ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos and Rick Klein report: Sen. John McCain on Wednesday said he would “suspend” his presidential campaign to come to Washington to help negotiate a financial bailout bill, a dramatic move designed to seize a powerful issue.
However a senior Obama campaign official said Obama "intends to debate."
"The debate is on," a senior Obama campaign official told ABC News.
McCain said he called on the Commission on Presidential Debates to postpone the debate scheduled for Friday in Mississippi, to ensure quick congressional action. The campaign is also suspending its advertising, pending an agreement with Obama.
“I have spoken to Senator Obama and informed him of my decision and have asked him to join me,” McCain planned to say in New York City, according to advance excerpts released by his campaign. “I am calling on the president to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress, including Senator Obama and myself. It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem.”
Obama supporter and chief debate negotiator Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., told MSNBC that "we can handle both," when asked about his reaction to McCain's call to postpone the first debate because of the administration's bailout plan.
He believes they are making good progress on Capitol Hill on the bailout and his initial reaction is that the work on the Hill should not preclude the debate from taking place.
An Obama campaign official told ABC News the Democratic presidential candidate called McCain this morning to suggest a joint statement of principles.
McCain called back this afternoon and suggested returning to Washington.
Obama is willing to return to Washington "if it would be helpful." But reiterated Obama intends to debate on Friday.
McCain and his top advisers said the Republican presidential candidate has not committed to voting for the massive financial bailout plan proposed by the Bush administration, with aides saying he will reserve final judgment until there is a final product.
A senior McCain campaign official said that the “Bush package is dead. This is a serious situation. Package must be resolved by the time markets open on Monday."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that McCain had assured Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson that he would support the $700 billion legislation.
Asked about that Wednesday, McCain responded: “I did not say that.”
Senior advisor Mark Salter then interjected saying, “He hasn’t said that to Paulson or to Reid or to anybody else. He hasn’t said that to me.”
McCain campaign political director Mike DuHaime told reporters at a lunch meeting in Washington that the senator will not commit until he sees the final package that comes to the Senate floor.
“He’s going to do what he thinks is right,” DuHaime said at a lunch sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor. “He’ll make a vote as a leader in this country, and people will look to him.”
DuHaime added, “Quite frankly, I think you could ask Sen. Obama if he’s going to do what he thinks is right. I mean, he has never -- I believe -- never once made a decision that is an unpopular decision or went against the orthodoxy of his party, and was one that was one that was a tough decision to make. . . . Sen. McCain has done that throughout his entire career, his entire life -- not just in politics, but his life.”
DuHaime said that while McCain understands the urgency, many voters continue to have important questions about what the bailout means to them.
“When you start talking about $10,000 per household or per family to go toward bailing out Wall Street, they have legitimate questions about it,” DuHaime said. “People understand that that is a big thing and it affects them, and they do legitimately have questions about, is this really going to go to bail out companies or leaders of companies who now are relying on taxpayer dollars to bail them out, and are going to get these huge compensation packages after they come to the taxpayers for it.”
“There is some frustration, certainly, in that, and it’s understandable to say the least. And it has not been a quick rush to say yes or no. People understand the gravity of this, want to see it done right, while still understanding the timing factor.”
ABC News' Bret Hovell and Sunlen Miller contributed to this report.
17 comments:
So... Sarah Palin, Hurricane Gustav and now the economic crisis? How much distraction does John McCain need to win him the election? Sure the economic is a disaster right now, but to use it as an excuse to delay the debate that would ensure future prevention of these kind of disaster? Its good that McCain and Obama are coming together for the time of need, but the debate should not interfere with it.
McCain should debate Obama, because he should be letting the us citizens clearly understand his opinion on the eceonomic problems the country is currently going through. i know it's a good thing that Obama and McCain are working together in this time but i think Obama is right for wanting to debate on friday. But if they debate or not, i honestly think it is a good thing to see the two men running for president to be working together, i think it show alot about both of them.
Mc Cain should debate Obama. As president there's alot of things you'll have to do. He cant just postpone the debate because he has something else to do. If he doesnt show up to this debate what else will he miss?
McCain needs to debate Senator Obama Friday to give his views about our economic crisis. Sure the situation with the "bailout" for Wall Street is critical in McCain's eyes but he still needs to balance that witht the debate where he can speak to the people about what exactly is going to happen with the people's tax money. I think McCain wants Obama to go with him to the meeting to show Obama's lack of experience in the governments eyes and then in the eyes of the Americans. Obama is pushing right ahead with his plan to debate McCain. If McCain "bails out" of the debate then he looks bad and this will give Obama's campain a break.
I think that McCain is right in trying to help resolve the issue of the economy. If he debates Obama on Friday, he could tell us Americans his stand on the issue, and force Obama to take a stand on it also. By debating about this issue among many at this time would really help the Americans decide who they want as the next President of the U.S.
Well..McCain cant just postpone a important debate because he has something to do that day, he needs to decide whats more important.And needs to let the world see his opinions about things going on in the U.S.
And Sen.Obama is listening to his political party and doing what he needs to do,to express his reviews,while McCain doesnt listen to his party and does whatever he thinks is right.That makes me think,is he going to listen to the people and what our economy needs or just do whatever he thinks is right?
Obama wanting to debate on Friday is a good decision on his behalf. It shows that he wants to answer questions and give answers to the important questions that need to be answered. McCain wants to postpone it so he can do other things, which doesn't make any sense.
McCain wanting to delay the debate with Obama is ridiculous. There are obligations that come with being the preaident and he knows that. He needs to debate Obama on Friday so as to let the citizens know where he stands with the economy crisis thats going on right now.
My opinion is that McCain is worrying about things that he doesn't really need to worry about. What he needs to do is go to the debate with Obama and take care of their issues there. They need to worry about the election and let wall street and the senate worry about the bail out companies, because wall street is the one that got their selves in the situation that they're in. I also dont feel that the tax payers should have to bail them out.
I totally agree with Obama wanting to pursue the debate. It shows that he really wants to present himself in the eyes of the public. This will be a great step forward for Obama and his team. I agree with Jack that its good for the two to come together and fight for the nation, but the debate should not interfere with it. Obama has courage and is shown through his pursuit of the debate.
If McCain wants to run for president he should know that he has a responsibility and he isnt going to be able just to keep postpone things for something else. Obama is wanting to debate and that is good because things about the "economic crisis" should be discussed.
i think McCain should do both, by doing this he will help with the bailout and debate which will get his oppion out there. Plus it shows h can handle alot at once which tends to happen when your president, you have alot on your plate.
McCain should debate because he needs to tell us what he think about the economic. I think he sould not have postpone just because he had something to do.If he miss this event this is showing if he is president he can miss something more imporant than just this that he is missing right now.
Given that the economy is playing such a big role in this election it was a very clever move for McCain to say he is going to help in Washington.
But of course now we know-he ended up coming to the debate! (Which, sadly I did not get to see)
I am skeptical that McCain actually wanted to help in Washington and that he didn't just want to create the image of being a big player in the senate and postpone the debate.
On a different note-Why won't McCain's campaign stop calling him a maverick!
He isn't!
In this article, McCain's campaign political director Mike DuHaime said this about McCain:
"Sen. McCain has [gone against his party] throughout his entire career, his entire life -- not just in politics, but his life.”
He has a 90% voting record with Bush.
"That's not change, that's more of the same."
(heh-joe biden again)
the fact that obama is ready to debate shows that he is ready to answer confidently to any questions asked.
I think Obama is right for still wanting to debate on Friday. I think McCain is wrong for trying to postpone it, even if he has other things to do. I think it is important for both of them to show their standpoints during this crisis. I do think it is good to see them working together though.
McCain is doing the right thing trying to make sure the economy is stable, but he needs to make sure that he doesn't appear to be trying to get out of the debate
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