Why can McCain address the Clinton Global Initiative but not debate?

[pragmatic liberal]

It's one thing for McCain to come back to Washington to negotiate the bailout bill. But why turn it into a giant media stunt and inject presidential politics into it?

Why "suspend" the campaign? What does that even mean? His surrogates are still on TV, his website is still taking donations and even many of his ads remain on the air, at least for now. Have they stopped canvassing or phone-banking?

And in all this, McCain can take a few hours to go to the Clinton Global Initiative to speak but can't take 2 hours on a Friday night to debate? How does this crisis make a debate inappropriate?

[Lief 🗽]

John McCain was a POW. How dare you even make this thread!

[MODU]

I haven't figured that one out yet.  The only thing I can think of is that the CGI isn't something that can be postponed while the debate can.  Still, it doesn't make too much sense.

[ChrisFromNJ]

I haven't figured that one out yet.  The only thing I can think of is that the CGI isn't something that can be postponed while the debate can.  Still, it doesn't make too much sense.

Why the hell couldn't the CGI event be postponed?

Of course it could.

[Brittain33]

I haven't figured that one out yet.  The only thing I can think of is that the CGI isn't something that can be postponed while the debate can.  Still, it doesn't make too much sense.

Why the hell couldn't the CGI event be postponed?

Of course it could.

The CGI couldn't have been postponed, but McCain's speech there was certainly optional.

[Nym90]

I haven't figured that one out yet.  The only thing I can think of is that the CGI isn't something that can be postponed while the debate can.  Still, it doesn't make too much sense.

It makes perfect sense if you consider the possibility that he's a typical politician trying to stage things for his own political gain.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Because the Clintons are closet supporters.

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=83787.0

Never snub your friends. 

Hillary 2012