The Shorter John McCain

I'd rather debate pressing issues behind closed doors with my colleagues than on national TV where voters might see me.

Comments

[Hogan]

The postponed debate was on foreign policy.

[Jesse Walker]

I doubt it would have stayed there, but you're right. Text adjusted accordingly.

[Episiarch]

Jesse, you linked to Dave thread as the discussion place, yet posted in this one. Does that make this the shadow thread?

[Terry Michael]

Amazing. You fall way behind in the polls (today's WashPost/ABC poll gives Obama a 9 pt national lead), so you demand the rules be changed. Guess McCain is now cruising around in "The Straight Balk Digress"?

[Poysun]

Title of the 2008 election:
Old Man and the Negro. Does America want either?
Tune in on November 4th to see the results!

[Terry]

Terry Michaels you can't trust the WashPost/ABC polls and what rules are be changed?
When something unexpected happens that is more important then a dual press conference that requires the senators presence then the campagins should be suspended.
I know this is very difficult for you to understand, actually impossible, as it is for anyone who calls themselves a "libertarian democrat". I suggest schmuck for short.

[joshua corning]

McCain made a terrible mistake by doing this....it might be fatal to his election bid.

[Mo]

Terry,
The debate is less important than fixing the crisis, but the Clinton Global Warming thingamajig isn't? He's still going to that.

[Terry]

Joshua you want to bet?
Just the opposite. McCain as in somethings, is right way before the crowd.

PS I don't like McCain, but he is better then Obama.

[Terry]

Mo what are you talking about?

[svf]

AP: Obama likely to keep debate as McCain seeks delay

Barr should be all over this shit... Obama can debate Bob... everyone wins... Bob gets on national TV, Obama helps Bob siphon away McCain's votes...

I know it's fucking insane to even ponder it, but this year you never know...

[Seitz]

McCain made a terrible mistake by doing this....it might be fatal to his election bid.

I'm curious what Mr. "I don't know much about the economy, the fundamentals of which are strong" thinks he's going to do to solve everything? I don't want that guy anywhere near these negotiations.

[henry]

I guess John McChicken is more afraid of Obama than he was of the NV.

Hey, John--its BUSH who does the waterboarding, not Obama.

What a fucking joke this clown is turning into. Yes, there just isn't enough hysteria-inducing grandstanding in DC right now on this subject--let's have the McCainiac and Biden there, in full blather.

[Episiarch]

as it is for anyone who calls themselves a "libertarian democrat". I suggest schmuck for short

I was going to go with "douchebag" but yours is shorter.

Barr should be all over this shit...

Maybe he will be. Give him a chance.

[fishfry]

If Obama's smart, he wins big on this. McCain's announcement plays into his rep as impulsive and hot-headed. And, it also plays right into the fact that Palin is ducking the press like crazy. If Obama is smart he makes both these points, then shows up to the debate by himself. He points out that we have a lot of smart people in Washington dealing with the economic issues; that there must NOT be a rush to a bad bill, but rather a thoughtful process that gets it right. The absence of McCain at the debate will speak volumes.

[zoltan]

I wish I could get on the Barr bandwagon and say he'll take advantage of this, but I think too many people will think this is a good idea except Obama supporters who already have their vote locked.

[Terry]

"He points out that we have a lot of smart people in Washington dealing with the economic issues;"
That is debatable if they're but those people aren't senators who are responsible for what the taxpayer money is spent on.
If Obama doesn't want to take responsibility he should resign.

[joshua corning]

Just the opposite. McCain as in somethings, is right way before the crowd.

After writing 2 paragraphs trying to convince you otherwise I really do not know what Obama can do but follow McCain back to Washington.....

I guess we will see how this pans out.

[Terry Michael]

I probably shouldn't dignify with this reply those of you who engage in name calling in your sophomoric "comments" (e.g. "schmuck" and "douchebag.") But is it too much to ask that you try to make some arguments here rather than engage in ad hominem attacks? It gets really tiresome.

[Mo]

Terry

McCain said he would put politics aside and return to Washington Thursday to focus on the nation's financial problems after addressing former President Clinton's Global Initiative session in New York.

[Lost_In_Translation]

If Obama doesn't want to take responsibility he should resign.

Sorry, but this was the funniest thing I've heard all day.

[SIV]

I would have thought the smart thing to do was to show up at the foreign policy debate and keep jacking it to the economy and throw Obama off his
script. The McCain campaign has been running smart for a while but I don't get this move at all. Would anybody even notice if not for the government panic?

[Episiarch]

But is it too much to ask that you try to make some arguments here rather than engage in ad hominem attacks?

Terry, some of us find your moniker of "libertarian democrat" to be ludicrous and deserving of scorn. Your puff piece on Obama's "positives" was beyond ridiculous, for starters, and was torn to shreds in the comments. You want arguments? Go review that thread.

[svf]

The McCain campaign has been running smart for a while but I don't get this move at all.

Is Russ Verney working for McCain now...?

[BDB]

I know what's going on. He's taking political advice from Bob Shrum. Srssly, he's the only guy that suggested this before today.

[SIV]

But is it too much to ask that you try to make some arguments here rather than engage in ad hominem attacks? It gets really tiresome.

"Tool" is shorter than Schmuck or douche bag.

[joe]

The McCain campaign has been running smart for a while

Huh? He's been shitting the bed for a week. First Flailin Palin, and then he falls on his face over the meltdown.

He's taking political advice from Bob Shrum. Oh please oh please oh please.

[Jeff]

The debate was on foreign policy. The first debate was originally on the economy but was moved back because Obama didn't want foreign policy to go last.

Obama has fooled the nation.

Obama voted to give a homeowner Hale Demar a felony for protecting his home and his family against a robber because he used a handgun.

Never before did I think America would elect a marxist like Obama.

This election is utter madness. The media has shoved this marxist down our throats.

This marxist who runs ads calling Limbaugh a racist and how Lou Dobbs has doubled hate crimes in America. Hate crimes haven't doubled.

[Jeff]

The debate on foreign policy can be delayed until next week.

McCain said he would go to the debate if it is settled by friday morning.

Obama is the one who wouldn't go to any townhalls with McCain.

Obama is the one who has to decamp for three days for the debate.

[henry]

"McCain said he would go to the debate if it is settled by friday morning."

I am guessing you posted this without any sense of irony whatsoever.

[joe]

The first debate was originally on the economy but was moved back because Obama didn't want foreign policy to go last.

Actually, both sides wanted that. McCain thought a foreign policy debate right now could help him stem Obama's momentum, while Obama thought that having the domestic policy debate last would help him by being the freshest one in the voters' minds in November.

No, the only changes in the debates that have been insisted on by one candidate are this gimmick, and the McCain camp's insistence that Sarah Palin not have to give long answers or have back-and-forths with Joe Biden.

[BDB]

Obama has called McCain's bluff. That was ballsy.

Either McCain walks back his statement, or Obama gets an "empty chair" debate where he has all three networks to himself. For free.

[Dave T]

Lou Dobbs has doubled hate crimes in America. Hate crimes haven't doubled.

But don't be confused, Lou Dobbs is a hateful piece of shit.

[joe]

The debate on foreign policy can be delayed until next week.

But a $700 trillion bailout package for Wall Street has to be passed NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW!!!

[joe]

Er, billion.

[Don the libertarian Democrat]

Jesse, Too Good!

[Lost_In_Translation]

joe,

I think once hyper inflation hits, the revalued cost of the bailout might be in the T's

[BDB]

K LO says Palin should step in!

[joshua corning]

But a $700 trillion bailout package for Wall Street has to be passed NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW!!!

That will be the cost of the bail out in 2028 after the Democrats again fuck up the financial sector.

Fannie Mae is dead! Long Live Fucky Mae!!!

Fucky Mae...instead of using tax dollars to create a market for trash subprime loans this time will just create a market for pure poison.

[Fluffy]

Right, Jeff. Obama is the Marxist in the campaign, even though McCain is the one who wants the whole world to stop while he goes back to Washington for the express purpose of yelling at other members of Congress until they support throwing 700 billion of the taxpayer's dollars at Goldman Sachs.

Because that's what he's going to Washington to do. Not to try to "find a solution" or whatever. He explicitly stated that he's returning to Washington because his canvass of the Republican caucus led him to believe the bailout wouldn't pass. That's not acceptable to John McCain, so he wants to play "I'm Hitler and you're Schuschnigg" with the Senate until they do what he wants.

[zoltan]

Dave T, you forgot fat.

[joshua corning]

If there was no Fannie Mae there would be no market for Sub-prime loans and we would not be in the crisis we are in.

According to joe the government is the "peoples" government and the government created and in fact now owns Fannie Mae.

The actions of Fannie Mae has severely harmed Wall Street. Which makes me wonder why Joe is so against the government paying back billions to the businesses that were harmed by the "people"?

Should not the "people" be held responsible for the harm they cause?

[Terry]

"Obama is the Marxist in the campaign, even though McCain is the one who wants the whole world to stop while he goes back to Washington"

No Fluffy, he is stopping his campaign and suggests Obama do the same so they can do the jobs they are paid to do, that of Senator.
Understand?
What kind of name is "Fluffy" for a human being or even a dog for that matter.
Are you some kind of weirdo?

[Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)]

PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

[ChrisH]

is it too much to ask that you try to make some arguments here rather than engage in ad hominem attacks?

Well, they were more like ad nominum attacks...

[Mo]

The debate was on foreign policy. The first debate was originally on the economy but was moved back because Obama didn't want foreign policy to go last.

Actually, the McCain campaign wanted the foreign policy debate to go first. The Obama campaign wanted the economy debate to be last. So they wanted the same thing.

[joe]

joshua, you never answered my questions below about S. 190, the Fannie Mae "reform" bill John McCain signed onto, that you claim would have prevented this problem if the Barack Obama hadn't voted against it. So now I'm gong to ask you again:

joe | September 24, 2008, 1:41pm | #

joshua,

Now tell us why requiring Fannie and Freddie to own only securitized mortgages rather than individual mortgages - which is what S190 would have done - would have prevented a financial meltdown caused by securitized mortgages.

and

How do you vote against a bill that's killed in committee, when you aren't on that committee?

[shecky]

What's the fuss? After McCain fixes the economy on Friday, he'll debate Obama.

[joe]

Fucky Mae...instead of using tax dollars to create a market for trash subprime loans this time will just create a market for pure poison.

Actually, that's exactly what John McCain's "reform" bill proposed to do - forbit Fanny Mae from purchasing mortgages, and requiring them to purchase mortgage-backed securities instead.

Why does John McCain want to destroy the economy, joshua? Is it because he was getting a kickback from the Fannie Mae lobbyist who's running his campaign?

[joe]

I want to beat up joshua some more.

Mr. Corning, if there wouldn't have been a subprime market but for Fannie and Freddie, why did Bear Stearns and Lehman buy so many subprime loans and their derivatives that they are facing bankruptcy?

If Fannie Mae was the only reason lenders and loan purchasers felt insulated from the risks of this market, then why did AIG sell so many insurance policies to protect against potential losses in that market that they, too, are facing bankruptcy?

Here, let me lighten the mood: how is John McCain like a sleazy mortgage broker? They both got rich by fucking people.

[GILMORE]

joe,

you turn this whole story into a cartoon the way you try to simplify the role of what "subprime" has to do with this issue.

Loosehttp://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/09/22/crisis-derivatives-financial-oped-cx_bm_0922malkiel.html

[joe]

GILMORE,

Are you fucking kidding me? I am overemphasizing the subprime role?

Lemme guess - this had been a thread, no wait a series of threads, full of nuance and painfully earnest efforts to take in the full scope and complications of the issue, and then mean ol' joe comes along. Are you fucking kidding me?

Gee, GILMORE, I'm sorry I didn't live up to the standards set by joshua corning. You know, the guy who made such totally non-cartoonish arguments that I responded to.

[GILMORE]

No, joe i didnt mean to just ballbust you

but calling these series of threads any source of enlightenment is a stretch

subprime lending was a source of the current problem. but it was started by cheap money (the monetary policy of the US for decades) and government promotion of 'housing for everyone!' incentives for lending, and government rule changing about leverage limits.

The source of the problem in almost all elements starts with bad, well-intentioned government. So bitching about wall st and short sellers is basically complaining about the side effects