Debate Uncertainty

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Campaign '08

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(WASHINGTON) On the morning of the first presidential debate, it still remains unclear if the debate will even take place. As far as Barack Obama is concerned, it's still a go.

Despite drastically cutting down his debate prep to deal with the financial crisis, he will travel to Oxford, Mississippi early this afternoon. He is scheduled to do walkthrough of the debate site at the University of Mississippi at 1 pm.

Last night, Obama said the 90-minute debate is "the most important thing that John McCain and I can do," adding, "One of us is going to be in charge of this mess in 4 months and the American people, I think, not only have a right but have an obligation to find out where we want to take the country."

It still remains unclear whether John McCain will attend the debate. McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt told reporters last night that McCain is "excited and looking forward to these debates" but said that he is more concerned with what happens to taxpayers.

"The debate is important, but John McCain is fighting for 300 million Americans who face a terrible crisis right now. And he's going to continue to focus on that," Schmidt said.

After suspending his campaign on Wednesday, McCain said he would only attend the debate if an agreement on the bailout plan is reached by today.

Meantime, despite the uncertainty of McCain's attendance in Mississippi, his running mate Sarah Palin is scheduled to attend a debate watch party in Philadelphia tonight.

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by mattcat25 September 26, 2008 3:46 PM EDT: %u201Cme first%u201D would be a lot better for the average American instead of EXXON, HALIBURTON, JPMORGAN%u2026; Reply to this comment


by stevemehere September 26, 2008 3:41 PM EDT: Hey McCain....Main St is so grateful to you and your buddy Lieberman...man you guys should be on Heroes.

By the way, did you hear your buddy Lieberman talk about Freedom of Speech on Morning Joe (sep 26)?

Remember how your storm troopers threw out a lady who lives on Main St when she arrived with a sign saying something you didn''t like. Freedom of speech...what a joke....you only believe in the constitution when it benefits you.

You and Lieberman are hypocrites

Just in case you forgot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Oo_pMMBr8; Reply to this comment


by DCropp September 26, 2008 1:59 PM EDT: It was just announced, McCain will be at the debate.

TV stations are also reporting they have been told to run McCain ads starting tomorrow.; Reply to this comment


by ethel08 September 26, 2008 12:29 PM EDT: If McCain would have dropped everything a week and a half ago, I might have had more sympathy for him. But to head to Washington just over 24 hours before the first presidential debate--only to attend one White House meeting and say nothing--seems to have created more headaches than help.

Haven''t we had enough of politicians who hole themselves up in Washington meetings and refuse to talk with the people? This seems to have been the strategy of the entire McCain since the convention. They won''t answer questions, and then tell us that we should just trust that they will do the "right thing," without even giving details about what they propose to do.

If McCain is going to save the day, why hasn''t he even made it clear where he stands on the competing plans?; Reply to this comment


by gonzo510 September 26, 2008 12:09 PM EDT: The debate should go on. McCain is trying to look like a leader by exerting his power over the situation. Unfortunately he just looks like a confused old man.; Reply to this comment