Debate commission says McCain-Obama faceoff still on

Never mind all of today's hoopla -- Friday's first presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama is full-steam ahead.

Per the just-released statement by the Commission on Presidential Debates, which organizes the meetings between nominees:

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) is moving forward with its plan for the first presidential debate at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss. this Friday, September 26.  The plans for this forum have been underway for more than a year and a half.  The CPD's mission is to provide a forum in which the American public has an opportunity to hear the leading candidates for the president of the United States debate the critical issues facing the nation.  We believe the public will be well served by having all of the debates go forward as scheduled.

Earlier today, McCain announced that he is halting his campaign because of the nation's economic turmoil and the fragility of the proposed financial firm bailout proposal, and called for the debate to be postponed. Obama called for it to go on. Then politicians in both camps weighed in, with -- surprise, surprise -- Newt Gingrich and Arnold Schwarzenegger backing McCain's plan, and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid supporting Obama's position. Who says politics isn't predictable?

-- Seema Mehta

Comments

[Straight Talk]

Waiting to hear about John's sick grammy, or how the dog ate his notes. Can we position John so the sun wont be in his eyes and he is not throwing into the wind. Everybody already accepts that whatever the outcome, those involved in the debate were biased against him.

Excuses for why John McCain is unable to measure up should be sent directly to the RNC.

[btimsah]

I hereby vote that RON PAUL take McCain's place in the debate while McCain can go play daddy socialist. Pathetic.

[thelma ritter]

McCain hasn't cast a vote in DC for 5 months; Obama for 2. These guys should continue to campaign and not expect to inject themselves in bailout negotiations at the last minute. A Friday debate in Mississippi is fortuitous timing if Americans get a chance to hear how their prospective leaders plan to react to challenges seen and unseen. Virtually any foreign policy question can be related to America's economic standing and policies.

[We take no prisoners and eat the wounded]

Pelosi and Reid just dont cut it against Newt and Arnold.
Imposters Obama and Biden just want to carry on with
their rancid dog and pony show while McCain wants to put the people and their economic concerns first. America, take a deep breath and cut the cancerous duo
that threatens our most sacred values....managers of
shocking vice and spreaders of spiritual pestilence a la
Joseph Stalin.

[Kelly Jones]

McCain opted out of the presidential debate, as his key campaign aide was found to be collecting money as a lobbyist for Freddie Mac through last month, contrary to the statement of Sen. McCain on Sunday. McCain is reported to be acquiring an alzheimer's facility as a 12 home to undergo terminal treatment and is retiring from the Presidential campaign.

[Omidal]

The debate must go on. This is not the time to cut and run. We are tired of this political ploy.

[Keith newman]

If McCain is not prepared to handle more than one item on his plate at a time, then he is not prepared to be President.

[TimL]

And quickly the partisan comments will start.

First off:

McCain and Obama are each 1 out of over 500 congressmen.

They are only 1 of 2 "true" presidential picks.

What is more important? The debates which will have an affect over the next 4 to 8 years in our determination of who is the better choice.

Or

McCain running off with a knee-jerk reaction to try to score political points (With who anyway)?

This issue will still be a major problem for who ever is president. The housing market has not even hit the middle of its failure yet. We are looking at 50 billion in foreclosures monthly (this month will appear lower due to a new cali law being passed then back to normal rates).

This whole tactic by McCain is a sham. Get on with the debates. I am still able to be swayed... and this decision is a strike against McCain

[Ijuba Ekero]

McCain should have learnt from his Republican colleague Giulliani when he suspended he opted out of Florida primary that spelt doom for him and this could just be McCain's Waterloo despite his VP stonewalling on a lot of answered questions.

[Democrats 08]

They HIDE Palin, they HIDE McCain now because they are too cowardly and ashamed of themselves to answer to the mess the Republicans have made of our country! because they KNOW Obama and Biden will chew them up and spit them out!!

[Susanne Reeves]

Same old Republican "The Sky is Falling!" and we have to act this minute or we will all die. It is VERY serious but it has been going on for years. How could anyone not know this crash was inevitable? CEO's getting millions of dollars each year for unethical business decisions if not illegal. Hedge funds given free rein with anything goes. And the perpetrators and their friends became billionaires. This while we all shopped.

[ROGER CONARY]

THE REPUBLICANS ARE VERY MUCH AWARE THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY HAVE ANY CHANCE IS TO KEEP BUY VOTES AND RELY ON THE VOTING MACHINES TO FIX
THE REST .
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVERY SILVER SPOON BABY IN GOVERNMENT AND THOSE THAT OWN THEM JUST WANT TO MAKE DAMN SURE THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE NO WAY OF STOPPING THEM FROM TOTAL DOMINATION , FOR THE GOOD OF THE FEW ....

[Susanne Reeves]

Same old Republican "The Sky is Falling!" and we have to act this minute or we will all die. It is VERY serious but it has been going on for years. How could anyone not know this crash was inevitable? CEO's getting millions of dollars each year for unethical business decisions if not illegal. Hedge funds given free rein with anything goes. And the perpetrators and their friends became billionaires. This while we all shopped.

[Dale]

Oh come on McCain. You can't do both? Poor old thing is getting flustered. Boo hoo hoo. Here's a tissue now get out of the way.

[peterboy]

Schwarzenegger: another post-partisan and unpredictable maverick, just like Palin and her big daddy--Mcsame.

[HillaryMomforMcCain]

Maybe Barack Obama and Joe Biden can debate each other? They seem to need to take some time to get aligned. To ensure that they can each speak their mind, the debate should be extended by a couple of hours.

[Inkfingers]

If John McCain thinks he can solve this crisis in a few days, he is out of his tree.

[mavisdarling]

Wow, we didn't have the option of suspending the presidency of George Bush and his cronies who led us into this mess, did we?

Sorry, but we need the debate to go forward. This is what we've all been waiting for. I want to hear if Obama is going to say anything about his economic mentor Warren Buffett.

Come to think of it, McCain probably would rather not talk about Warren Buffett right now. After all, Buffett has been predicting the meltdown of Wall Street for some time now. If it weren't for Buffett's $ 5 billion bailout of Goldman-Sachs, there would have been another BIG bankruptcy brewing yesterday. And as we all know, Buffett endorsed Obama months ago.

So today, after the news about Buffett, McCain has to RUSH back to Washington all of a sudden? Rather fishy timing there, John.

[Me]

McCain is scared! Scared to debate!!!

[Inkfingers]

If John McCain thinks he can solve this crisis in a few days, he is out of his tree.

[Mary Porter]

I assure you, the American people aren't going to find this debate a needless distraction from the task at hand. It IS the task at hand.

McCain can take the podium and explain the principles of his his non-partisan economic leadership from there. If Obama disagrees with any, he should put forth his own position. This is called a debate, and McCain can best serve the nation by taking it on.

Both men speak also for the parties they lead, as well as the administration that will take over the responsibility in 40 days. We have a right to hear from them, on schedule, and not at McCain's political convenience.

[Ryan T.]

With all due respect to both candidates - if the current economic situation is as in immediate dire straits as we are being told by those who know the most about it, what would it matter if the debates were postponed until next week? Being and Independent, a week is not going to do me injustice, rather the justice we all gain by the support of both of these candidates in a crucial time, fully outweighs.

[tdub]

Let's call this what it is. A smart, yet shrewd move, but also with the nagging suspicion of this being another cynical P.R. “photo-op” that has characterized the McCain campaign ever since McCain’s long time staffers were usurped by the Bush and Rove operatives now running the high levels of the McCain campaign.

McCain’s poll numbers have been plummeting in lockstep to the economy, so to many in a worried nation, McCain’s action seems suspiciously a “hail Mary” move to attempt to shore up his popularity with a gesture of “care and compassion” toward working Americans, curiously after years of preaching the opposite with regard to regulation and federal oversight.

McCain may be better advised that, if he wants to show what a true leader does, he could be capable of multitasking between a two hour debate and still deal with the debacle and difficulties in Washington.

But off he rides to DC on a freshly painted white horse. Given the gaffes of late, hopefully none of the 100-strong pack of financial lobbyists on the McCain campaign staff will be within 100 miles of McCain during his visit, unless they care to explain and account for the $2500 every man, woman and child in this country potentially owes to those responsible for looting the American financial system.

[TTmich]

(The Politico) Does Harry Reid want it both ways when it comes to John McCain showing up for Senate votes?

This afternoon, Reid dismissed McCain's sudden move to parachute in on Washington and help solve the economic crisis.

Let's compare today's statement ...

"It would not be helpful at this time to have them come back during these negotiations and risk injecting presidential politics into this process or distract important talks about the future of our nation’s economy. If that changes, we will call upon them. We need leadership; not a campaign photo op."

... With Reid's statement from July, when Obama showed up for a vote but not McCain (quoted in The Washington Post):

"I should mention how glad my fellow Democrats and I were to have our nominee for president here to vote on these important bills. Senator Obama has come to work and taken tough stands. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Senator McCain," Reid said. "Perhaps taking tough stands on important issues is not part of Senator McCain's campaign strategy. Perhaps he's just too busy on the campaign trail to do his day job."

[David]

McCain is not "halting" his campaign. He is Politicizing a process that might determine the fate of the American economy so that he can take center stage 40 days before the election. Why did he invoke 9/11 in his statement to the press? 9/11 has nothing to do with this. There is nothing this man won't do and nothing he won't say to become president. I pray that the American people are not as gullible McCain thinks they are and are not as unprincipled as he has become.