Debate Still In Limbo

Democrats Blame McCain For Interrupting Process Of Reaching Bailout Plan Compromise

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Michael D. Shear and Jonathan Weisman.

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The first debate between John McCain and Barack Obama, scheduled for tonight, remained in limbo last night after the presidential candidates left a White House meeting without a deal on a $700 billion economic rescue plan.

Democrats immediately blamed McCain for disrupting the effort at compromise, saying his decision to suspend his campaign and return to Washington shifted the klieg lights of the White House contest to the tense and delicate congressional negotiations.

Those discussions, which had appeared promising early in the day, culminated in the late-afternoon meeting held by President Bush. But instead of producing a joint statement of success, McCain and Obama slipped out of a gathering that those present described as contentious and unproductive.

"What this looked like to me was a rescue plan for John McCain for two hours," said an angry Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), who had all but declared the deal done earlier in the day. "To be distracted for two to three hours for political theater doesn't help."

In interviews after the meeting, Obama pointed a finger at his rival for the faltering talks, saying on CNN that "when you start injecting presidential politics into delicate negotiations, you can actually inject more problems, rather than less."

His spokesman Bill Burton was more blunt, accusing McCain of turning "a national crisis into an occasion to promote his campaign. It's become just another political stunt, aimed more at shoring up the senator's political fortunes than the nation's economy."

In response, senior McCain adviser Steve Schmidt accused Obama of playing politics, saying the negotiations had been far from resolved and challenging the Democratic nominee to "publish the list of members of Congress who were going to vote for this. Because in reality, there is not a list of a majority of Democrats and Republicans who are willing to vote for it."

McCain said he is "hopeful" that a deal can be reached soon, despite opposition from many House Republicans who have consistently balked at the bailout cost and produced a far different proposal in the 11th hour yesterday.

"There are a variety of concerns, I think a lot of them have been satisfied," McCain said on ABC's "World News Tonight" after the meeting. "And I believe and I'm hopeful that we can satisfy all of them and move forward very quickly. They are aware of the urgency."

Obama and McCain both held out hope that they could still meet in Oxford, Miss., tonight for their long-scheduled first debate as they settled in to overnight in Washington. "I think he knows that I'm going to be there," Obama said in his own appearance on ABC. But McCain's campaign said that no travel decisions had been made as of last night.

"I understand how important this debate is and I am hopeful," McCain said on ABC News.

The independent Commission on Presidential Debates said yesterday that it is "moving forward" with its plans for the face-off.

[gop_will_win]

This is just like they did in 2000 and 2004 for another decorated war veteran, President Bush. The GOP always has a candidate who served well in the military and his fellow soldiers are always there to support them.

[twig221]

It is sad that support is based on him serving but not on what he has done lately for soldiers. Yes he was in the Navy and was a POW. But what about the soldiers coming home from these current conflicts who need help and John voting nothing to help them. If he can criticise Obama for voting against funding because the bill was open ended, then why is he not being criticized for voting against bills to help the soldiers because those bills contained other things he did not like. Just like President Bush, John wants it both ways when it suits him. Look past the POW issue and what he has done in the last 8 years.

[tonyd_31]

I am a veteran and I am proud to say that I will support the Democratic Ticket of Obama/Biden. John McSame and Palin will not get my vote and I will do everything I can and talk to all my other fellow vets in making sure that Obama/Biden are elected.

[mdean05]

...I wear a bracelet too - discusting how this would be president is playing on the emotions of this woman''s son for his political gain... Come on now people WAKE UP!!

[mdean05]

Good point Mcliar -

But I saw Obama''s comeback with the statement that he wears a bracelet too, only put McLame in his place that he could not use the bracelet card in this debate..

[saj210]

Why were so many of the veterans hospitals, etc., in such disrepair? What did McCain do to remedy that????

McCain is playing on the veterans emotions! If he were going to take care of them he should have started before the campaign! Or couldn''t he talk his mentor (Bush) into shelling out the money?!!!!

[ibzjem]

Did anyone else here see the protester at the RNC holding up a sign that read something like "McCain votes against Vets"? There were a few protesters that made it into the convention center and were distracting from the event.

[gop_will_win]

Did anyone else here see the protester at the RNC holding up a sign that read something like "McCain votes against Vets"? There were a few protesters that made it into the convention center and were distracting from the event.


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Posted by ibzjem
====================
Thats a shame. They should have been arrested and beaten senselessly with black jacks.

[rdepontb]

McCain, America''s self-ordained "Senior Soldier," has a long way to go before he warrants support from our veterans. There are now literally thousands and thousands of returning military who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as traumatic brain injury (TBI). These inflictions of battle are difficult to guard against, difficult to diagnose, but all to clear in the devastation they are bringing in terms of spousal and family abuse, self-abuse, broken homes, lost career opportunities---a blight that is being perpetrated on succeding generations of our truly honorable fighting forces.

Some of the very earmarks McCain rails against are to support research and help in handling PTSD and TBI. That help is too late in coming for many families and individuals; programs here are in no better shape than the wallowing Veteran''s Administration health care facilities and programs.


WHERE HAS SOLDIER MCCAIN BEEN ON MILITARY HEALTH CARE ALL THESE YEARS? WHY SHOULD WE "TRUST" HIM NOW??

[rm1813]

It''s 3 a.m., a few months into 2009, and the phone in the White House rings. Several big hedge funds are about to fail, Whom do you trust to take that call? The odds are that the next president will have to deal with some major financial emergencies. We''ve known that Mr. McCain doesn''t know much about economics- he''s said so himself. That wouldn''t matter too much if he had good taste in advisers -- but he doesn''t. Remember, his chief mentor on economics is Phil Gramm, the arch-deregulator, who took special care in his Senate days to prevent oversight of financial derivatives -- that sank Lehman and A.I.G., and brought the credit markets to the edge of collapse. Mr. Gramm is still considered a likely choice as Treasury secretary. And when the McCain campaign announced that the candidate had assembled %u201Can impressive collection of economists, professors, and prominent conservative policyleaders%u201D to advise him on economic policy, who was prominently featured? Kevin Hassett, the co-author of %u201CDow 36,000.%u201D Enough said. To a large extent the poor quality of Mr. McCain''s advisers reflects thetattered intellectual state of his party. Has there ever been a more pathetic economic proposal than that we try to solve the financial crisis by eliminating capital gains taxes? (Troubled financial institutions, by definition, don''t have capital gains to tax.). At this point, one has the suspicion that a McCain administration would have us longing for Bush-era competence.

[baby54boomer]

To assume that all veterans are going to support McCain is simply folly. Those veterans have families that are suffering just like the rest of Main Street America. Having been raised in a military household I know that the life that those families lead is filled with hardship under optimum circumstance let alone with what has been happening these past 8 years. The republicans have really done nothing to ease that burden.

[missingamerica]

"More than 240 retired generals and admirals have endorsed McCain.."

Let me give you a clue, America.

A) Those guys have an AWESOME pension plan that includes wonderful healthcare - they are, after all, high-ranking officers - the "elites" of the military. They are as insulated from the realities of life in working America as Cindy McCain is.

B) They are taught and fully believe that they are entitled to sacrifice Americans to achieve their goals.

If McCain''s POW and veteran status is sufficient to prove his capability to be President, then why is Palin there?

Why didn''t McCain just go down to a VA center and pick a VP?

Hell, why is McCain himself critical?

There are lots of military men and women whose service was as tough or tougher - and who did not get away with crashing jets while goofing off because he or she was the child of Admirals.

lolll...if you have ever been in an O-club in southeast asia, you understand how stupid I think ANYBODY is who says somebody deserves more respect because "they were and officer and a gentleman".

[worstever2]

I respect our soldiers and our veterans, but upon seeing this story I have to ask

are veterans rallying around a veteran or just Repuklicans rallying around any republican candidate?

Where were the veterans around John Kerry, who was in a league of his own in terms of service to his country compared to BUSH?

What did veterans do then? They rallied around the Swift Boat, and sunk him.

Don''t give me this rallying around a veteran.

They are rallying around a republican.

Republican soldiers would vote for SATAN if he were the presidental candidate.

[nursehope]

Military service must have made these poor folks as crazy as McCain. McCain has voted against Veteran benefits!!!! This is like those women saying "I''ll vote for Palin, she''s just like me". I don''t want someone just like me....or I''d be President. I want someone better than me! OBAMA ''08

[stxz]

I wonder what percentage of those supporting veterans were commissioned officers and how many were enlisted cannon-fodder.

[stxz]

I wonder what percentage of those supporting veterans were commissioned officers and how many were enlisted cannon-fodder.

[missingamerica]

I wonder what percentage of those supporting veterans were commissioned officers and how many were enlisted cannon-fodder.

Posted by stxz at 11:17 AM : Sep 29, 2008

I wonder how long the coddled son of an Admiral would have lasted as a platoon leader on the line.

Being a jet jockey carries no associated implication of leadership skills.

[geezer40-2009]

This retired Army NCO gives due respect to John McCain for his military service and the POW camp that he endured, but those are not necessarily qualifications for the presidency, especially since he is reckless enough to choose Sarah Palin as his successor. I salute McCain for his service and cast my vote for Obama/Biden, who seem to care about the problems most Americans face.

[pirmin3]

Ah, the burger flippers rally around McSame.

[starleo146]

I wonder how long the coddled son of an Admiral would have lasted as a platoon leader on the line.

Being a jet jockey carries no associated implication of leadership skills.

Posted by ibsteve2u at 11:19 AM : Sep 29, 2008
+ repo

I agree once again this man has played the POW to the hilt, and for veterans to support a man who has voted NO on every bill brought to fore for veteran benefits is just unbelievable.Whomever Mc Same has as his PR man he is doing a great job of painting a man who called Pakistan a failed state and continues to send them money. I am looking at all this with new eyes , and the people better wake up don''t you think?

[midvale3]

I respect McCain for his military service but this Veteran backs Obama. There''s more involved in the Office of President than being a Vet and McCain''s choice of Palin raises serious issues to me. Your second in command needs to be ready to go, and she is not.

[starleo146]

all McShame knows to talk about is the war, war, and more war.
Are Americans really that stupid to listen to that moron? We are getting rid of one soon, let us not get another one of the same.


Posted by nikosk1 at 11:21 AM : Sep 29, 200

They are party first, they say country first is there slogan, but just stole Obama''s slogan CHANGE. These campaign managers have no pride of conscious only WIN is there motto, even if you have to lie over and over again.DEREGULATE IS HIS MOTTO,LOOK WHERE WE ARE WITH THE REPUBLICAN''S THEORIES. Mc Same and Bush has done such a disservice to his country we owe him nothing.

[ugot2bfree]

This whole thing comes down to a simple question. If you think the last 8 years of republican presidential management has been good. Then vote for the republican candidates for president. But if you feel as I do that the last 8 years has seen the biggest rip off of the American people in the history of this country then you would be a fool to put the republicans back in charge.

Oh you object because you say McCain/Palin are different republicans. Your right they are even more out of touch than Bush/Cheney. Palin is an extreme social conservative who is so ignorant that she believes that humans have only been on this Earth for a short time (20,000 years) and that evolution is a hoax.

You have McCain who his whole political career has been a champion of no-government oversight of financial dealings and we see what that has gotten us. He also was heavily involved in the last major financial crisis the Keating 5, Savings and Loan bail out. He is so audacious that though he chaired the committee overseeing gambling, he regularly(once a month) went to these same casinos with their lobbyist in tow and gambled. Surprise, surprise - he wins quite often when he goes!

So if you want 4 more like the last 8. Then vote for McCain/Palin

[ugot2bfree]

This whole thing comes down to a simple question. If you think the last 8 years of republican presidential management has been good, then vote for the republican candidates for president. But if you feel as I do that the last 8 years has seen the biggest rip off of the American people in the history of this country then you would be a fool to put the republicans back in charge.

Oh you object because you say McCain/Palin are different republicans. Your right they are even more out of touch than Bush/Cheney. Palin is an extreme social conservative who is so ignorant that she believes that humans have only been on this Earth for a short time (20,000 years) and that evolution is a hoax.

You have McCain who his whole political career has been a champion of no-government oversight of financial dealings and we see what that has gotten us. He also was heavily involved in the last major financial crisis the Keating 5, Savings and Loan bail out. He is so audacious that though he chaired the committee overseeing gambling, he regularly(once a month) went to these same casinos with their lobbyist in tow and gambled. Surprise, surprise - he wins quite often when he goes!

So if you want 4 more like the last 8. Then vote for McCain/Palin

[pastdue1]

More than 240 retired generals and admirals have endorsed McCain, and veterans -- mostly older ones . .

This sentence alone should tell you something about his band of brothers. We all know many veterans from the VietNam and Korean era who would never support McCain, particularly after his non support of veterans ~ veterans who do not have the resoources of the retired generals and admirals. This is what one should really call elitist. Many older VietNam and Korean veterans have gotten awfully tired of his using his POW experience as a political tactic, and it has caused them to lose respect for him.
Today''s Iraq veterans are noticing what McCain stands for and are increasingly against his stance. So the title of this article is somewhat misleading. It maybe should read ~ Admirals and generals back McCain

[photogeezer]

Your article has the familiar ring, that veterans can be counted on to vote for the right side of our divided house. DO NOT assume ANYTHING about veterans.

During the Democratic Convention, vets stood up for Obama. This was largely ignored by the press coverage of the event.

At least half of veterans of all wars stand for reasoned, rational foreign policy formulated by foreign policy experts, humane treatment of detainees, and decent treatment of veterans.

McCain fought the new GI Bill tooth and nail. Don''t forget that he is part of the neocon movement that wants to dismantle the VA health care and benefit system and throw the veterans to the wolves of the health insurance industry.

I served in Vietnam in 68. It is indeed painful to see my fellow vet McCain as unqualified to run our country and a phony on vets'' advocacy.

[rudy654-2009]

Oh how sweet. Are these the same swiffy bobbers who cared about Kerry so much?

[kissamaarse]

This veteran does not rally behind McCain. Give me grace under pressure any day, as demonstrated repeatedly by Obama, than constant lies, distortions and anger as amply demonstrated by McCain. McCain may have been military, but that does not make him a leader. At all.

[tonyd_31]

Some more bad news for the GOP faithful: Looks like more and more are getting on the Obama train and we are not even including the millions of new voters (which are overwhelmingly registered Democrat)...

First Thoughts: A Shift toward Obama (NBC News)
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann
*** A shift towards Obama: As the slew of recent national and state polls suggest, our new map reflects a shift in Obama''''s direction. Four new states have been added to our Toss-up category: three red states (Florida, Indiana, and North Carolina) and one blue state (Pennsylvania).

[starleo146]

Walter Reade Hospital should have been eye opener for the veterans...Bush/McCain had to be embarassed to fix it up!

Posted by zoe2006 at 11:15 AM : Sep 29, 2008
+ report abuse

Ignorance is the problem,How any of them can walk around is beyond me. Bush and Mc Same are a disgrace, they will lie, cheat, and twist everything to their advantage, and as I said," Ignorance" keeps them from seeing the real truth. All you saw all day on Sunday was Mc Same we are not getting both sides,and the people think is that all their is,Oh Well

[tonyd_31]

Military service must have made these poor folks as crazy as McCain. McCain has voted against Veteran benefits!!!! This is like those women saying "I''''ll vote for Palin, she''''s just like me". I don''''t want someone just like me....or I''''d be President. I want someone better than me! OBAMA ''''08

Posted by nursehope

Thank you for this wise and informative post. I don''t understand why most people do not know this. John McSame is reckless and will do anything (chose Palin as his running mate) or say anything to win (even lie through his teetch). The only person McSame would get my vote over is GW Bush (but then I would have to think long and hard)

[starleo146]

This country does not need another Jimmy Carter, although that is what the Deomocrats offer up, and their media ****** turn these tricks into news.



Posted by john43218 at 11:48 AM : Sep 29, 2008

Carter!!!! Not trickle down Saint Reagan, George Bush sr., George Bush Jr. No responsibility there huh. Bush has a printing press in the basement printing money faster than a rabbit have bunnies get a grip man

[tonyd_31]

thanks for your service. I do support our vets. But Iraq was not a necessary war, mismanaged, especially the loss of 4500 troops, over 20,000 troops mentally and physically challenged...then having to hear many veterans are homeless or struggling financially - all under the Bush/McCain administration. McCain should be embarassed -

Posted by zoe2006

You go friend! Keep telling them the truth!!

[starleo146]

Poor and pitiful poll takers, mostly frauds, and deceiful human scum trying to manipulate the public to vote in a real scary individual and they have no idea how scary it is. wow..

Posted by john43218 at 11:50 AM : Sep 29, 20

Why Obama 50% Mc Same 42%ticks you off huh love it

[bm6005]

They are all leftists with the same motive: the hatred of God and His people.
Posted by john43218

Wow, are you wacko!!!! Let Israel support it''s own *** self.

[tonyd_31]

This country does not need another Jimmy Carter, although that is what the Deomocrats offer up, and their media ****** turn these tricks into news.

Posted by john43218

We already know what you want which is another "Empty Suit" like Reagan and Bush but that has got the country into the mess we are currently in. Obama is not another Carter, he is a once in a generation candidate but even if he was like Carter, he is still head and shoulders over your candidates and the current Commander-in-chief. I never understood why the GOP wants "Empty Suits" anyway. Is it because of your disdain for government that you would rather have an empty suit or the guy from next door be the President?

[bm6005]

BTW I''m a vet and I think John McSame is NOT qualified to be prez and his understudy isn''t qualified to be a mayor of a small Alska town let alone prez when McSame kicks the bucket from a self induced stroke!!

[starleo146]

missed your bonus from the GOP. your repeatious trolling is boring - Palin''''s Nigerian Witch Hunter video and her interview with Curac...shut that door. Then the neocons want her out...McCain is a heartbeat away from death...McCain has cancer.

Posted by zoe2006 at 11:47 AM : Sep 29, 20

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

[tonyd_31]

They are all leftists with the same motive: the hatred of God and His people.

Posted by john43218

I love God and I love the people of the world (not just Americans). The only people that I really have a lot of disdain for (but not hate) is selfish, greedy, lying, corrupt, hypocritical REPUBLICANs.

Obama will do much more for veterans than McCain. This is all a Republican manufactured pseudo culture war meant to frighten people that Obama''s change means undermining middle american morality. More garbage, more of the same. In the next two debates more and more Americans will be able to see for themselves the true Obama and then the path will be clear. We need a calm, reasoned, insightful leader who bring dignity and vision to the presidency. We do not want to have to fear that our president is an impulsive, in our face, maverick in the uncertain times we face as a nation.

[midvale3]

Posted by zoe2006 at 11:47 AM

Palin is not leaving the ticket, no matter how desperately you liberal try, she''''s not leaving the ticket and will be elected Vice President of the United States, I can''''t make it more clearer than that, Hoe


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Posted by Minuteman-7 at 12:06 PM : Sep 29, 2008


If you are right (and I hope you are not) then the country truly is fvcked.

[starleo146]

Women Unite! The Democratic Party Hates Women! Never forget what they did to Hillary! They chose an Unqualified Man over a Very Qualified Woman again! Read Obama and the Democratic Parties SEXIST Comments Above and Below:

Posted by CBSCensorsU at 11:51 AM : Sep 29, 2008

OH NO YOU DON''T, MC SAME VOTED AGAINST EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN. OBAMA IS FOR THERE YOU GO AGAIN TWIST AND SHOUT, CALL YOURSELF OUT.

[pastdue1]

Please take a few trips to your closest veteran''s hospital and talk to the vets. You really won''t find any generals or admirals sitting in the waiting rooms. Ask the vets sitting waiting for benefits what they think. Ask the vets how they think they have been treated by the Bush/Cheney/McCain administration.

[starleo146]

Palin is not leaving the ticket, no matter how desperately you liberal try, she''''''''s not leaving the ticket and will be elected Vice President of the United States, I can''''''''t make it more clearer than that, Hoe


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Posted by Minuteman-7 at 12:06 PM : Sep 29, 2008

GOOD, IF SHE KEEPS IT UP WE WILL WIN BY A LANDSLIDE,SHE IS WAY OVER HER PAY GRADE, AND WAY OVER HER HEAD. HER ARROGANCE TO EVEN BE THERE IS JUST PROOF SHE DOESN''T GET IT

[tonyd_31]

Poor and pitiful poll takers, mostly frauds, and deceiful human scum trying to manipulate the public to vote in a real scary individual and they have no idea how scary it is. wow..

Posted by john43218

They only believe the polls when McSame is up a point or two. So comical. Well I read that pollsters said they may be shortchanging Obama 2-3 points because of all the new voter registrations which are overwhelmingly DEMOCRAT. So keep getting desperate and blaming all the networks and media. I have a great analogy for you GOP faithfuls: A military formation is marching and suddenly they are directed to make a "right-face" and everyone turns but one soldier as he makes a "left-face". He thinks he is right and everyone else is wrong. That is how I feel about the GOP faithful.

[starleo146]

Yeah, f-cked for Liberalism, and your hope and plans to turn this country into a socialist european country will be f-ked, conservatism will prevail and this country will be on the road to recovery again, with lower taxes, reform and fiscal and individual responsibility

Posted by Minuteman-7 at 12:11 PM : Sep 29, 2008


JUST LIKE I SAID "IGNORANCE".

[umaybeme]

John McCain skipped close to a dozen votes on Iraq, and on at least another 10 occasions, he voted against arming and equipping the troops, providing adequate rest for the troops between deployments and for health care or other benefits for veterans.

[tonyd_31]

Veterans are doing 2 or 3 tours of duty, most to support their families and livelihoods, especially with the loss of 600,000 jobs. Bush/McCain made not provisions for our armed forces. Our soldiers under Clinton, during Kosovo were treated with respect and no lives were lost -

OBAMA/BIDEN ''''08 respect our veterans.

Posted by zoe2006

Keep going friend. Just keep the facts coming so the GOP faithful can see how misguided they are.

[umaybeme]

John McCain skipped close to a dozen votes on Iraq, and on at least another 10 occasions, he voted against arming and equipping the troops, providing adequate rest for the troops between deployments and for health care or other benefits for veterans.

[umaybeme]

John McCain skipped close to a dozen votes on Iraq, and on at least another 10 occasions, he voted against arming and equipping the troops, providing adequate rest for the troops between deployments and for health care or other benefits for veterans.