So John McCain comes out and says that he wants to “suspend” his campaign and put off the debate to deal with the economic crisis. This feeds his central campaign message–Country First–by making the case that McCain can rise above politics.
Early signs are that Obama is going to take this head on–he wants the debate to go on, and his advisers will try to paint McCain’s attempt to rise above politics as nothing more than more-of-the-same politics. David Shuster on MSNBC just quoted a blind Obama source saying “The president should be able to multitask . . . . The only thing that has changed is McCain’s standing in the polls.”
Obama has not spoken yet, so we don’t know how this will play out. But the indications are that both candidates think they have found an issue where they hold the winning hand. And they may both commit heavily to the pot. You can see it quickly unfold: Obama will claim that McCain is dodging debate and running scared. McCain will say that Obama is not willing to rise above politics. The debate over a bailout will become a debate over character. Congressional leaders will get involved, taking sides with their candidates. An economic crisis that needs less politics will be further politicized.
Both guys could bluff hard. But if my poker metaphor holds, only one will walk away a winner.
UPDATE: Obama just now in a presser says he wants to put aside partisan politics, but also debate on Friday. “With respect to the debates, it’s my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear form the person who in 40 days will be responsible for dealing with this mess. . . . In my mind, actually it’s more important than ever that we present ourselves to the American people.” He did not commit to come back to Washington, saying he did not want to “infuse Capitol Hill with presidential politics.” It’s a poker game, alright. And someone still might fold.
UPDATE TWO: The Obama campaign plays its opposition research card, after the jump.
HIGHLIGHTS OF MAJOR NEWS EVENTS ON DAYS OF PAST PRESIDENTIAL, VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
1960 DEBATES
Sep 26, 1960
Soviets announce ready to put first astronaut into space
Oct 7, 1960
Cuba accuses US of links to invasion
Pentagon curbs spending in light of trade imbalance
Oct 13, 1960
KRUSHCHEV BANGS SHOE ON DESK
Bomb injures 33 in Times Square in 3rd explosion in 11 days
US embargo on Cuba announced
Oct 21, 1960
KRUSHCHEV SAYS USSR HAS NUCLEAR SUBS
Gold price problems in world marketsSOURCE: Front pages of New York Times on debate day
1976 DEBATES
Sep 23, 1976
SEC probing US Steel, including Gerald Ford Congressional activities
Oct 06, 1976
Chinese nuke tests fallout on US soil
Oct 22, 1976
Swine flu vaccine leads the news
Oct 15, 1976 (VP)
Castro says CIA involved in crash of airliner of Barbados, won’t renew anti-hijack agreement with US.
Watergate: no investigation of Ford blocking probeSOURCE: NBC Nightly News evening of each debate via Vanderbilt TV News Archive
1980 DEBATES
Sep 21, 1980
Iran/Iraq war developments, including US role
Cutoff of rail access for West Germany to West Berlin.
Follow-up on Titan II Missile explosion earlier in week
Oct 28, 1980
Iranian parliament resumes debate on US hostages. Questions of arms to Saudi Arabia from US
Record loss for car company from FordSOURCE: NBC Nightly News evening of each debate via Vanderbilt TV News Archive
1984 DEBATES
Oct 07, 1984
Space shuttle Challenger difficulties in orbit
Oct 21, 1984
El Salvador reports CIA agents killed in plane crash
Oct 11, 1984 (VP)
Chief Justice Burger blocking abortion for retarded, dead, blind rape victim
Threats confirmed of plan to crash plane into US embassy in Middle EastSOURCE: CBS (10/7, 10/21) and CBS (10/11) Nightly News via Vanderbilt TV News Archive
1988 DEBATES
Sep 25, 1988
Oct 13, 1988
New stats on growing trade deficit
Oct 05, 1988 (VP)
US hostages in Lebanon
Elections/violence in ChileSOURCE: NBC Nightly News evening of each debate via Vanderbilt TV News Archive
1992 DEBATES
Oct 11, 1992
Reemergence of tuberculosis
Oct 15, 1992
Oct 19, 1992
Oct 13, 1992 (VP)SOURCE: New York Times, 10/11/92
1996 DEBATES
Oct 6, 1996
Oct 16, 1996
Oct 9, 1996 (VP)2000 DEBATES
Oct 3, 2000
Oct 11, 2000
Middle East violence erupts
Oct 17, 2000
Debate goes in the aftermath of the sudden death of Senator Mel Carnahan
Attack of USS Cole occurred 5 days earlier
Oct 5, 2000 (VP)
Middle East peace talks fall apartSOURCE: AP, 10/17/00; New York Times, 10/5/00, 10/11/00, 10/14/00
2004 DEBATES
Sep 30, 2004
“North Korea has said it has turned plutonium from 8,000 spent fuel rods into nuclear weapons.” [BBC, 9/28/04]
Fannie Mae Agreed To ‘Major Changes’ In Its Accounting And Management Practices. [New York Times, 9/28/04]
Oct 8, 2004
Oct 13, 2004
Oct 5, 2004 (VP)SOURCE FOR DATES: Commission On Presidential Debates (http://www.debates.org/pages/history.html)
NOTE: There were no debates in 1964, 1968 or 1972