Archived: Should John McCain and Barack Obama suspend their campaigns until Congress passes a bailout plan?

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Set as news: True

Yeah, we might as well cover this because people obviously have strong feelings one way or the other, but it'll be over if we wait any longer... it looks good to me.

One last thought: John McCain and Barack Obama? Or is it fine with just the last names?

Letterman pummels McCain

agree with Jenna - for no reason other than staying unified with McCain, Republicans will begrudgingly support whatever he does...

is he definitely out of the debate for friday? Is this a certainty?

Hugh Hewitt:

Today was Obama's Katrina moment and an example of great leadership by John McCain.  This contrast was telling and will matter.

Yeah, here are the Republicans:

But Republicans, eager for political cover from Mr. McCain on a bailout proposal that members of both parties see as deeply unpopular in the country, embraced his return. “The threats to Americans, and their homes, savings and retirements, is not a partisan problem, and it won’t be fixed with a partisan approach,” said Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, who called Mr. McCain’s attempt to help forge a deal an “outstanding idea.”

NYT

Why don't we let McCain and Obama return to Washington, and let the remaining candidates do the debate?

 DOA

Really, nobody?  I'd think some PFs sympathetic to McCain would say it's a good idea.  I'm seeing regular blog-type people who do.

I'm fine with making approval contingent on seeing more "yes" PF stands though.

I agree with making it "McCain and Obama."

Haven't found anyone but McCain who thinks this is a good idea. He's really looking like an idiot wanting a timeout right now. If he protests the debates he's going to look really petty. Not sure we need this.

I think we should say, "should McCain and Obama" instead of presidential candidates because it sounds like we're talking about all of them (including Nader and Barr) getting in a room to work on a solution.

Are any of these political ones NOT partisan?

Joe Klein isn't impressed

I think that works, brian...

 On the fence with this one, it's clearly a political stunt by McCain to derail O's growing lead, and create headlines and distraction from his lobbyiest ties, etc...What good will he or Obama do in resolving this crises...it seems like the debate on this issue at WIS would be partisan in nature, especially since Obama is going to call McCain out on his chicanery, any minute now...

Should the presidential candidates suspend their campaigns until congress votes on a bailout proposal?

What think?
 

No, because McCain is supposedly AGAINST the bill.  He's talking about resolving the crisis, not pushing the existing bailout proposal through.

Reid wants 'em to stay away. 

Also, if we add the "delay first debate" clause, we're time-stamping the issue too close to the event.

My suggestion:

Should the presidential candidates suspend their campaigns until congress votes on the $700 billion bailout proposal?

Isn't the point of suspending the campaigns about pushing the bill through?

Yeah, I see your point about how "suspend their campaigns" would cover both.

I think it's probably best to either ask about Tom Delaying the first debates or suspending the campaigns... wouldn't delaying the debates be apart of campaign suspension? If they delayed them and didn't do anything other than usual campaigning, then there wasn't a point and the media would go on a feeding frenzy against McCain for suggesting it...

Jeena, you beat me to it! Nice. It's a little wordy but it may all be necessary.

McCain wants to delay Friday's debate!

TPM

Wording might need to be shortened -- either just "suspend campaigns" or just "delay first debate."