White House invites McCain, Obama to join congressional leaders at White House tomorrow

President Bush announced tonight that in a spirit of bipartisanship, he has invited Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain to join congressional leaders at the White House tomorrow to talk about a $700 billion rescue plan for Wall Street.

Countdown to Crawford reported earlier that the White House was cool to the idea, welcoming McCain's announcement but had not issuing any invitations. Apparently we were wrong, and apologize. Maybe Bush wanted to save it for the speech.

In any event, the Obama campaign said the meeting at the White House is no reason to postpone Friday night's scheduled debate at the University of Mississippi. As Obama said earlier, presidents have to juggle more than one thing at once. And as Obama spokesman Bill Burton put it:

A few moments ago, President Bush called Sen. Obama and asked him to attend a meeting in Washington tomorrow, which he agreed to do.  Sen. Obama has been working all week with leaders in Congress, Secretary Paulsen, and Chairman Bernanke to improve this proposal, and he has said that he will continue to work in a bipartisan spirit and do whatever is necessary to come up with a final solution.  He strongly believes the debate should go forward on Friday so that the American people can hear from their next President about how he will lead America forward at this defining moment for our country.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: AP/APTV

Comments

[RON BAYLESS]

I hope the bailout takes place soon.I have lost 8 percent of my money invested and i am near retirement.I only hope we are doing the right thing.I cant afford another financial disaster as exists now in our nation's economy.I find it hard to trust the same government that allowed the housing market to collapse to all the sudden know how to manage money and upright our economy.

[roseann]

REMEMBER IT IS DEBATE FIRST AND COUNTRY LAST OBAMA STYLE

[roseann]

WHILE ROME CONTINUE TO BURN THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY DELAY BY QUIBBLING ON DEBATE - NB IT IS NOT LIFE THREATNING THEREFORE IT CAN WAIT!

[EH]

Why is pres bush taking all of Sen Obama's ideas? Why does Sen McCain agrees and steals Sen Obama's ideas? Sen Obama, why don't you charge them a consulting fee? Would that make you a lobbyist?

Except that pres bush mutilates the ideas and sends up atrocious spending bills. So much for smaller government and less spending.

Except that Sen McCain steals the ideas and promotes them as his own.

I think this goes to show that Sen Obama is ready to lead. America and Americans wake up. The republicans are up to no good again, especially in this election year.

[cody]

Open your eyes to the obama scandal man

[Azgar]

EH said McCain is stealing Obama's ideas. I guess McCain and Bush and al Maliki stole Obama's idea to withdraw from Iraq - they just decided to steal it after the surge so that we leave in victory, instead of tucking our tail and running away when times were tough.

[Rita Glantz]

About the "greedyFew"
Make a deal with them! - Either they will just loose the money. (Sorry for all of us.) - Or, They will get the money, - 50% in Expeditions Cost (Too gready?) and in a term over 30 years. (They are Welcome) Alternatively, regard the Lotto Industry Policy paying out a large sum. At least show some Gov.negotiating skills, and make SURE this is Never going to happen again! (Under who's watch?) Although this is just a fraction of a Big bad Leadership-Mess that is catching up on us. (Since the French Revolution 1789) Why? That is a good question. And this wasn't a "Healthy Future" for us "We the People".
Alternatively, how can we emphasize education as a goal, and money as a "tool"? (Or "Knowing what we REALLY want") This alternative spells more a "human"-being society to me, and "healthier" too. Rita