McCain and his campaign in total meltdown

[Guest Guest]

Well, now we know how John McCain would handle a crisis. He has spent the past week and a half jumping frantically from one position to another, apparently trying to find one that works politically for him. So much for putting country first. So much for being the older and more responsible candidate. So much for being able to take the 3 a.m. phone call. So much for being ready to be commander-in-chief, or lead the country intime of crisis.

With his poll numbers plummeting, McCain tried to postpone the first debate today. That didn't work. The debate commission promptly said no and Obama, looking every bit the next president, said that this is exactly the time when Americans need to hear from their candidates most. He's exactly right.

There's more. McCain was scheduled on David Letterman's show tonight, but called Letterman personally to cancel, saying he had to be in Washington. Letterman caught him in that lie, and apparently is showing footage of him giving an interview to Katic Couric in New York at the same hour when he was supposed to be taping for Letterman. Turns out McCain isn't leaving for Washington until tomorrow. Did he really think he would get away with that, with his every move being tracked by the press? McCain just got caught in a bald-faced lie to David Letterman. Of course, that didn't stop Letterman from doing his show. He just replaced McCain with another guest - Keith Olbermann!

It would be hard to imagine a candidate doing more damage to himself in so short a time. John McCain is proving that he is not fit to be president. I never thought we would see that.

It's amazing, and sad. But it makes the choice between Obama and McCain very simple. Obama is the only one of the two who is fit to hold the office.

[Bern]

With his poll numbers plummeting, McCain tried to postpone the first debate today. That didn't work. The debate commission promptly said no and Obama, looking every bit the next president, said that this is exactly the time when Americans need to hear from their candidates most. He's exactly right.

Maybe Obama is the one who doesn't get it.

"Brilliant," a top Democratic strategist glumly told the Daily News. "We just got totally screwed. Going back to Washington is what Presidents do. He's acting like a leader."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2...nd_his_cam.html

This financial crisis can kill us. Millions of retirees can kiss their annuities and their retirement checks bye bye if this is not resolved. Where do you think all the retirement funds are sitting? We'll also have massive layoffs with the state unemployment funds being depleted (you will then be paying more unemployment tax).

And those of you who have savings, don't count on the 100,000 FDIC savings insurance to save you if there are massive failures. The FDIC fund has 42 billion. That's not going to cover the trillions of savings, money that the banks really don't have because they loaned out your savings for mortgages, credit lines, business loans. The whole financial system is a house of cards, where one card leans on the other.

The housing marked will get worse because of the additional layoffs and retirees no longer getting their supplemental incomes. A lot more foreclosures and lowered home equities.

The rest of the world will decouple from us. They're sick and tired of our financial issues destabilizing their economies. They're holding trillions of our dollars which they will attempt to dump to minimize their losses. They will also initiate financial changes removing the dollar as the reserve currency.

This crisis will have severe effect on our economy over the next few years. If you're running for president, it would behoove you to get very closely involved, because you're going to be stuck with the decisions that are currently being made.

If Obama doesn't get that, then he's living way above his pay grade.

[Guest Guest]

Maybe Obama is the one who doesn't get it.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2...nd_his_cam.html

This financial crisis can kill us. Millions of retirees can kiss their annuities and their retirement checks bye bye if this is not resolved. Where do you think all the retirement funds are sitting? We'll also have massive layoffs with the unemployment funds being depleted (you will then be paying more unemployment tax).

And those of you who have savings, don't count on the 100,000 FDIC savings insurance to save you if there are massive failures. The FDIC fund has 42 billion. That's not going to cover the trillions of savings, money that the banks really don't have because they loaned out your savings for mortgages, credit lines, business loans. The whole financial system is a house of cards, where one card leans on the other.

The housing marked will get worse because of the additional layoffs and retirees no longer getting their supplemental incomes. A lot more foreclosures and lowered home equities.

The rest of the world will decouple from us. They're sick and tired of our financial issues hurting their economies. They're holding trillions of our dollars which they will attempt to dump to minimize their losses. They will also initiate financial changes removing the dollar as the reserve currency.

This crisis will have severe effect on our economy over the next few years. If you're running for president, it would behoove you to get very closely involved, because you're going to be stuck with the decisions that are currently being made.

If Obama doesn't get that, then he's living way above his pay grade.

Nice try at the usual Republican spin, but it's not working. The people see through McCain's desperate ploy for a photo-op. Even members of his own party are saying they're close to a deal, and they don't need him to parachute in at the last minute to take credit for their work.

The people also see McCain's attempt to postpone the first debate as a desperate attempt to avoid the issues right now, and to cancel the VP debate altogether. Admit it. McCain got caught for being the desperate old man he has tragically become.

[Bern]

Now its the conservative Republicans who are stalling this. Either they are posturing or they haven't figured out by now the effect this economic meltdown will have on us.

This isn't about bailing out Wall Street fat cats. They already have their millions. If we go south, they'll simply move out - to their foreign town houses or estates.

This is about us - our savings, our mortgages, our retirement funds, business loans, home loans, car loans. Don't expect to see your money if this is not taken care of.

Sad. Our economy is a wreck. They hesitate to spend to fix that but they have no problem allocating billions and billions for the war.

The senator was apparently alluding to a growing revolt by conservative House Republicans against the proposed $700 billion rescue, and the fact that Senator McCain has not yet endorsed the plan, whose concept runs contrary to the policy positions he has taken for years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/business/26bush.html?hp

At the bipartisan White House meeting that Mr. McCain had called for a day earlier, he sat silently for more than 40 minutes, more observer than leader, and then offered only a vague sense of where he stood, according to people in the meeting.

This tells me that McCain is not up to the job – the presidency.

The papers state that conservative Republicans are stalling this. But how can they? They don’t control congress. The Democrats do. Republicans and Democrats are both playing games during our financial meltdown.

However, I don't think McCain went to Washington simply to avoid the debate. It was McCain who wanted 14 debates (one a week this summer), which Obama refused.

Earlier today, Mr. Clinton gave a wide berth to Mr. McCain for wanting to postpone the first presidential debate, scheduled for Friday.

“We know he didn’t do it because he’s afraid, because Sen. McCain wanted more debates,” Mr. Clinton said on “Good Morning America.”

“You can put it off a few days,’’ Mr. Clinton added, ceding that “the problem is it’s hard to reschedule those things.” He said of Mr. McCain: “I presume he did that in good faith since I know he wanted — I remember he asked for more debates to go all around the country, and so I don’t think we ought to overly parse that.” - Bill Clinton

[Guest Loki]

Nice try at the usual Republican spin, but it's not working. The people see through McCain's desperate ploy for a photo-op. Even members of his own party are saying they're close to a deal, and they don't need him to parachute in at the last minute to take credit for their work.

The people also see McCain's attempt to postpone the first debate as a desperate attempt to avoid the issues right now, and to cancel the VP debate altogether. Admit it. McCain got caught for being the desperate old man he has tragically become.

If you cannot see the potential economic crisis (no, it's not an exaggeration) and the ripples it will send through the entire economy, no one here can help you.

As for the debates, McCain wanted more debates, so I doubt that he is ducking the issues. Remember, no teleprompter during the debates. Both candidates, last I checked, still HAVE jobs in the US Senate.

[Bern]

One thing hanging this deal is protection for homeowners. The NY Times has an editorial stating that the special preferment given the financial industry with mortgages be removed.

However, Obama opposes that. He’s supporting the banking industry. Why?

Mr. Paulson has long opposed what is probably the best way to help Americans stay in their homes: allowing a bankruptcy court to reduce the size of bankrupt borrowers’ mortgages. Unfortunately, but predictably, drafts of the bailout plan circulated late Thursday do not mention that relief.

It is simply outrageous that every type of secured debt — except the mortgage on a primary home — can be reworked in bankruptcy court. The law was designed to protect lenders, who have obviously and disastrously abused that protection. There would be no favors dispensed in bankruptcy proceedings. Lenders would have to accept less of a payback and borrowers would have to submit to the oversight of the bankruptcy court for years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri1.html?hp

Frank said the primary remaining point of contention between Democrats and Republicans is a proposal to give bankruptcy judges new power to modify mortgages for troubled homeowners, an idea that is widely viewed as a bargaining chip. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) has said the provision, which is fiercely opposed by the banking industry, should not be included in the bill.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...ml?hpid=topnews

[Guest *Autonomous*]

Now its the conservative Republicans who are stalling this. Either they are posturing or they haven't figured out by now the effect this economic meltdown will have on us.

This isn't about bailing out Wall Street fat cats. They already have their millions. If we go south, they'll simply move out - to their foreign town houses or estates.

This is about us - our savings, our mortgages, our retirement funds, business loans, home loans, car loans. Don't expect to see your money if this is not taken care of.

Sad. Our economy is a wreck. They hesitate to spend to fix that but they have no problem allocating billions and billions for the war.

This tells me that McCain is not up to the job – the presidency.

The papers state that conservative Republicans are stalling this. But how can they? They don’t control congress. The Democrats do. Republicans and Democrats are both playing games during our financial meltdown.

However, I don't think McCain went to Washington simply to avoid the debate. It was McCain who wanted 14 debates (one a week this summer), which Obama refused.

Republicans can still filibuster as well as demand that all the protocols be followed to stall for time-that's why they did the whole "vote against recognizing American mothers on Mother's Day" thing. The thing is-they have a point. The senior Republican on the Senate Banking Committee was on NPR the other day and noted that the package as handed down from the Administration would give unbelieveable power to the Secretary of the Treasury.

[Guest Guest]

If you cannot see the potential economic crisis (no, it's not an exaggeration) and the ripples it will send through the entire economy, no one here can help you.

As for the debates, McCain wanted more debates, so I doubt that he is ducking the issues. Remember, no teleprompter during the debates. Both candidates, last I checked, still HAVE jobs in the US Senate.

Last time I checked, both candidates are running for the Presidency of the United States, and in less than six weeks one of them will be elected to that position.

[Guest Guest]

The papers state that conservative Republicans are stalling this. But how can they? They don’t control congress. The Democrats do.

The Democrats were trying to achieve consensus; to craft a bill that would be broadly acceptable. That's a very responsible thing to do. If their efforts don't work, they may have to push something through will a smaller majority.

[Guest Guest]

Republicans can still filibuster as well as demand that all the protocols be followed to stall for time-that's why they did the whole "vote against recognizing American mothers on Mother's Day" thing. The thing is-they have a point. The senior Republican on the Senate Banking Committee was on NPR the other day and noted that the package as handed down from the Administration would give unbelieveable power to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Of course Paulson's plan as written would give the Sectretary too much power, but no one supports that. Any suggestion that the Republicans have come to the rescue on this one is simply untrue.

[Guest Guest]

QUOTE (Guest @ Sep 25 2008, 04:44 PM)

Nice try at the usual Republican spin, but it's not working. The people see through McCain's desperate ploy for a photo-op. Even members of his own party are saying they're close to a deal, and they don't need him to parachute in at the last minute to take credit for their work.

The people also see McCain's attempt to postpone the first debate as a desperate attempt to avoid the issues right now, and to cancel the VP debate altogether. Admit it. McCain got caught for being the desperate old man he has tragically become.

If you cannot see the potential economic crisis (no, it's not an exaggeration) and the ripples it will send through the entire economy, no one here can help you.

What are you talking about? Nothing in the post you responded to suggests that there isn't a serious crisis, and not just a potential one. The point is that the crisis was being addressed by Congressional leaders, who didn't need McCain to pretend to suspend his campaign so he could try to take credit when someone else worked out a plan to address it.

[Guest *Autonomous*]

Of course Paulson's plan as written would give the Sectretary too much power, but no one supports that. Any suggestion that the Republicans have come to the rescue on this one is simply untrue.

I know. That isn't what I was saying. The Republican policy of deregulation has caused much of this mess, but that doesn't mean "OMG! Republicans=EVUL!!!"