Not in the slightest. There are plenty of Illinois politicians representing Illinois interests, particularly in this area. If one of them wants to run for POTUS, no skin off my nose.

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

The gentleman you are addressing has made over 13,000 posts. These provide ample evidence that he doesn't have anything of value to offer this forum.

You are 100% correct.

If the forthcoming debate was not supposed to be centered around Foreign Policy, but domestic policy/finances, instead, Obama might have a point.

McCain is not out to cancel the debate - was looking to delay it until Congress - of which he and B.O. are [allegedly] members - gets this mess ironed out. Should only be a few days, tops.

Nope, truth is, Obama knows he has nothing to offer the goings-on in Washington other than one vote of 100, so he decided to gamble on the "political opportunity" to make McCain look incapable of "multi-tasking" - to appear a "coward" for wanting to delay the debate (ROFL...B.O. couching McCain as craven...that's rich!).

Tell me, people, how does the timely execution of a debate on foreign policy take precedence over this current mess of historic proportions? It doesn't. Quit whining just because you wish the situation were reversed! Don't pin your hopes on B.O. showing leadership and bi-partisanship because neither are present in his track record. He is what he is.

McCain, however, has plenty to offer the discussion. He can deliver the GOP votes needed to strike a compromise - or not. The Dem legislature is not going to start following B.O.'s lead, now, because they never have before. Remember the whole "junior legislators [constantly on the campaign trail, no less] are not leaders" thing?

B.O., your chickens will come home to roost on this one. You just kick back in Florida with the "call me if you need me" attitude. You were given an opportunity to appear "needed" and fumbled the ball. Emperor's New Clothes and whatnot.

Both could have appeared winners in this. The could have both had equal input and taken this mess right out of the campaign - where it currently does neither party any good. This was not political nor a stunt on McCain's part - but it will have the effect of a successful one, 100% thanks to B.O.'s ill-advised handling of it.

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"Compassionate Conservatism"?!?! That is a stupid phrase. Conservatism is inherently compassionate. It is liberalism that is cruel for the sake of maintaining a constituency.

What a stupid debate.

Chris Dodd admitted late last evening that McCain hasn't put in one call to the Banking Committee or to anyone negotiating this thing, and that Obama's been on top of it for a couple weeks now.

It's a strawman argument to say that McCain is somehow taking a leadership stand here. Absolutely fucking ridiculous no matter which way you look at it.

Which, for this year, hasn't really included John.

Isn't there a way for him to say yay or nay without being there in person?

Also if the news media would stop focusing on why and how these two ended up going back to DC and whether its a stunt and who stands to gain, then it would be a welcome 3 or 4 day break at the least from the campaign for all of us, surely the longest campaign in history must be annoying a lot more people than just me?

Said the Democratic chair of the (Senate) banking commitee of the Democratic nominee for President.....

There isn't a legit editorial board in the country that thinks it prudent for everything to just stop so that the candidates can waste time by politicizing the negotiations in Washington. Because no matter what anyone says, that's what today is going to end up being.

With 40 days left and an economic crisis on our hands, a great discussion and debate about just this economic topic would be more helpful to people than all the grandstanding and theatrics. However, everyone is just caving into fear yet again (isn't America ever going to learn?), they're going to sign off on this thing, then their going to have a debate about foreign policy, and by the time they get to their economic debate two weeks from now, we'll have learned exactly what the hell they signed onto.

It's so fucking backwards and dismal and retarded in every way.

Chris Dodd is a respected guy; he's not known as a hack.

And it's true because first McCain was asleep at the wheel, and his bi-polar disorder kicked in this week and he overreacted.

1) We're all Georgians!

2) Drill Here, Drill Now!

3) Sarah Palin is my soulmate!

4) Fundamentals of the economy are strong!

5) The sky is falling! the sky is falling!

6) Suspend! Suspend!


In just over one month's time, his true colors have been revealed. He's all emotion and instability, bellicose then retracting it, not getting the economy and then completely overreacting.

It's all the downside of being a "maverick".

It's true that many Americans vote for the candidate they'd like to have a beer with. But not for the candidate they feel like they have to take care of because they're drunk and disorderly.

This time they'll vote for the one who offers a reassuring tone and a level head. Love him or hate him, Barack Obama is going to win, because in the last day or so, with McCain acting like a freshman and Bush playing the fear card again, Florida is probably filled with a ton of anxious grannies playing mahjong and cribbage today.

A debate happens against a political background, the political background this week is not very favorable to McCain.
The debate will include the economic crisis, despite the fact that it's supposed to be "Foreign Policy".
This is the debate where McCain is supposed to shine, it's his strong suit, and it will be substantially diluted by the current crisis.
And Obama will have the opportunity to lay the current crisis at the feet of John McCain and the GOP who have been trying to deregulate markets for decades.
So naturally McCain wants to postpone it for a couple of weeks if he can so the bailout is in the rearview mirror and not the hottest topic on the agenda.
You can bet that if US troops had emerged from some cave in Afghanistan with the fresh killed body of Osama bin Laden, McCain would want the debate to happen, because that would create a background favorable to him.

Obama wants the debate to happen, because it mutes McCain's foreign policy edge, and takes place against a background where he gains the advantage.

Both men are engaged in political maneuvering, but in this case Obama is coming from a position of strength, and McCain is coming from a position of weakness, McCain's doing what he has to do, knowing it will probably fail, but he has to try on the long shot chance it may succeed, but the alternative is to walk into a buzz saw doing nothing. So this is a move where McCain has a lot to gain, but very little to lose, even though he will probably lose this round.

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“ The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state.”

Adam Smith , The Wealth of Nations 1776

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics"
FDR's second Inaugural Address

He got cushy deals on his mortgage and now is criticising the bailout plan for what it may give as parachute payments to CEO's....yeah, really stuff that defines his status as being "a respected guy" huh?

I don't disagree with the rest of your post about McCain's campaign being disaster though. (but what have you got against Mahjong?)

Nothing against it; I love it; I miss playing it with my gramma who died last year; just making an observational.

GOOB! Didn't you hear?! It's 40 days before the presidential election, this is not the time for politics!

Debate commission is having a little press conference right now on CNN.

Oh, my bad, it was Gov.Haley Barbour talking. Never heard that guy before; like him.

Sorry about your grandma. (I usually enjoy the quests with the gold tiles at the end rather than the never ending ones which are time based).

Hailey Barbour doesn't seem to share John's decision to postpone the debate.