Better Than I Ever Hoped

[Michael Tee]

The latest McCain stunt is proof positive and unmistakable that all their dirty tricks, their lies, their smears, their evasions, have failed and failed utterly.

John Insane's proposal to avoid the scheduled debate "to work on the financial crisis" smacks of desperation and panic in a way that I've never seen in any Presidential campaign in my life.  Probably a combination of Sarah Palin plus "the fundamentals are strong" has the senile criminal bastard on the ropes and his private polling and maybe the panicked and frantic demands of party bosses are now demanding a time out.  They KNOW how these debates are going to turn out.

I've followed Presidential campaigns since the 1952 "I Like Ike" one and honestly this is the first time I've seen one in such a state of free-fall that the candidate is already baling.  But I'm agonizing over the possibility that Obama may fall for it. 

[Knutey]

Michael- I dont think Big O will fall for it. HE can walk & chew gum at the same time unlike the RW Repug loonies like McSameastheBushidiot

[Xavier_Onassis]

But I'm agonizing over the possibility that Obama may fall for it.

Well, it IS a stunt. McCain does not need to do the heavy lifting on this one. But if he refuses to debate, Obama has little choice but to agree, and should also head for DC as well.

[Knutey]

But I'm agonizing over the possibility that Obama may fall for it.

Well, it IS a stunt. McCain does not need to do the heavy lifting on this one. But if he refuses to debate, Obama has little choice but to agree, and should also head for DC as well.

He should only go to DC if they are going to hold the vot at EXACTLY the same time as the debate. Now THAT would prove Repug chicanery
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080924/ap_on_el_pr/mccain;_ylt=AvIbD47gnU2nXc20cWxysSWs0NUE

[richpo64]

This from the folks who pissed and moaned that Bush didn't get to Louisiana soon enough.

 

[_JS]

First, I don't think that McCain is a "senile criminal bastard." All in all I think he's a decent bloke, especially considering what we've had for seven years. I think you're being unfair there.

Second, you're right. This is really, really strange. For one the host sites for these debates work pretty hard to get them prepared. Two, if you're deeply affected by the financial crisis today - you won't likely be better in a week or so. Three, if you aren't affected - you won't likely be in a week or so (other than watching Congress & Bush spend more money they do not have).

But what is most strange is that this is McCain's appeal. He's holding his own with Obama specifically because he's the guy with foreign policy experience. When you've just let the other team score a touchdown in the third quarter, you don't refuse to play offense.

My guess is that McCain knows Obama won't bail on the debate. Therefore he plays the role of the mediator who "cares about the voter" and "works with the other side." And he lowers expectations for the debate considerably (a W trick that plays well with the media). The risk is that he looks like a pansy to the public, but he's got white male votes for the most part so I think it is a risk he can take.

It is all a bit of chess.

[Xavier_Onassis]

This from the folks who pissed and moaned that Bush didn't get to Louisiana soon enough.


Yeah, and Juniorbush was president.And his horse salesman FEMA director was out to lunch.
The busk stpops with the president.


McCain isn't secretary of the treasury or Commerce. Perhaps his vote might be needed, but his expertise in this field is nonexistent and therefore unnecessary.
The buck does not stop with the senator from Arizona.

[Michael Tee]

<<This from the folks who pissed and moaned that Bush didn't get to Louisiana soon enough.>>

The difference, obviously, is that Bush was elected to the office of President of the United States of America and had the Constitutional responsibility for dealing with the problems of the nation. 

NOBODY elected either Obama or Insane to deal with the problem of the economy.  Presumably the Constitutional government is still in place and still functioning, isn't it?

[Michael Tee]

<<But if he refuses to debate, Obama has little choice but to agree, and should also head for DC as well.>>

Here's one tactic for Obama to consider if Insane refuses to debate.  Maybe there's a better one, but I'd like him to consider this.
1.  Don't go to DC with Insane or do anything that could be taken as legitimizing or validating what Insane's doing.
2.  Hit every venue and attack, attack, attack.  (1) - attack George Bush and his do-nothing administration and the Cabinet  - - where are their plans, why does Insane have to pretend that HE'S gonna fix the problem when they are the ones responsible for it?
                                                                 (2) - attack Insane and his contempt both for the voters (debating would have given them a clearer idea of who to vote for) and for the Constitution of the United States and its duly elected leaders - - what makes him think that HE has to supplant Constitutional government to solve a problem (a) that he didn't even recognize as a problem and (b) that nobody asked him to solve?

3.  Emphasize again and again that Insane is RUNNING and HIDING.  Using pathetic, lame excuses (see above) to do so.  And engage in mock debates with Insane, maybe even use the "empty chair" technique.  My client believes X and Y and Z.  Had he shown the courage [keep attacking Insane's "courage," which eats away at one of the few remnants of political credit he has, his phony "torture" story] to debate me here instead of running away to hide, I would have told him [here he restates his, Obama's foreign policy, as forcefully as possible.

4.  This act of panic and cowardice is actually a GODSEND for Obama, but I believe he has to work at this 24/7 during McCain's absence, so he seems to be fully energized and in full attack mode.

5.  Immediatelly - - starting NOW - - have his staff refine the existing Obama plan, expand, enlarge and break it up into numbered chapters.  Cover as broad an area as possible, so that whatever Insane comes up with can be described as just a copy of some part of Obama's Plan.  Just don't call it the Obama Plan, or Obama's plan or anything to indicate that Obama was copying Insane's idea of holing up somewhere to produce a plan.  Remember, that was a STUNT.  Call it The Democratic Policy Committee's Economic Blueprint, so it sounds like it has nothing to do with Obama.

6.  When the Insane plan comes out, ridicule it as a cheap copy of the Democratic Policy Committee's Economic Blueprint, citing chapter and verse.  "The guy holed up for four whole days and came up with a cheap knock-off of the  Democratic Policy Committee's Economic Blueprint, Section III ?  That's pathetic."

[richpo64]

>>My guess is that McCain knows Obama won't bail on the debate.<<

Given his track record there's nothing to indicate he wouldn't. This isn't going well for Barry. He's stepping in it again.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Given his track record there's nothing to indicate he wouldn't. This isn't going well for Barry. He's stepping in it again.


What are you blathering about?

McCain is the one doing the stepping. If were wearing white spats when he started, they are brown now.

[Michael Tee]

This is where the curtain comes off the Wizard's door and the Great Foreign Policy Experienced Master is seen by the public as just a frightened old man who's afraid to debate on what he previously claimed was his strong suit.

I think he made a smart move, though, because he assessed that the game was lost if he continued playing to the end.  The only thing was to strike out on a different path, shuffle the cards again in the middle of the game and see what would happen.  A desperate situation calls for a desperate move.  Insane is a tough, wily and resourceful fighter.  Part of the test of Obama's mettle is how well he can deal with these sudden curve balls thrown by Insane when they are least expected  I gave one possible course of action, wonder if there are others.

[richpo64]

It's funny how wrong these people are. McCain is doing the right thing for America, and all these leftists can do is play politics and throw around insults.

Oh well, that to is best for America.

[Xavier_Onassis]

McCain is doing the right thing for America, and all these leftists can do is play politics and throw around insults.

McCain is somehow needed as a financial expert?

The country needs him to turn tail and flee from the debate he agreed to?

He is the one playing politics here.

[Michael Tee]

<<McCain is doing the right thing for America, and all these leftists can do is play politics and throw around insults.>>

Naaaah.  Not in a million years.  McCain is doing the right thing for McCain.  The wheels have come off his campaign bus and he's running for cover.  But don't give up yet.  He might still out-fox Obama.  Sometimes brains won't save ya, if ya don't have guts as well.  Here, we're gonna see what Obama's made of.  How will he respond to McCain's inspired manoeuvre?