McCain, Carter, and a Friday night

[© tweed]

I understand that, but if it's in limbo up until hours before the debate starts, and everyone begins to file into the debate and Obama's in town, I doubt they're going to just stop everything.  or maybe they will, but it's not impossible by any means that they go along with it.

[Torie]

I understand that, but if it's in limbo up until hours before the debate starts, and everyone begins to file into the debate and Obama's in town, I doubt they're going to just stop everything.  or maybe they will, but it's not impossible by any means that they go along with it.

Well you have a point. McCain should say he won't show up period by tomorrow AM.

[© tweed]

I understand that, but if it's in limbo up until hours before the debate starts, and everyone begins to file into the debate and Obama's in town, I doubt they're going to just stop everything.  or maybe they will, but it's not impossible by any means that they go along with it.

Well you have a point. McCain should say he won't show up period by tomorrow AM.

if he for some reason thinks the entire spectacle would be a net positive for him he should let it remain a question mark.  (the chance also exists that people think he's bluffing and the Commission/Obama attempt to call his bluff.  the possibilities are endless!  what a spectator sport)

[Keystone Phil]

So apparently McCain is saying that he won't show up to the debate if a deal isn't made by Friday. Obviously, this is a huge risk.

[Meeker]

My initial suspicion is that McCain will give in and show up. However, barring that, I can't really see how the networks would allow Obama to just answer questions for an hour and a half uninterrupted. If McCain doesn't show up then they'll cancel, but it'll give Obama an opportunity to hold some sort of dramatic press conference outside that'll get lots of coverage.

Basically I have no idea what's going to happen. But it'll be an interesting 50 hours!

[© tweed]

So apparently McCain is saying that he won't show up to the debate if a deal isn't made by Friday. Obviously, this is a huge risk.

even if he continues to say that right until gametime, it may just be perceived as a bluff.  see my point?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Send Palin to debate Obama.  That would be must-see-TV. 

if so, she needs to show up unannounced and at the last minute and with her infant and husband Todd.  She could counter any of Obama's "multitasking" charges with, "...well, I nursed Track on the way over here, does that count?"  

[Keystone Phil]

So apparently McCain is saying that he won't show up to the debate if a deal isn't made by Friday. Obviously, this is a huge risk.

even if he continues to say that right until gametime, it may just be perceived as a bluff.  see my point?

Well, what's your point now? That he'll just debate? Fine. I still don't think that they'll cover Obama vs. nobody.

[© tweed]

So apparently McCain is saying that he won't show up to the debate if a deal isn't made by Friday. Obviously, this is a huge risk.

even if he continues to say that right until gametime, it may just be perceived as a bluff.  see my point?

Well, what's your point now? That he'll just debate? Fine. I still don't think that they'll cover Obama vs. nobody.

my point is and has always been that, the Commission likely will not cancel as McCain's actual plans for this may well not be known right up until the time of the start of the debate.  and if all of the media and the moderator and Obama show up and are ready to go, I don't think they will send everyone packing at that point even if it's Obama debating himself.

[cinyc]

Send Palin to debate Obama.  That would be must-see-TV. 

if so, she needs to show up unannounced and at the last minute and with her infant and husband Todd.  She could counter any of Obama's "multitasking" charges with, "...well, I nursed Track on the way over here, does that count?"  

Trig, not track.

I doubt this will happen - though it would be really fun to watch.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

This is the most bone-headed political decision since Carter decided to cut back on campaigning to concentrate on the hostage crisis.  Whoever the heck in the McCain campaign didn't try to talk him out of this stunt deserves to never work in politics again.  It's enough to make me second guess my choice of candidate.  I still come out with an answer of McCain, but instead of enthusiasm for McCain, it's now because I think Obama would make an even worse mess of the economy than McCain.  I am not happy.  Back in the warm, sunny days of July I was thinking that 2008 wasn't going to be one of those "lesser of two weevils" elections, but that's what it is looking like now.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I honestly think McCain is just trying to find a way to delay the VP debate.  He is really really trying to keep Palin hushed.

[daboese]

Looks like it.
I think the public will never get to know Palin, perhaps she is exactly what I feared her to be...

[Brittain33]

I just don't see the upside for McCain in this. I watched CNN at the gym as this was coming out and it was not looking good for him. People were either uncomfortable (defenders, neutrals) or almost gleeful at how insanely weird this is (Dana Millbank).

How can McCain be said to hold all the cards when he's not in control of the media narrative, and couldn't hope to be at this stage in the campaign, with him behind slightly and the polls not favoring him? His is not the Bush campaign of 2004, which really was in control the whole time. This is different. Winning a news cycle isn't the same as winning an election. Meanwhile the media is getting madder and madder.

[HardRCafé]

Well, what's your point now? That he'll just debate? Fine. I still don't think that they'll cover Obama vs. nobody.

How is that different from almost all the campaign coverage already?

[Torie]

I just don't see the upside for McCain in this. I watched CNN at the gym as this was coming out and it was not looking good for him. People were either uncomfortable (defenders, neutrals) or almost gleeful at how insanely weird this is (Dana Millbank).

How can McCain be said to hold all the cards when he's not in control of the media narrative, and couldn't hope to be at this stage in the campaign, with him behind slightly and the polls not favoring him? His is not the Bush campaign of 2004, which really was in control the whole time. This is different. Winning a news cycle isn't the same as winning an election. Meanwhile the media is getting madder and madder.

What demographic is at your gym?  Just asking? 

[riceowl]

Send Palin to debate Obama.  That would be must-see-TV. 

if so, she needs to show up unannounced and at the last minute and with her infant and husband Todd.  She could counter any of Obama's "multitasking" charges with, "...well, I nursed Track on the way over here, does that count?" 

and then she would drop out of the election after horrifying the nation with her tales of breastfeeding her 18-year-old soldier son.

[Verily]

I just don't see the upside for McCain in this. I watched CNN at the gym as this was coming out and it was not looking good for him. People were either uncomfortable (defenders, neutrals) or almost gleeful at how insanely weird this is (Dana Millbank).

How can McCain be said to hold all the cards when he's not in control of the media narrative, and couldn't hope to be at this stage in the campaign, with him behind slightly and the polls not favoring him? His is not the Bush campaign of 2004, which really was in control the whole time. This is different. Winning a news cycle isn't the same as winning an election. Meanwhile the media is getting madder and madder.

What demographic is at your gym?  Just asking? 

He's talking about the CNN talking heads, not the people at his gym.

[Lunar]

If Obama does show up to the debate by himself, McCain better be finding something REALLY busy-looking to be doing at 9 pm, EST, on a Friday night in Congress.  Not going to look good if he's at a fundraiser or taking an early nap while Obama is there fielding questions about the economic questions concerning the country (and yes, the moderator has confirmed there will be economic questions and both campaigns have known about this for more than a week).

[Brittain33]

I just don't see the upside for McCain in this. I watched CNN at the gym as this was coming out and it was not looking good for him. People were either uncomfortable (defenders, neutrals) or almost gleeful at how insanely weird this is (Dana Millbank).

How can McCain be said to hold all the cards when he's not in control of the media narrative, and couldn't hope to be at this stage in the campaign, with him behind slightly and the polls not favoring him? His is not the Bush campaign of 2004, which really was in control the whole time. This is different. Winning a news cycle isn't the same as winning an election. Meanwhile the media is getting madder and madder.

What demographic is at your gym?  Just asking? 

Oh, I didn't talk to anyone at my gym--I was talking about the reaction on CNN. You're right, though, my gym is horrifically unrepresentative. (No gym is, actually, unless you catch the people paying their initial membership who then never come back.)

It is run by a marine, though.