Oops.

The polling group SurveyUSA is out with numbers on the McCain gambit.

The first debate between John McCain and Barack Obama is scheduled to take place in two days. Should the debate be held as scheduled? Should the debate be held, but the format changed to focus on the economy? Or, should the debate be postponed?

Held As Scheduled 50
Held With Focus On Economy 36
Postponed 10

Is the right response to the turmoil on Wall Street to suspend the campaigns for president? To continue the campaigns as though there is no crisis? Or, to re-focus the campaigns with a unique emphasis on the turmoil on Wall Street?

Suspend Campaigns 14
Continue Campaigns 31
Refocus the Campaign 48

If Friday's presidential debate does not take place, would that be good for America? Bad for America? Or would it make no difference?

Good for America 14
Bad for America 46
No Difference 35

You could ask the questions another way, and the second question doesn't really apply to either candidate (they were talking about the crisis today), but the first read is that about one in ten people agree with McCain. It simply doesn't seem like presidential debates fit into the category of unreasonable political activity during a crisis.

UPDATE: On the other hand, maybe everyone just needs to hear these McCain talking points.

Comments

SIV | September 24, 2008, 5:51pm | #

There is no scenario I can fathom McCain's ploy working other than to actually show up at the last minute and hijack the debate to the economy.

Travman67 | September 24, 2008, 5:53pm | #

I am sure it has nothing to do with it but the "outlier poll" showing an Obama lead is crazy timing...that is hilarious to me. Is McCain a quitter? Heheh

The Angry Optimist | September 24, 2008, 5:53pm | #

Didn't they just announce this? And there's already a survey?

Survey Nation. Madness, I tell you.

henry | September 24, 2008, 5:55pm | #

Obama just needs to play the Cool Spade ala Richard Roundtree c. 1971 and the McCainiac is going to hand this to him. People don't want a panic monger, which is what The White Dope looks like right now.

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 5:56pm | #

Surveys are one of the things I do for a living. I have serious doubts about a survey done on such a recent thing. Having said that, I thought McCain's gambit would work. Then again I remember thinking "No way can someone like George W Bush beat John McCain for the GOP nomination" in 2008...

Miller | September 24, 2008, 5:56pm | #

McCain will take the fall for caring about the economy. Obama will yet again benefit from his pathological narcissism. Why stop to think when Karl Marx designed your platform years ago? It gets worse, folks.

gmatts | September 24, 2008, 5:57pm | #

It seems that the strategy behind the McCain campaign nowadays is to just antagonize someone or something constantly. His convention speech that bizarrely ended with the whole "Fight for your country! Fight! Fight just to fight!" was the kick-off for this new strategy.

It would be one thing if this were the 1808 presidential election and the only form of transportation was horse and buggy, but McCain can zip in and out of Mississippi fairly quickly nowadays and then move on to eliminating greed from the planet.

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 5:57pm | #

Really SIV? I mean, I myself thought it was a "leaderly" thing for him to do. When this started coming out I thought Obama should have done something like this. McCain beat him to it. But public opinion, go figure...

BDB | September 24, 2008, 5:57pm | #

If SIV thinks it didn't work, it backfired.

joshua corning | September 24, 2008, 5:58pm | #

There is no scenario I can fathom McCain's ploy working other than to actually show up at the last minute and hijack the debate to the economy.

He could go to Washington to hammer out a deal and Obama does not go....

Or he can go to Washington to hammer out a deal and Obama follows him....

Both make Obama look bad.

I felt the same way the polls showed that this was bad for McCain...but I don't know now.

I guess time will tell.

zach | September 24, 2008, 5:58pm | #

Obama just needs to play the Cool Spade ala Richard Roundtree c. 1971 and the McCainiac is going to hand this to him.

I think he pretty much just did.

Joshua Corning | September 24, 2008, 6:00pm | #

The White Dope

It would have been cooler if you wrote:

"The Great White Dope"

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:01pm | #

"His convention speech that bizarrely ended with the whole "Fight for your country! Fight! Fight just to fight!""

Did McCain really say that? I did not see the whole speech. That last part seems nuts.

"McCain will take the fall for caring about the economy. Obama will yet again benefit from his pathological narcissism."

Miller, have you read anything that Matt Welch has written on McCain? There's enough narcissism to go around this election. And you really think this move had no political motivation, just selfless patriotism?

The Angry Optimist | September 24, 2008, 6:01pm | #

Argh! Everybody conjecturing on what the effect of this move on McCain's part is going to be...don't you think you should WAIT A LITTLE BIT before claiming that it has either failed or succeeded?

Right now, as far as I am concerned, all of this is conjecture. All of it, the survey included.

It is way too soon.

Tom Walls | September 24, 2008, 6:03pm | #

I think the election should be postponed until this crisis is overcome.

-Rudy 9iu11iani

Hogan | September 24, 2008, 6:04pm | #

Pretty skeptical about this poll. Not only did it come out in like an hour and a half or something, but the questions don't necessarily give much context about, say, why the debates would be postponed.

nebby | September 24, 2008, 6:04pm | #

Miller- so you have no idea what Marx proposed.

TAO- The debate is 48 hours away. Not much time to wait. The last minute nature just shows how stupid the idea is.

Hogan | September 24, 2008, 6:05pm | #

I meant 'debate' in the singular, forgive me.

Kolohe | September 24, 2008, 6:06pm | #

What makes this an odd move and hard to analyze in the short term is that it is normally the person who is behind (in either polls or money, and McCain is both) that pushes for debates, while the frontrunner would just as well rather avoid them.

gmatts | September 24, 2008, 6:07pm | #

nice guy,

He didn't say "Fight just to fight", but the speech did end with this weird crescendo of calls for us to fight, fight, fight. It was awkward. You know how when McCain gets going sometimes and just repeats a phrase or two/ It was like that.

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:07pm | #

"He could go to Washington to hammer out a deal and Obama does not go...."

I doubt the Democrats would let that happen, at least on McCain's terms. There are more of them in Washington now than there are Republicans.

"Argh! Everybody conjecturing on what the effect of this move on McCain's part is going to be...don't you think you should WAIT A LITTLE BIT before claiming that it has either failed or succeeded?"

I agree, but if this bothers you then you are really going to want to stay away from CNN, MNBC or Fox tonight. The worthless speculation there by pundits of all stripes will fill hours and hours....

The Angry Optimist | September 24, 2008, 6:09pm | #

TAO- The debate is 48 hours away. Not much time to wait. The last minute nature just shows how stupid the idea is

But like Hogan said...a freakin' poll? A POLL?! In such a short time and without context...and a bunch of people (including WIEGAL in all his shillary goodness) are willing to conjecture on it already?

Good. Freakin' Gravy.

meh | September 24, 2008, 6:09pm | #

There is one way to bring McCain back into the debate.

Invite either Ron Paul or LP Nominee Bob Barr to take McCain's place.

Either of them would be better than to have Obama debate an empty chair.

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:10pm | #

"What makes this an odd move and hard to analyze in the short term is that it is normally the person who is behind (in either polls or money, and McCain is both) that pushes for debates, while the frontrunner would just as well rather avoid them."

Good point Kolohe. I have heard people say that Obama, who was rising in the polls, thought he would kick ass in the debate and cap off his rise and that this would be a "momentum breaker."

One thing you have to grant about McCain's campaign is that it is willing to try some unorthodox and suprising shit to win (Palin pick, this move). It's either the most out of the box campaign in a while or one that is desperate.

gmatts | September 24, 2008, 6:12pm | #

Forgot to add this clip of the speech - the 50 second mark is when it gets "good".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHA0XxubCG0

(Also the / is supposed to be a ?)

travman67 | September 24, 2008, 6:12pm | #

Not Karl Marx but Freud's nephew. You can't impose it on the "sheeple" you have to create demand- you need the proletariat's buy in- and you get from letting them buy quads and ramblers.

I don't think the legislators will deny too much to the whiz kids- derivatives, Fed control of money supply, fiat currencies, CDO's, 700 trillion blah blah blah. How is a deputy sherrif who became a congressman or congresswoman going to get a real understanding of all that? Give me control of a nation's money and I care not who makes it laws...(Rothschild?) I am no conspiracy theorists but my brief stint in the university and the Army showed me that human decison makers are very complex and usually don't have all the information about a situation.

We are Americans are crafty and we needed to market our abundance and share our prosperity with each other so we became the flying car of consumers. The money people got greedy and kept too many of the bones, or they had to inflate something to keep up the exuberance.

Another year of the economy in this shape and I will have that '68 Charger or a new Challenger. Heheh

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:14pm | #

"including WIEGAL in all his shillary goodness"

I've never understood this Wiegel is a shill stuff. Weigel seems to like Democrats/liberals better than Republicans/conservatives, but it strikes me that his leaning is obviously less than, say, Michael Moynihan's right tilt. It strikes me as quite natural that a libertarian would not have buy all that "equivalency" crap about both major parties. Dependening on the things that matter most to a libertarian it would be quite natural to lean towards one major party more than the other.

Kolohe | September 24, 2008, 6:16pm | #

Didn't they just announce this? And there's already a survey?

Survey Nation. Madness, I tell you.

-----

Surveys are one of the things I do for a living. I have serious doubts about a survey done on such a recent thing.

TAO and MNG in agreement?

I fear something like this will happen on Connecticut Avenue shortly.

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:16pm | #

For example, a lot of libertarians care about marijuana de-criminalization more passionately than other issues, these people would naturally see the Dems as being better than the GOP. Others might have gun rights as their focus, these people would be foolish to not favor the GOP over the Dems.

The Angry Optimist | September 24, 2008, 6:20pm | #

I was making a joke at Mr. Weigal's expense. Like someone said earlier, joking needs its own internet font.

Kolohe - I know. I'm feeling like this is bizarro-day at reason or something.

David Weigel | September 24, 2008, 6:20pm | #

I've never understood this Wiegel is a shill stuff.

For the record, I voted in the 2004 Illinois Senate primary for... Jack Ryan. Yes, the Republican who was eventually replaced for Alan Keyes. And I voted for Ron Paul in the 2008 GOP primary, although I voted for Jim Webb against George Allen in 2006.

The Angry Optimist | September 24, 2008, 6:21pm | #

dammit, I can never get your name right!

boo me.

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:24pm | #

I wonder about who Moynihan would say he voted for, though of course it doesn't speak to the value of his writings whatever his answer is. Just curious.

But is he an American citizen?

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:25pm | #

Shit, I got the name wrong too and I was defending him...
Dave, your name violates the I before E rule you know...

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:26pm | #

You know, I haven't checked National Review Online today.

I'm going to click on it after doing this post.

Why is it I think that the lead will be a statement from the editors praising John McCain for putting his nation ahead of the election and so on and so on?

Max | September 24, 2008, 6:27pm | #

My first thought on reading the Drudge Report headline was: did McCain get caught with a hooker and a bag of cocaine? Why else would he do this?

The rumors are going to swirl about what the REAL reason might be.

Max | September 24, 2008, 6:31pm | #

Also, since when is FREAKING OUT "presidential"? Would Reagan have done this? Of course not.

joshua corning | September 24, 2008, 6:32pm | #

Dependening on the things that matter most to a libertarian it would be quite natural to lean towards one major party more than the other.

Bullshit.

If he wants to write stuff for democrats then go somewhere else. I want libertarian shilling and if Reason writers are to lazy to write from that perspective then they should not be here.

David's Obama worship only aggravates the fact that his writing lacks any real libertarian meat to sink ones teeth into.

J sub D | September 24, 2008, 6:33pm | #

Didn't they just announce this? And there's already a survey?

Survey Nation. Madness, I tell you.

If you tell the truth when surveyed, it only encourages them.
Lie like a rug. It's for the children/a greater cause/America!

BDB | September 24, 2008, 6:33pm | #

"You know, I haven't checked National Review Online today."

Heh. K LO said McCain should send Palin to debate Obama. No joke.

They're going nuts.

J sub D | September 24, 2008, 6:36pm | #

Surveys are one of the things I do for a living.

So after the election you're heading down to Tijuana to give BJs and get your self respect back?

;-)

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:38pm | #

I was wrong about NRO. They actually had an interesting sermon (I mean article) from Michael Novak.

"If he wants to write stuff for democrats then go somewhere else. I want libertarian shilling and if Reason writers are to lazy to write from that perspective then they should not be here."

jc, you don't think it is natural that a libertarian might, while not liking either major party, prefer one over the other? I've seen Dave be quite critical of Obama, Hillary, and the Democrats in general. Would you like some examples of that?

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:39pm | #

J sub D

I gathered from our past Census discussions social science data collection is not something you are big on.

Hey, they fired the Lions Prez today. How does that make you feel?

Mr. Nice Guy | September 24, 2008, 6:41pm | #

Oh, J sub D, I don't know if it matters but surveys are about 20% of what the firm I work for does, the other 80% involves "secondary data analysis" reports (using stuff like the Census data). And only about 10% of our surveys are phone surveys, they are usually mail surveys, so we're not THAT bad ;)

J sub D | September 24, 2008, 6:48pm | #

Hey, they fired the Lions Prez today. How does that make you feel?

Excellent. MNG, that is the first I've heard of it and I thank you. No joshing.

Potts | September 24, 2008, 6:55pm | #

McCain sure is gutsy calling for a bipartisan effort a full day after one was already taking shape.

Mike Laursen | September 24, 2008, 6:59pm | #

It seems that the strategy behind the McCain campaign nowadays is to just antagonize someone or something constantly.

Nah, that's not campaign strategy. That's just his personality. You gotta read Welch's book; I'm pretty sure there's a link to it somewhere on this website.

KT | September 24, 2008, 7:00pm | #

Hm. I didn't know being a libertarian meant both major parties were absolutely equally wrong 100% of the time.

Neu Mejican | September 24, 2008, 7:10pm | #

meh | September 24, 2008, 6:09pm | #
There is one way to bring McCain back into the debate.

Invite either Ron Paul or LP Nominee Bob Barr to take McCain's place.

Either of them would be better than to have Obama debate an empty chair.

But think of how bad it will look if Obama loses the debate to the empty chair.

Boston | September 24, 2008, 7:12pm | #

NM,

Thats why you bring in Barr. Make sure that doesn't happen.

Jerry | September 24, 2008, 7:37pm | #

LOL. McCain just got owned by Senate majority leader Reid.

Mo | September 24, 2008, 7:49pm | #

Let's put this in perspective. McCain thinks this is more important than WWII, the Great Depression, the Civil War, Vietnam and the War of 1812. During all of those crises, there were vigorous presidential campaigns.

joe | September 24, 2008, 7:59pm | #

McCain just got owned by Senate majority leader Reid.

Oh, come on. John McCain is pretty feeble-minded, but Harry Reid? That guy combines the aggressiveness of Tom Daschle with the raw intellect of John Cornyn.

How bad could anyone possibly by owned by Harry Reid?

BDB | September 24, 2008, 8:04pm | #

I agree with joe.

When will Reid be dumped? Nancy Pelosi wears the pants in that relationship.

SIV | September 24, 2008, 8:09pm | #

And I voted for Ron Paul in the 2008 GOP primary
osmosis


You put the Obama points up word-for-word after Palin's acceptance speech.

BDB | September 24, 2008, 8:10pm | #

My vote depends on how close my state (Virginia) is by election day.

Jerry | September 24, 2008, 8:12pm | #

joe, no, first they lured McCain to come back to Washington, now they want nothing from him and complain he is misusing the bailout negotiations as a diversion from his failing campaign.

BDB | September 24, 2008, 8:13pm | #

BTW, Obama is within four in West Virginia.

If the black guy who has the middle name "Hussein" is close to the margin of error in West Virginia, your campaign is failing.

J sub D | September 24, 2008, 8:24pm | #

If this campaign turns into a blowout for Obama (and it just might) I will be spared the indignity of voting for a Democrat for president the first time in my life. I voted for Ford in '76 so it's a pretty long streak.

Barr '08!

Mark | September 24, 2008, 8:35pm | #

BDB, please account for the Bradley effect in your vote. Even if Obama's a point above the margin of error I would still vote for him to be sure.

Jon H | September 24, 2008, 8:46pm | #

joe wrote: "Oh, come on. John McCain is pretty feeble-minded, but Harry Reid? That guy combines the aggressiveness of Tom Daschle with the raw intellect of John Cornyn."

The only reason Reid is Senate majority leader: Vegas courtesy suites.

Jon H | September 24, 2008, 8:49pm | #

"But think of how bad it will look if Obama loses the debate to the empty chair."

Please.

If McCain doesn't show up, he'll piss off all the networks who went through all the effort to set up the debate (and all the commentary before and after). Obama might well end up with a friendly 90 minute interview, which can't possibly help McCain.

stephen the goldberger | September 24, 2008, 8:54pm | #

this is the looniest thing i've ever heard.

Jon H | September 24, 2008, 8:54pm | #

Kolohe wrote: "What makes this an odd move and hard to analyze in the short term is that it is normally the person who is behind (in either polls or money, and McCain is both) that pushes for debates, while the frontrunner would just as well rather avoid them."

It certainly doesn't help McCain that he hasn't been talking to the media much, and they absolutely don't allow Palin to answer any questions.

It looks very much like they are limiting media exposure because they know they aren't prepared for it, and avoiding a debate fits right in with that.

McCain would look a lot better if he and Palin hadn't spent the last few weeks avoiding scrutiny and attacking the media.

Patrick | September 24, 2008, 9:08pm | #

"Is McCain a quitter? Heheh"

He quit on his first wife when she gained some weight ;-)

BDB | September 24, 2008, 9:10pm | #

No one can give me an example of the Bradley Effect that isn't from the 1980s. Try again.

Mosby | September 24, 2008, 9:26pm | #

I'd rather have any empty chair in the oval office than either of those jackasses.

Empty Chair '08.

Miller | September 24, 2008, 9:44pm | #

@Mr. Nice Guy:

Exactly. If you're a libertarian, you vote Republican. If you're a frivolous pothead, you vote Democratic.

I can't believe how well the media's smear campaign has worked. We're talking about an incredibly bold move, calling off a presidential campaign in full swing to fix the economy. McCain called Congress's bluff and he's raising the stakes. If you can't hide your liberal colors, at least respect that.

Miller | September 24, 2008, 9:49pm | #

This situation is truly unprecedented. It calls for toughness, thoughtfulness, punishing the guilty and preserving ecomomic freedom, all things that are impossible for Pelosicrats. If I were John McCain, I wouldn't leave them alone with that plan for a second.

joe | September 24, 2008, 9:50pm | #

Only John McCain can save us!

joe | September 24, 2008, 9:51pm | #

This cult of personality response conservatives have adopted is really creepy.

joe | September 24, 2008, 9:57pm | #

Hey, Miller? Why can't The First MBA President take care of this?

How come the guy who says he doesn't know very much about the economy is the indispensable one?

DOUGLAS FIELD | September 24, 2008, 10:25pm | #

AMAZED INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WATCHES USA GET READY TO EXECUTE ANOTHER POSSIBLE INNOCENT POOR BLACK AMERICAN ?


THE US CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD CONTINUE TO DENY MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION EVEN THOUGH WRONGFUL EXECUTIONS & FALSE INCARCERATIONS CONTINUE ALL ACROSS THE USA ?????????????????

SENATOR OBAMA,THIS JUDICIAL INJUSTICE HAS BECOME AN AMERICAN ART FORM,AND NO LONGER CAN BE KEPT HIDDEN OR SECRET FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EVEN IF CERTAIN 501c3 U$ RELIGIOU$ LEADER$ HAVE BEEN $ILENCED ??

LETS ALL HOPE OUR MEDIA FRIENDS CONTINUE TO SHOW AN INTEREST IN REPORTING ON THIS AMERICAN HORROR FACING THESE (TENS OF THOUSANDS) FORGOTTEN AND TRAPPED POORER AMERICANS, AND HOW THIS PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER HANDLES THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE FACING AMERICA'S LATINO AND BLACK AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ????

WITH 80% OF THE BLACK AMERICAN VOTERS SAYING THEY SUPPORT SENATOR OBAMA IN THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IT IS ONLY FAIR FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW PRIOR BEING ELECTED OUR NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HOW THIS DEMOCRATIC SENATOR TRULY FEELS ABOUT THIS AMERICAN JUDICIAL INJUSTICE CONTINUING TO INFLICT GRAVE HARM ON THE BLACK & LATINO AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE ??????

*** WHEN GOD'S FACE BECAME VERY RED ***
THE US SUPREME COURT GAVE ENEMY COMBATANTS FEDERAL APPEAL HC RIGHTS LAWYERS AND PROPER ACCESS TO US FEDERAL COURTS,AND POORER AMERICANS (MANY EVEN ON DEATH ROW) ARE DENIED PROPER FEDERAL APPEAL LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO OUR US FEDERAL COURTS OF APPEAL, AND ROTTING IN AMERICAN PRISONS NATIONWIDE ?????????

**** INNOCENT AMERICANS ARE DENIED REAL HC RIGHTS WITH THEIR FEDERAL APPEALS !
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE $LOWLY FINDING OUT HOW EA$Y IT I$ FOR MIDDLE CLA$$ AND WORKING POOR AMERICAN$ TO FALL VICTIM TO OUR U$ MONETARY JUDICIAL $Y$TEM.

****WHEN THE US INNOCENT WERE ABANDONED BY THE GUILTY ****
The prison experts have reported that there are 100,000 innocent Americans currently being falsely imprisoned along with the 2,300,000 total US prison population nationwide.
Since our US Congress has never afforded poor prison inmates federal appeal legal counsel for their federal retrials,they have effectively closed the doors on these tens of thousands of innocent citizens ever being capable of possibly exonerating themselves to regain their freedom through being granted new retrials.

This same exact unjust situation was happening in our Southern States when poor and mostly uneducated Black Americans were being falsely imprisoned for endless decades without the needed educational skills to properly submit their own written federal trial appeals.

This devious and deceptive judicial process of making our poor and innocent prison inmates formulate and write their own federal appeal legal cases for possible retrials on their state criminal cases,is still in effect today even though everyone in our US judicial system knows that without proper legal representation, these tens of thousands of innocent prison inmates will be denied their rightful opportunities of ever being granted new trials from our federal appeal judges!!

Sadly, the true US *legal* Federal Appeal situation that occurs when any of our uneducated American prison inmates are forced to attempt to submit their own written Federal Appeals (from our prisons nationwide) without the assistance of proper legal counsel, is that they all are in reality being denied their legitimate rights for Habeas Corpus and will win any future Supreme Court Case concerning this injustice!

For our judicial system and our US Congressional Leaders Of The Free World to continue to pretend that this is a real and fair opportunity for our American Middle Class and Working Poor Citizens, only delays the very needed future change of Federal Financing of all these Federal appeals becoming a normal formula of Our American judicial system.

It was not so very long ago that Public Defenders became a Reality in this country.Prior that legal reality taking place, their were also some who thought giving anyone charged with a crime a free lawyer was a waste of taxpayers $$.

This FACADE and HORROR of our Federal Appeal proce$$ is not worthy of the Greatest Country In The World!

***GREAT SOCIETIES THAT DO NOT PROTECT EVEN THEIR INNOCENT, BECOME THE GUILTY!

A MUST READ ABOUT AMERICAN INJUSTICE:
1) YAHOO AND 2) GOOGLE
MANNY GONZALES THE KID THAT EVERYONE FORGOT IN THE CA PRISON SYSTEM.
** A JUDICIAL RIDE OF ONES LIFE !

[e-mail]
(424-247-2013)

WTF? | September 24, 2008, 10:35pm | #

Says Miller: "If you're a libertarian, you vote Republican."

WTF? Not this year. This year:

If you favor torture, you vote Republican. If you oppose habeas corpus, you vote Republican. If you support an endless series of wars, you vote Republican. Libertarians who oppose torture and endless wars and who support habeas corpus won't vote Republican this go 'round.

Disgustipated | September 24, 2008, 11:07pm | #

"If you're a libertarian, you vote Republican. If you're a frivolous pothead, you vote Democratic."

You're a bit of a toolbag, aren't you?

DOUGLAS FIELD | September 24, 2008, 11:19pm | #

***ACTUALLY, MY BAD, THAT ADDRESS IS*** [e-mail]

Jon H | September 24, 2008, 11:20pm | #

Michael Jordan probably killed the Bradley Effect.

Jon H | September 24, 2008, 11:22pm | #

Hey, Douglas Field. I have homework for you.

1. Learn how to use lowercase.

2. Read up on Obama's work in Illinois to require videotaping of interrogations.

John Wilkes Truth | September 24, 2008, 11:32pm | #

I think this gambit will backfire ... aside from the crude political calculus that informs such decisions, the average American is going to react negatively to McCain if he does not show up on Friday night. If he is a no show, he's toast ... quite simply done.
I have taken a few hours to research this and ponder accordingly - I challenge anyone to produce another instance in recent presidential campaign history of such a boneheaded, election surrendering move.

And Doogie.. | September 24, 2008, 11:33pm | #

..learn how to post links for christsakes.

MAX HATS | September 24, 2008, 11:51pm | #

What if I'm a frivolous pothead libertarian?

Nader again, I guess.

nebby | September 25, 2008, 12:04am | #

"calling off a presidential campaign in full swing to fix the economy"

Presidents (to be) fix the economy? How unlibertarian of you.

gmatts | September 25, 2008, 12:50am | #

"Exactly. If you're a libertarian, you vote Republican. If you're a frivolous pothead, you vote Democratic.

I can't believe how well the media's smear campaign has worked. We're talking about an incredibly bold move, calling off a presidential campaign in full swing to fix the economy. McCain called Congress's bluff and he's raising the stakes. If you can't hide your liberal colors, at least respect that."

That's a weak effort. Surely you could have come up with some more straw men and meaningless cliches than what you wrote.

Mike Laursen | September 25, 2008, 12:56am | #

1. Learn how to use lowercase.

Apparently, he found his CAPS LOCK key about halfway through his rant, then accidentally toggled it again right at the end. So, the poor guy is trying. We should patient. It's hard for him.

James | September 25, 2008, 1:17am | #

I think the wheels may very well be falling off the McCain/Palin campaign, they both are looking to try to get out of debates, neither one of them will give press conferences, what is going on? Has there ever been a campaign who fled responsibility and scruiny like this? It takes maximum spin to tell me that McCain comes out of this looking anything but weak and cowardly. McChicken...

obi juan | September 25, 2008, 4:54am | #

John Wilkes, this reminds me of Giuliani's strategy of winning the nomination by not campaigning in any of the initial primary states. It makes me wonder if McCain got this particular idea from one of the Giuliani campaign people he brought on.

Mr. Nice Guy | September 25, 2008, 7:59am | #

"It makes me wonder if McCain got this particular idea from one of the Giuliani campaign people he brought on."

He brought some of Rudy's people on? WTF? Because they did such a great job on Rudy's campaign, you just gotta have them!

miller-there's so much wrong with your comments (I actually commended McCain for his move, see above; there are many issues that a libertarian might find the Dems preferable on other than pot [see WTF's comments for some, and gambling/pronography are 2 others that comes to mind immediately). But in the way you insult and dismiss libertarians who might be focused on ending one of the most unprincipled and intrusive government actions that exist today (the war on drugs) as "frivolous potheads" demonstrates the actual gulf between many libertarians and a GOP shill such as yourself...

R C Dean | September 25, 2008, 10:47am | #

K LO said McCain should send Palin to debate Obama.

Its ridiculous, of course, but as political jujitsu goes, that's actually not a bad idea. Its a vote of confidence by McCain in Palin, and when Obama turns it down, it looks like he's afraid to debate the B team.

I challenge anyone to produce another instance in recent presidential campaign history of such a boneheaded, election surrendering move.

Nominating John Kerry?

TallDave | September 25, 2008, 11:31am | #

Surprise, more Obama-tanking from Weigel.

Look at how the questions are worded. The first one asks if the debate should be delayed without even hinting there might be a reason why.

The second is even worse: no one argues suspending the campaigns isn't a solution to the problem, as the question implies.

The third appears to state a possibility no one has even broached, that the debate would be cancelled entirely.

I think if they asked "Suring this crisis, should politicians focus on fixing the economy, or campaigning?" you'd get very different results.

TallDave | September 25, 2008, 11:32am | #

neither one of them will give press conferences, what is going on?

Funny, no one complained when Obama gave none on his European celebrity tour.

Mr. Nice Guy | September 25, 2008, 12:48pm | #

"neither one of them will give press conferences, what is going on?

Funny, no one complained when Obama gave none on his European celebrity tour."

Palin's hiding from the media is just not comparable TallDave. You're free to argue that if you wish, but I suspect you actually know better and are just trying to "front" for you chosen ticket. Palin's media avoidance is simply bizarre and as it feeds the growing feeling that she is indeed as much of a lightweight as some other troubling initial indicators pointed to it's hard to imagine any reason for it other than plain old fear.

zoltan | September 25, 2008, 3:08pm | #

Whenever Palin meets the press she exposes herself as a complete moron. I don't blame the McCain campaign. I was surprised when he chose someone who's even more of a gaffe machine than he and Obama combined. That's a big achievement.