
----or does he think he can get better face time by being on the bridge of a ship coordinating damage control rather than pontificating in isolation with his inexperienced opponent,
----or does he want to rub it in one more time by demonstrating the O'Bama just doesn't do votes really.  Seems he has a problem with being on the record as having actually done something.

Personally I think debates are a joke.  Actually they are a joke of a press conference.  I think he done the right think though the jury is out as to the reason for doing the right thing.  Who knows, he may have done the right thing for the right reason.

[longeyes]

Well, for better or worse, McCain is showing he's unpredictable.

I agree the debates are more entertainment than substance.  McCain knows this, as he knows the debates will be spun against him, as he knows that the economic mess will be, regardless of the facts, spun against him and the GOP.

So he's tossing another thunderbolt, as he did with Sarah Palin.  Yes, it's risky and it may not work, but it is one way to parry--maybe the only way--what the assembled forces of The Left are doing.

I don't really trust McCain's "bi-partisan" approaches--who does?--but there is one and only one thing to bear in mind about everything that is going on: MCCAIN HAS TO WIN.

He has to win for our side, because as flawed as McCain is, we cannot tolerate Obama in the White House with a Dem Congressional Majority behind him and potentially three Supreme Court vacancies to be filled.  That is the bottom-line here, the rest is sound and fury.

[AJ Dual]

FWIW, Mrs. Dual is an "emotive conservative". Meaning, she gets fired up when I explain the logic behind ABC-XYZ, on taxes, RKBA, defense etc... But then forgets, and just coasts on that feeling of why she likes the Republican/Conservative, for a few weeks, until I discuss policy again with her.

Last spring when he was the presumptive nominee and beating out Hillary, she piped up, "Maybe that Obama has something..." I called her on it, and she could notexactly what that "something" Obama had was... She was simply falling for the flash, hype, and the enthusiasim surrounding him. 15 seconds of discussion about Michelle Obama's "I was never proud of America until now..." Rev. Wright's "God Damn America" church, and a few other things like Iran, and supreme court nominations set her straight quickly.

So I like to think of her as my "Middle America" sample... i.e. nominally conservative when you lay it all out, just can't retain the information for any length of time. And easily swayed by the MSM, and spin. She does not really understand/believe at a gut level that there is constant bias in the media. It's both funny and scary at the same time.

McCain announces Palin as his pic, she gets a look at 30 seconds of her GOP convo speech w/o actualy paying any attention at the content, and she's dragging me and the kids the very next day to the GOP local office to get McCain signs, for us, and my conservative/Republican-but busy parents, and is crushed they're out of Mccain/Palin signs... 

McCain going back to Washington played with her as "putting his duty as a Senator/America first"...

So I hope many others take it that way too.

[Lennyjoe]

Dubya called both to DC for a meeting.

[longeyes]

Some will call McCain's move statesmanship.

Others will call it political.

I'm calling it para-political.

McCain, instinctively, grasps the total political scene and realizes he's surrounded and needs to act boldly to have any chance of survival.