We're Gonna Have a TV Party Tonight!

David Weigel | September 26, 2008

The debate is back on, as John McCain folds his hand and flies to Oxford, Mississippi.

Perhaps he only had two options. The first was to keep campaigning as news focused on the bailout, his campaign manager's Fannie/Freddie ties, and Sarah Palin's outbreak of glossololia. The second was to blow up the campaign and hope it either stayed in stasis or that the sudden decision made McCain look like a fearless leader and Obama like a hapless follower. In order for the second plan to work optimally, McCain needed a deal this morning, and he didn't get it. Not only that, but reports are that both sides were losing their grip with the new attention and stakes McCain added to the negotiations.

What's the impact of the 48-hour stunt? If McCain's lucky, he'll have flustered Obama, who doesn't react quite as quickly to wild card moves like this, and the Democrat will botch the debate. If he's not lucky, then we're back to the previous state of the race: Obama stubbornly ahead, McCain boxed in.

McCain puts out a statement, and this portion underscores why I think the stunt was ineffective (on the continuum of McCain "country first" campaign-suspension stunts, at least).

The difference between Barack Obama and John McCain was apparent during the White House meeting yesterday where Barack Obama’s priority was political posturing in his opening monologue defending the package as it stands. John McCain listened to all sides so he could help focus the debate on finding a bipartisan resolution that is in the interest of taxpayers and homeowners.

Was the campaign suspended or wasn't it? If McCain was confident about getting an advantage here, he wouldn't be goosing the statement with attacks on the Democrat.

Comments

|9.26.08 @ 11:46AM|#

I've meant to say this for a while, but your headline writer consistently hits pop-culture homeruns.

He should take a fifty out of petty cash and have an ale-fueled lunch.

|9.26.08 @ 11:47AM|#

Take a drink every time somebody says:

Prisoner of war
Trillion dollar
main street
fundamentals

|9.26.08 @ 11:49AM|#

Black Flag, bitches! Yee haw!

DannyK|9.26.08 @ 11:49AM|#

Cartoonist Oliphant captured the glossolalia perfectly:
http://wpcomics.washingtonpost.com/client/wpc/po/2008/09/09/

politicjock|9.26.08 @ 11:51AM|#

With his recent stunts, John McCain has demonstrated he is too erratic to be President. What he is going to do if he's President and a major crisis hits, suspend the Constitution?

Kolohe|9.26.08 @ 11:52AM|#

What's the impact of the 48-hour stunt?

Contrary to my initial assessment, McCain lost this one. It was third and long, he went deep, and it fell incomplete.

|9.26.08 @ 11:53AM|#

I have nothing better to do and I'm still not going to watch the debate. I'll have my TV Party watching Rockford Files on DVD.

|9.26.08 @ 11:53AM|#

If we are lucky, at some point during the debate the candidates inner monsters will suddenly spring out from inside their bodies (ala Alien, or Nightmare on Elm Street 2) and duke it out on stage - as a matter of fact, let's have McCain's Alien fight Obama's Freddy Krueger!

|9.26.08 @ 11:55AM|#

someone much more talented at these things than myself should photoshop Obama's head on Freddy and McCain's on the Alien.

svf|9.26.08 @ 11:55AM|#

well that sucks in an entirely predictable way...

|9.26.08 @ 11:58AM|#

I wish I had more friends who both appreciated the ridiculousness of politics and drank. I'm DVRing it on 2 different channels, though, so if I don't get a chance to watch it tonight at least I'll have it for later viewing.

|9.26.08 @ 12:00PM|#

Don't talk about anything else
We don't want to know!

I think the political implications of this thing are still up in the air. Obama seems to be winning this battle right now, but there are plenty of zigs and zags it could take.

|9.26.08 @ 12:04PM|#

If we are lucky, at some point during the debate the candidates inner monsters will suddenly spring out from inside their bodies (ala Alien, or Nightmare on Elm Street 2)

The Hidden, dude.

|9.26.08 @ 12:12PM|#

Well, I guess I'm wrong. This isn't up in the air at all.

"McCain Wins Debate"

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/09/mccain_wins_debate.html

|9.26.08 @ 12:14PM|#

If we are going to go the punk route for the election, I suggest Fear. Lee Ving is the man ! Besides "I don't care about you" pretty much sums up how I feel about this whole mess.

Dagny T.|9.26.08 @ 12:17PM|#

I wish I had more friends who both appreciated the ridiculousness of politics and drank.

Both are definitely required. Watching shit with partisan hacks is not an option. They miss at least half of the ridiculousness.

|9.26.08 @ 12:22PM|#

"McCain Wins Debate"

I'm gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass. Gonna kick some ass in the USA. Gonna climb a mountain, gonna sew a flag, gonna fly on an eagle. I'm gonna kick some butt, gonna drive a big truck. I'm gonna rule this world. I'm gonna kick some ass. I'm gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass. Rock, flag, and eagle!

|9.26.08 @ 12:25PM|#

Both are definitely required. Watching shit with partisan hacks is not an option. They miss at least half of the ridiculousness.

Definitely. I've heard far too many people say things like "What is John Stewart going to do if Obama wins? He won't have anything to make fun of" or when I express that I'm watching the debate for the ridiculousness, I get some comment about how, yeah, Mccain is like totally ridiculous in that he's just like George Bush and stuff.

|9.26.08 @ 12:27PM|#

Watching shit with partisan hacks is not an option

How can you watch it at all? I understand watching Battlefield Earth for kicks, but politics is like being waterboarded. In a toilet.

|9.26.08 @ 12:33PM|#

How can you watch it at all?

It's like that new show on Discovery, Destroyed in Seconds, that was on last night before Always Sunny. It's entertaining to watch things just go to shit in a matter of moments. But then again, in that show, almost nobody dies.

Dagny T.|9.26.08 @ 12:36PM|#

How can you watch it at all?

Before attempting, please assemble to following: alcohol, a twisted sense of humor, girded loins (good advice in any situation!). And always be prepared to bail.

I understand watching Battlefield Earth for kicks

You like Val Kilmer, so could Travolta really be far behind? ;-)

ed|9.26.08 @ 12:42PM|#

Take a drink every time somebody says:

Please add "Wall Street to Main Street" to your list.
Thank you.

Yawn|9.26.08 @ 12:42PM|#

Another day, another Weigel post attacking the McCain/Palin campaign with DailyKos talking points.

|9.26.08 @ 12:43PM|#

I've a sudden and inexplicable craving for huckleberries.

wtf?

|9.26.08 @ 12:44PM|#

girded loins

Uh, no. Those things are bitches to get off when you're drunk.

You like Val Kilmer, so could Travolta really be far behind? ;-)

Wow, that's mean. So that's how it's going to be between us, then?

|9.26.08 @ 1:00PM|#

Does McCain even have a position on the bailout? It seems like he's running for waffler in chief. After making a big showy appearance, he just went limp.

Of course Obama is worse - he's not waffling, he's just plain wrong.

Dagny T.|9.26.08 @ 1:00PM|#

Wow, that's mean.

Not really. I gave you a nice set-up with the loins, didn't I?

So that's how it's going to be between us, then?

"Let's all recognize that this is a little awkward situation between friends at the welfare store and let's go our separate ways, okay? "

|9.26.08 @ 1:06PM|#

Take a drink every time somebody says:

My friends. But when your masochistic ass gets alcohol poisoning, don't expect us to visit you in the hosptial.

|9.26.08 @ 1:11PM|#

I'm gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass. Gonna kick some ass in the USA. Gonna climb a mountain, gonna sew a flag, gonna fly on an eagle. I'm gonna kick some butt, gonna drive a big truck. I'm gonna rule this world. I'm gonna kick some ass. I'm gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass. Rock, flag, and eagle!

That's politics, bitch!

|9.26.08 @ 1:13PM|#

My friends

Oooo, good one.

What about "comprehensive ______ reform"
Are those words out of style yet?

|9.26.08 @ 1:14PM|#

I gave you a nice set-up with the loins, didn't I?

I am slightly mollified. But implying that I have anything other than contempt for Travolta is a dire insult.

"Hi. I'm a recovering crackhead. This is my retarded sister that I take care of. I'd like some welfare, please."

|9.26.08 @ 1:21PM|#

Paulson: One, please.
Wall St.: One what?
Paulson: One... Morgage backed security? Is that going to be enough?
Bernanke: How much would you recommend for a first timer?
Wall St.: I'll make you a deal. Two-for-one special.
Paulson, Bernanke: Ok, how much?
Wall St.: 700 Billion dollars?
Paulson: Sounds fair.

|9.26.08 @ 1:36PM|#

"Charlie, you've got a lot of balls, stealing my money. This shows leadership, I am promoting you to management."

Slappin\' my knee so hard it\'|9.26.08 @ 1:49PM|#

Cartoonist Oliphant captured the glossolalia perfectly:

Oh, I get it. Palin speaks in tongues (or, more likely, right-wing gibberish to her dimwitted supporters) and God doesn't understand what she's saying. Priceless. Oliphant hits another home run! He's the most relevant political cartoonist evah.

Dagny T.|9.26.08 @ 1:51PM|#

Paulson: One, please.

Hee hee. Fun!

"You're going to have trouble getting any work out of him. ...No, not cause he's black. Because it's like two in the afternoon and he's asleep in his chair."

Xaq Fixx|9.26.08 @ 2:32PM|#

I come for the political Commentary, and stay for the music references.

|9.26.08 @ 2:54PM|#

I come for the music references, and stay for the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia references.

What's this about political commentary?

|9.26.08 @ 2:56PM|#

Ha, Ha, Ha!...McCain is eating up his own words about 'suspending' his campaign!
Where is McCain's Grand standing and straight talk?
It looks like his campaign strategy is pull a stunt every week.
By the way, it seems that most republicans are no longer putting their name under the
'Republican party' name but rather 'GOP party'!
Is McCain one of them?