Instead of working towards a fair, effective and appropriate proposal and solution for the credit/mortgage crisis on Wall Street, John McCain's stunt has led to an impasse:

[Senator] Dodd complained that late complications were making the episode sound more like “a rescue plan for John McCain,” the Republican presidential candidate, than one for the country’s financial system. It does no good, Mr. Dodd said, “to be distracted for two or three hours by political theater.”

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.

(Emphasis supplied.) Country first my as*.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Unbelievable that Gov. Sarah Palin could be Vice-President of the United States. She's practically sub-verbal and she makes no sense.

Here she is telling Katie Couric the bailout is about health care reform and that reducing taxes must accompany tax reductions. I kid you not.

Transcript below, along with her newest and absurd defense of her Russia is next door comment.

So the Great Photo Op occurred. President Bush was, properly, flanked by Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. McCain was at one end. Obama was at the other.

The entire circus was a bad joke. This was a disastrous play by John McCain imo. He looks like a fool playing politics, and lousy politics at that.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Sam Stein:

Barack Obama is committed to hosting a public, televised event Friday night in Mississippi even if John McCain does not show up, an official close to the Obama campaign tells the Huffington Post. In McCain's absence, the Senator is willing to make the scheduled debate a townhall meeting, a one-on-one interview with NewsHour's Jim Lehrer, or the combination of the two, the official said.

I bet McCain shows up.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

It's great to see Senator John McCain with his shoulder to the wheel on the Wall Street crisis by working hard in Washington in the tough negotiations in Congress lying about his regard for President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. He stood there and stated how much respect he had for President Clinton.

That's funny, because I remember when McCain did not have much respect for President Clinton at all: [More...]

The DKos/R2000 poll (9/22-24) has Obama up 6, 49-43. NBC/WSJ poll (9/19-22) has Obama by 2, 48-46. Fox/Opinion Dynamics (9/22-23) has Obama by 6, 45-39.

Gallup Tracker 9/21-23 has Obama by 3. Hotline 9/21-23 has Obama by 6, 48-42. LATimes/Bloomberg 9/19-22) has Obama by 4, 49-45.

ABC/WaPo 9/19-22) has Obama up 9, 52-43. CNN/Opinion Research 9/19-21 has Obama up 4, 51-47. [More...]

Context:

• Associated Press: Palin Once Blessed to Be Free From Withcraft
• Max Blumenthal: The Witch Fighter Annoints Palin
• KagroX at Daily Kos: Preacher Problem

John McCain may want to think twice before running new ads about Rev. Wright. His campaign said this week Wright could come up during the last 43 days of the election. Undoubtedly, the Obama campaign will ignore them and refuse to fight back with the Palin preacher videos, saying saying it's all about the economy, but the media won't and voters will see them. [More...]

Another sign John McCain's Hail Mary pass to use Sarah Palin to save his failing campaign isn't working: Time Magazine/CNN's swing state polls released today. The states polled: Colorado, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Montana and West Virginia

[T]he new poll suggests that the appeal of McCain's running mate Sarah Palin may not be as much of a game changer as some believed a month ago. Obama has a double-digit lead among women in Colorado, Michigan and Pennsylvania, while he ties with McCain in Montana, and is ahead only 3 points in West Virginia.

More good news on the independent/moderate voters: [More...]

Bump and Update: The New York Times reports the Bush meeting was "precipitated" by McCain:

The meeting with Mr. Bush on Thursday was precipitated by a call from Mr. McCain, who cast his request as a matter of urgent national priority. “Following Sept. 11, our national leaders came together at a time of crisis,” he told a small group of reporters, while reading the brief statement from a teleprompter, in a small ballroom at the New York Hilton Hotel. “We must show that kind of patriotism now.”

Could it be any more clear that McCain just made his second Hail Mary pass of this election? Is there anything he won't put second to his personal ambition of becoming President? At least his desperation is becoming transparent to all but his base -- even the media gets it.

Original Post

Bush Invites Obama to Bailout Meeting Tomorrow

ABC News reports:[More...]

Recently, President George Bush had been doing a Greta Garbo imitation. Personally I would love to leave George Bush alone, if he would leave the country alone. But alas, that is not to be just yet.

Tonight at 9:00 pm, Bush emerges from seclusion to tell the country how important it is that we do something about the Wall Street crisis. I assume he won't be asking for the "clean bill" Treasury Secretary Paulson proposed this weekend. But maybe he will - the man is insane.

In any event. any time we see Bush, it is good for Democrats politically. So welcome back President Bush. We'd like to see more of you the next 40 days. After that, I assure you, we will let you alone.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

This strikes me as just plain weird:

Mr. McCain said that after speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on Thursday, he would return to Washington to work on the bailout package.

(Emphasis supplied.) Can someone explain to me how time is of the essence requiring cancellation of the Presidential debate but it does not require McCain to cancel his appearance at the Clinton Global Initiative?

In the scheme of things, it seems to me a discussion of the credit/mortgage crisis on Wall Street with his opponent to be the next President is a lot more important than his appearance at the Clinton Global Inititiative. Why isn't McCain going to be in Washington TONIGHT?!?? Why is he not going to be in Washington tomorrow?!?!?!

This makes no sense. Clearly this is a stunt by McCain.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Via Kos, SUSA snap polled the McCain debate stunt:

The first debate between John McCain and Barack Obama is scheduled to take place in two days. Should the debate be held as scheduled? Should the debate be held, but the format changed to focus on the economy? Or, should the debate be postponed?

Hold as scheduled 50
Hold with focus on economy 36
Postpone 10

More...