Obama and McCain, the Economy and the Debate

I'm worried.

I can't listen to the President of the United States speak of the country "slipping into a financial panic" and predict that dramatic measures must be taken or a "distressing scenario would unfold" without feeling stressed.

What's happening is surreal.

From FOX News:

In a rare prime-time address to the nation Wednesday night, Bush pushed lawmakers wrangling over the $700 billion bailout legislation to consider the consequences of inaction, stating that "our entire economy is in danger."

He warned of a looming "financial panic," and he said the legislative package must be enacted "as soon as possible."

"We are in the midst of a serious financial crisis, and the federal government is responding with decisive action," Bush said.

To bail out or not bail out -- That is the question.

I don't know what's the right thing to do, but I do know that using the crisis to score political points is inappropriate.

NEW YORK -- The economic crisis and raw politics threatened to derail the first presidential debate as John McCain challenged Barack Obama to delay Friday's event to work on the financial crisis. Obama rebuffed the plea, saying presidents need to "deal with more than one thing at once."

..."This is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who, in approximately 40 days, will be responsible for dealing with this mess," Obama said in Clearwater, Fla. "It's going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once."

Forty days?

Does Obama understand that one does not assume the office of the presidency right after winning the election?

It doesn't sound like he does.

In approximately 40 days, President Bush will still be responsible for dealing with this mess, not Obama or McCain.

The new president won't be inaugurated until January 20, 2009. Someone should tell Obama that. This 40 days stuff sounds like something Joe Biden would say.

...But McCain said they must focus on a bipartisan solution as the Bush administration's $700 billion bailout proposal seemed headed for defeat. If not, McCain said ominously that credit will dry up, jeopardizing home sales, individual savings and company payrolls.

"I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time," McCain said.

...Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., McCain's representative in debate negotiations, told The Associated Press that McCain will not attend the debate unless there is agreement on a solution that is publicly endorsed by Obama, McCain, the White House and congressional leaders.

Asked whether the debate could go on, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said: "My sense is there's going to be a stage, a moderator, an audience and at least one presidential candidate."

That's Obama's favorite kind of "debate" - a moderator and just one candidate.

He avoids debates and joint appearances with McCain like the plague.

Obama agreed to participate in townhall meetings with McCain but he reneged on that.

He refused to appear at the same time with McCain at the Saddleback Civil Forum and the Candidates’ 9/11 Forum.

During the primaries, Hillary kept asking him to debate and he turned her down again and again.

For Obama to act like Friday's debate must go on as scheduled is lame.

The political gamesmanship continued.

...McCain beat Obama to the punch with the first public statement. The surprise announcement was an attempt to outmaneuver Obama on an issue McCain trails on and as the Democrat gains in the polls. McCain went before TV cameras minutes after they spoke and before the campaigns could hammer out the agreed-upon joint statement.

Obama, too, made a political calculation by rejecting McCain's challenge while still trying to appear on top of the problem. Obama repeatedly stressed that he called McCain first to propose a joint statement. He said McCain called back several hours later and agreed, but also said he wanted to postpone the debate and hold joint meetings in Washington. Obama said he suggested they first issue the statement.

"When I got back to the hotel, he had gone on television to announce what he was going to do," Obama said.

McCain said he would return to Washington on Thursday after an address to former President Clinton's Global Initiative session. He canceled a scheduled appearance on CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman" and a meeting with India's prime minister.

This shouldn't be about politics. It should be about tending to the crisis.

McCain cancelled a meeting with India's prime minister as well as his appearance with Letterman.

Perhaps Letterman will realize what a doofus he was during the taping of his show yesterday, with his incessant mocking of McCain. His hissy fit over McCain's cancellation was truly an embarrassment, but his antics were not unusual for an egomaniacal celebrity like Letterman.

Was Letterman's behavior slimy? Yes.

Was it atypical behavior from a lib elite entertainer? No.

McCain called Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to propose that joint meetings with Obama and congressional leaders be held quickly, according to leadership aides. Reid spokesman Jim Manley said Reid responded by reading McCain his public statement, in which Reid said it would not be helpful for the candidates to come back and inject presidential politics into the negotiations.

Reid later told reporters that McCain "is trying to divert attention from his failing campaign."

Hardly.

McCain wasn't diverting attention from himself or his campaign.

"Failing campaign"?

Reid seems confused. Obama's campaign has been faltering, in spite of the efforts of the lib media to prop it up.

And I'm sure debating Obama will boost McCain's campaign, not hurt it. Postponing Friday's debate is NOT the politically expedient thing to do for McCain.

I'm sick of the politics.

The country is facing a serious economic challenge. Political maneuvers at this time are as unseemly as they are irresponsible.