News and Politics | September 24, 2008 | 131 comments

Obama says debates should go forward

source: http://thepage.time.com/2008/09/24/obama-reacts-to-mccain-proposal/

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Responding to John McCain's calls to suspend campaigning and postpone the debates, Barack Obama says the debates should proceed as planned, saying that the American people need to hear where the candidates stand more than ever during a crisis. He also said the President needs to be able to handle more than one issue at a time and that he would do whatever was needed to help with the situation.
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131 comments // Obama says debates should go forward

  • wholefreespirit
  • pigmonkey
    • 0
      pigmonkey  

    • Politics aside my a**. McCain avoiding the debates IS a political move. The media and the debates are McCains worst enemies right now, that is why he is avoiding them both. Imagine the media blackout if he becomes president. Scary!

    • 3 years ago
  • Wreyeter
    • 0
      Wreyeter  

    • Spot on: Obama's statements about (1) this is exactly the time the American people need to hear from the person who, in a short period of time, is going to be handling this mess and (2) a president needs to be able to handle more than one thing at a time. Excellent job Obama!

    • 3 years ago
  • telekinesis
    • 0
      telekinesis  

    • McCain needs more time to write cheat sheets

      This debate is only what, an hour and a half? Pfft, McCain can spare that out of a whole 24 hours to debate. Poor excuse!

    • 3 years ago
  • synclaire
  • jjmaster
    • 0
      jjmaster  
    • synclaire:

      Yes, but the questions are rigged for their propaganda... I'd like to ask Obama why he will not commit to Al Gore's 10 year energy plan to reduce CO2 emissions. I'd like to hear everything that he has to say about Corporate America. I'd like to ask them both if they would not mind feeding their children and relatives foods that have started from seeds with pesticides in them, in a ground that has been saturated with Round-up Ready, then watered with arsenic, flouride, PCB's, and Dioxin, et al, sent to the shop for irradiation, stuffed in plastic and prepared for their supper? Should I go on with the many questions that I would ask both of those "patriots."

    • 3 years ago
  • NeoDotCom
    • 0
      NeoDotCom  

    • I thought it was a brilliant move by Obama to avoid the McCain bait. If he truly was interested in 'Country First' a Joint statement or appearance would have been sufficient.

      McCain has painted himself in a corner and appears to be a politically unprepared novice who lacks the temperament to be president. I thought he had the experience...

    • 3 years ago
  • surefirenelc
    • 0
      surefirenelc  

    • dooooooooooooood. Obama killed it! yes!!

      i mean like....ugh.... I can't even....his responses are so damn smart and on point it gives me chills of pride. like i like this dude, i really do. get em Barak!

    • 3 years ago
  • wholefreespirit
  • crob80227
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  

    • Well actually, a member of Congress should be able to 'campaign' and do their job at the same time too... haven't seen that however for the last two years from either of them which makes this little back and forth between them quite laughable.

    • 3 years ago
  • wholefreespirit
    • 0
      wholefreespirit  

    • McCain was just trying to one-up Obama. Obama personally called McCain in the early morning to suggest making a joint statement about the economy, McCain agrees.....waits a few hours and then, through the media, puts out a request for the debates to be postponed.....whatever. He's scared to death of the debates. And like the Obama camp said....being president is not an easy job...let's see if McCain can walk and chew gum at the same time. " The only thing that has changed are the polls"

      Kick ass Obama!!

    • 3 years ago
  • Taigster
  • mdgelly
  • huntre
  • rwylie
    • 0
      rwylie  

    • I think McCain's campaign delay is so phoney; he has admitted willingly that he is no good with economics, no one needs him to fix anything.

    • 3 years ago
  • PoisonTheMonkey
  • isnamthere
    • 0
      isnamthere  

    • why don't they work on the economy during the debate....with the American people. Change the topic of the debate back to the economy, both tell how they view the bailouts and what should be done. Then let the American people decide which plan they like the best.

    • 3 years ago
  • LightsFromTOKYO
    • 0
      LightsFromTOKYO  

    • Old Johnny thought he was going to get away with that low blow for a delay. Bringing the "country first". Pssh!

      Old Johnny just needs/wants more time to study some.

      But Obama came out very well with his response.

      The plot thickens.

    • 3 years ago
  • PWNtheVOTE
  • stone246
    • 0
      stone246  

    • this is messed up I think that OBama dropped the ball on this one and this is not cool at all. McCain clearly will be seen as the guy who walked the talk . McCain may be playing politics on this one but he should've caved in on this one.

    • 3 years ago
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • stone246:

      Caved on this one? Why? The debate is at 9:00 at night. They both have planes. There is no real reason to cancel a Friday night debate, its grandstanding. Phony righteousness! People should be smart enough to know its Strategery, better to have a bad plan than no plan at all.

      John McCains plan is to actually cancel the Palin Debate. Shes not ready to lead a political campaign, how will she be ready to lead the country? Dont be misled.

    • 3 years ago
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • stone246:

      GRAND PLAN!

      From CNN Correspondent Dana Bash

      (CNN) — McCain supporter Sen. Lindsey Graham tells CNN the McCain campaign is proposing to the Presidential Debate Commission and the Obama camp that if there's no bailout deal by Friday, the first presidential debate should take the place of the VP debate, currently scheduled for next Thursday, October 2 in St. Louis.

      In this scenario, the vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin would be rescheduled for a date yet to be determined, and take place in Oxford, Mississippi, currently slated to be the site of the first presidential faceoff this Friday.

      Graham says the McCain camp is well aware of the position of the Obama campaign and the debate commission that the debate should go on as planned — but both he and another senior McCain adviser insist the Republican nominee will not go to the debate Friday if there's no deal on the bailout.

    • 3 years ago
  • CreditFigaro
  • neocongo
    • 0
      neocongo  

    • Spot on Mr Obama. The Obama campaign has acquiesced more than enough to McCain. There is a reason McCain wants to delay, and it's not any financial crisis. It's time to stop McPalin from slithering away.

    • 3 years ago
  • dissimulator
  • sgirgis72
  • rodbegbie
  • GatorMonkey
    • 0
      GatorMonkey  
    • sgirgis72:

      I think Obama did a great job with this. He's right too. It was actually the first thing I thought when I heard McCain wanted to postpone - Is he going to put blinders on every time something happens and ignore other issues to focus on one at a time? Postponing the RNC was one thing... I get doing that... But there is no need he should not be able to debate with Obama right now. Make the economy part of that debate...we'll get to really see what they are thinking. when their thoughts will really count.

      Obama is right. The president needs to be able to juggle multiple tasks.

    • 3 years ago
  • kaseymarie2
  • Dmitri_Molotov
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