Today’s WTF moment is brought to you by… Senator John McCain who has announced he’s suspending his presidential campaign, heading back to Washington D.C., and saving the United States economy of financial ruin.
The reaction from Obama was to call McCain and request that they issue a joint statement. McCain agreed and then went on live television to announce his campaign suspension, without a statement from Obama.
I quote McCain:
“This is not the time for statements. … I think the American people expect more of us. And I would hope that we would respond that way,” he said.
“We discussed that we do agree, and I’d be glad to — to join in a common press release or statement, but now is not the time for statements. Time is now to act,” he added.
Interesting.
At any rate, Obama was clearly blindsided by the announcement. It’s an especially interesting decision by McCain considering we’re only one day away from the first Presidential debate this Friday. Makes you wonder if Palin needed a little more study time?
UPDATE:
And there it is.
Sen. McCain proposes a delay of Friday’s first presidential debate.
And Political Animal, Steve Benen, takes another look at Sarah Palin’s interview with Katie Couric in relation to McCain’s sudden campaign halt. I couldn’t even finish watching the interview, that’s how much it hurt to see.
UPDATE:
NPR’s doing a great pseudo-liveblogging page on the status of McCain’s campaign suspension.
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That interview was just fine, there's a lot of spin going on. That political animal post you linked to seems like a horse cart full of bull truthfully. Palin seems to have more of a handle on the bailout issue than Presidential candidate barack obama frankly, who's done squat and said squat on the issue, he is too busy being spoon fed for three days straight now in debate prep by 300+ advisers because he's a teleprompter requiring moron.. I wonder if they setup a high chair for him in Florida and some bibs like a toddler?
There was nothing 'nonsensical' in the answers. She touched on the dangers of the bailout in the form of democratic pork, the dangers to the US economy if nothing is done to restore confidence, the need to tie public funds with a sensible investment of that money and not just tossing 700 billion into the wind. Palin touches on the global crisis aspects of this, a fine point if you take a look at the world or Tel Aviv exchanges recently..
Maybe if Obama paints another big O on his airplane the economy in the USA will straighten out *eye roll*
Honestly, I was rather shocked McCain took such an unnecessary step like "suspending" his campaign. Is his rush to D.C. really going to change anything in the grand scheme of American financial ruin?
McCain believes he's showing Americans how grand of a leader he is… that he's willing to throw away the momentum of his Presidential campaign to roll up sleeves in Washington. I think he's partially accomplished this intention.
But on the other hand, he's abandoning something that he's started and playing obvious political games to boot. (Like the joint statement swindle he pulled on Obama). His leadership has a strange ying and yang effect.
As for my link to Political Animal, I agree with you that it's a very long stretch that McCain's "campaign suspension" is all about Palin. I doubt McCain would go to such lengths just to avoid a few embarrassing gaffs at the Presidential debates (Lord knows ALL of the politicians have more than enough gaffs to go around).
BUT…. there's still that small twinge of curiosity in me that wonders how complicated McCain's decision was to pull the reigns on his campaign. How much does it involve Palin or Obama or the debates. I think it's important to look at the situation from all angles regardless of our personal feelings for one candidate over the other.
Those are some fair enough points, and might I say how refreshingly egalitarian of you, I wasn't sure if my big love for Obama was coming through lol.
Let's keep in mind pls also that McCain is the new leader of his party just as Obama is, and there is the issue of US House Republicans needing stewardship on the issue. This is not a guy who likes to sit in the back of the humvee, or I imagine these days the jumpseat in the Range Rover. One of these two chose to show leadership, so I might tie the suspension less to the debate on foreign policy which McCain can likely ace, and more to the issue of needing to show decisive leadership to try and bump the polls on the economic issue. But it's debate time soon enough, so curiosity should be filled shortly.