This afternoon, John McCain said that he’s suspending his campaign until the financial crisis is solved:

Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington after speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative. I have spoken to Senator Obama and informed him of my decision and have asked him to join me.

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.

We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved.I am directing my campaign to work with the Obama campaign and the commission on presidential debates to delay Friday night’s debate until we have taken action to address this crisis.

I am confident that before the markets open on Monday we can achieve consensus on legislation that will stabilize our financial markets, protect taxpayers and homeowners, and earn the confidence of the American people. All we must do to achieve this is temporarily set politics aside, and I am committed to doing so.

In response, the Obama campaign said that Friday’s debate is still on:

However a senior Obama campaign official said Obama “intends to debate.” “The debate is on,” a senior Obama campaign official told ABC News.

This is a PR blunder of disastrous proportions on the Obama campaign’s behalf. If he’s the only one on stage Friday night, people will know that he chose politics over solving a crisis. Postponing this debate isn’t a big deal. Solving this crisis is important.

Rest assured that Sen. Obama will look petty if he’s the only one on stage Friday night. This plays into Sen. McCain’s Country First theme. It will create a Me First theme for Sen. Obama.

Technorati Tags: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Banking, Crisis, John McCain, Country First, Barack Obama, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

1. McCain is calling for a time-out so he can learn about the fundamentals of the economy. And once he’s learned about how it works, McCain will single-handedly solve this financial crisis and win the presidency.

   Meanwhile, Palin will shoot a moose and/or win a beauty pageant.

   Comment by Liem — September 24, 2008 @ 2:43 pm

2. It’s time to call a spade a spade: Gary Gross, you are a LIAR.

   Firstly, it was OBAMA who called McSame this morning at 8:30am to discuss the crisis and coming together to work on a bipartisan resolution. Then, McSame attempted to scoop Obama FOR POLITICAL GAIN. Nothing else. Despicable. Dishonest. In other words, same as usual, just a normal day for McBush.

   Explain how McSame has been silent on the issue until now… going from “the fundamentals of our economy are strong” to “we must meet” in the space of a week! Wow, that’s a FLIP-FLOP of epic proportions.

   Second, according to The Hill, the resolution is 98% complete (and the criminal Bush cabal and the Treasury has given in on every point) and only now does McBush want to come to Washington to take credit.

   No such luck.

   Meanwhile, 90% (flash poll conducted by Survey USA, I believe) want the DEBATE TO GO AHEAD ON SCHEDULE… and just under half want the topic to be changed to the economy and this crisis. What better opportunity for the candidates to stand, side-by-side, and spell out their differences, and let the American people decide who has the better solution? Unless, of course, your McSame and don’t have a solution of your own.

   And wouldn’t it be entertaining watching McSenile blunder his way through a real, honest-to-goodness debate where the canned responses are worthless!

   Comment by Rocky — September 24, 2008 @ 3:33 pm

3. “I think that it is going to be part of the president’s job to deal with more than one thing at once.” - Barack Obama

   Comment by Liem — September 24, 2008 @ 3:39 pm

4. Now McSame is in meltdown-mode. Cancel the VP debate! Take credit for everything! And I quote from McSame’s actual talking points: “Please do not proactively reach out to the media on this.”

   Yeah, that’s bipartisan.

   But, in a news flash to Senator McSenile, Obama reveals “Obviously if it turns out that we need to be in Washington, we’ve both got big planes, we’ve painted our slogan on the side of them,” Obama also said. “They can get us from Washington to Mississippi pretty quickly.”

   Comment by Rocky — September 24, 2008 @ 4:53 pm

5. Obama’s economic policy; give me your money, I might let you have some back…or not. Socialist POS.

   Comment by george — September 25, 2008 @ 9:46 am

6. Progress is being made.

   Comment by Michael Ejercito — September 25, 2008 @ 1:04 pm

7. Hey Rocky: Your MoveOn.org horns are showing.

   “And wouldn’t it be entertaining watching McSenile blunder his way through a real, honest-to-goodness debate where the canned responses are worthless!”

   Let’s all just wait until we see Obama fall flat on his face without a teleprompter.

   Time to go back under your rock.

   Comment by ZZMike — September 25, 2008 @ 4:36 pm

8. Sometimes I think the country is loosing its mind!

   Read the hyperventilation above about John McCain modest proposal to put off the first presidential debate until the financial crisis is solved, and tell me were not in full psychosis.

   Calm down a little! All he’s saying is Look, Im not going to have any rallies for a few days or run television commercials, and he’s proposing that a debate scheduled a year ago before anyone could have imagined we would be in the midst of a percieved political earthquake be postponed — not cancelled - postponed, put off, set back a few, wait a few days.

   Meanwhile all you nut roots are bursting a bloodvessel - Well tough shit! The world doesnt revolve around you yet.

   Comment by T A Gray — September 26, 2008 @ 12:24 am

9. Heaven forbid an elected Senator actually stops applying for the job he doesn’t have and do the job he does.

   Comment by Jenn — September 26, 2008 @ 5:11 pm

10. And look whose been finessed into supporting the 700 BBillion Bush bailout with taxpayers money.

    Oh my!

    Comment by T A Gray — September 26, 2008 @ 5:19 pm

11. And look whose been finessed into supporting the 700 BBillion Bush bailout with taxpayers money.

    Who?

    Comment by Michael Ejercito — September 26, 2008 @ 6:07 pm

12. http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/2008/09/26/the-brilliance-of-mccains-move/#comments

    Comment by T A Gray — September 26, 2008 @ 11:22 pm

13. “BBillion Bush bailout” sorry shouldn’t that read Dodd/Frank bail out.

    Comment by Ron K — September 26, 2008 @ 11:23 pm

14. Actually Ron, its the its you and I and every else that follows the rules bail out.

    Once again, Washington finding more ways to piss the citizens money away.

    Comment by T A Gray — September 27, 2008 @ 7:34 am

15. Our US Congress…now know as:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nBIpwnMW9s

    Comment by Doug — September 28, 2008 @ 10:56 am