Wonkette
Boy howdy, you could tell after seeing that new Washington Post/ABC News poll this morning that McCain would need one helluva muppet stunt to get himself a farthingworth’s of non-horrendous attention. So now he is being a Maverick and suspending the debate, so that he can fly back to Washington to get in the way of the grown-ups and screw up their negotiations. The Obama campaign has released a preliminary response to McCain’s proposal, which shows that the two were planning on making a joint statement about the economy until McCain randomly told everyone he had cancelled the debate. Good lord…
From Obama spokesman Bill Burton:
At 8:30 this morning, Senator Obama called Senator McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal. At 2:30 this afternoon, Senator McCain returned Senator Obama’s call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement. The two campaigns are currently working together on the details.
So at 2:30 McCain calls Obama back to say, “Sure MY FRIEND, we will issue a joint statement… it will be great for us both!” And within minutes his campaign calls the teevee networks, on his own accord, telling them the debate will be cancelled. News to the Obama people! That is not very JOINT to us, mmhmm, no way.
We were kind of looking forward to the debate. Hilarity! But, of course.
I can’t even think of a joke, I’m so spitting mad.
What better way to not lose a debate? What a wimp…I thought being a POW for 5 years was supposed to be evidence that WALNUTS! had cojones.
Obama was actually talking to Bin Laden. McCain was talking to himself. Obvious misunderstanding.
He’s trying to avoid a Stockdale Moment: “Who am I? Why am I here?”
Is this fucking shit legal? WTF is up with that senile viagara person with the soft peen?
Surely someone has to put a stop to this ish!
Really John? Really? This is the best idea that you and your high-priced, arugula-eating consultants could come up with?
…bonerkill.
So, this isn’t even a good stunt. If a poor economy = good for Obama, then why would McCain want to emphasize that poor economy? Shouldn’t he keep up with the strong fundamentals bs? (Though hopefully reworded a bit so it sounds slightly less insanely ridiculous?) Does this stunt not call EVER SO MUCH MORE attention to a shitty economy? I’m a news junkie, so the bad economy is no surprise to me, but my reaction this whole thing at first was “Holy shit, I guess the economy must really be completely in the shitter!” And then I started packing my bindle, because if Old Man Grumps here is worried then we must be headed for a situation that makes his five and a half years in the POW camp look like a stroll in the park. Those who weren’t worried before have now been told to scramble and horde weapons for the coming apocalypse by McCain himself.
Fuck it, Obama should agree to cancel the debate but tell all the networks he isn’t canceling and show up anyway.
Is the WALNUTS! campaign really falling to pieces right before our eyes?
The fundamentals of his debate preparation aren’t strong…
Just fuck you old man, you lying bastard! “Bipartisan” is republican for “date rape”.
Ironically suspending one’s campaign is…actual campaigning.
Country first! Yeah, right.
so if you don’t show up that’s a forfeit right? obama wins by default.
obama 1 mccain 0.
the end
Obama should debate a cardboard cutout of McHamburgler, just to drive the point home. 90 minutes of precious Obama sarcasm, you know he’s been dying to let it out too.
We will live-blog that motherfucker anyway!!!!
All I can see is Buck in Blazing Saddles, holding a gun to his own head, telling the crowd to calm down or the n***** gets it.
Mel Brooks wrote this script a long time ago.
Hitler did a similar thing to avoid his first radio debate with Hindenburg. The next day the Reichstaag burned to the ground.
JimBob: FIVE AND A HALF YEARS, ALAN! FIVE AND A HALF YEARS, ALAN!! You libtards always defame Panama Jack “Juan” McCain by implying that it was for a mere 5 YEARS.
McCain reminds me of the kid who promised he would let you out of a headlock if you would let go of his balls and after you let go on three would try to get you in a headlock again. Fortunately, Obama’s swift enough to land a good solid shot to McCain’s nads.
Godless Liberal: Let’s just go ahead with the scenario we all have been wanting since the beginning of the month: Obama shows, McCain sends Palin. Those two hash it out. McCain does one debate with Biden. Nobody watches, everybody wins.
stew: you’re obviously trying to get me fired.
John McCain: Cockblocker
Even Neil Boortz said this a fucked up move by McNasty.
Obama’s telling the senile bag of melanoma to jam it. He is my one and only mancrush.
I really, really hope America starts to realize that the GOP is offering up a ticket with a confused, crotchety retiree and his vapid, sheltered trophy wife.
Does anyone know if a delay would also mean a delay of the VP debate and buy Caribou Barbie some more time too?
keepinitrealyo: The only part of that scenario that is even close to what I have been wanting since the beginning of the month is Obama and Palin, except I want to see him giving her a Roman helmet for the ages.
well, i think we should have a party in old grumpy’s absence. you know, break out dad’s booze, crank up the stereo, not answer the phone, blame the snowbilly when he shows up late (and bitching at us to get off the lawn).
stew: Really? I was waiting for the conservative media people to start frantically jacking off to Jammakain’s COUNTRY FIRST PATRIOTISM.
It’s gotta be difficult being on Obama’s campaign staff because, like the Palin pick, McCain did somthing so bat-shit insane that there’s no reasonable response that could be made.
And the next muppet stunt: Jamakain appears to die on camera. Later it’s revealed that Rick Davis had slipped him a neuroparalyzer drug compound to simulate death.
It seems McCain is pulling out the “Mike Tyson Strategy”, trying to disqualify himself during the bout to avoid losing. Hopey better watch out for his ears!
My 8-ball was right about the debate, again! It said “Try again, later”. Brilliant…
this reminds me of the entire GOP flying to washington in their pajamas to save poor sad teri schaivo.
evolutionista: There’s no crying in baseball, and a forfeit is 9-0.
WTF is a “muppet stunt?” Stop making up new words, you guys!
Am I the only one who thinks that this is borderline brilliant? What the American Public sees is a man who is willing to suspend his campaign to do the business of the people. If Obama tells him to stick it, then he’s branded as putting himself first. If Obama agrees he is seen as following John ‘The Maverick’ and not leading. Plus the added bonus of getting out of a debate that he was sure to lose - one that may NEVER be rescheduled, thus compressing the amount of time that the American Electorate have to choose a candidate based on anything but advertisements. The staffer in the McSame campaign who came up with this idea needs a raise, IMHO.
bontster: I agree– the stunt might be just crazy enough to work because right now it puts Obama in a box. That is, unless of course, people see right through it for the gimick it is, but…. this is one time I’m not glad to be temping because I went to see how crazy the cable news channels are right now
bontster: Knowing the American people, this will be seen as a part of McCain’s dedication and love of the flag and further proof that Obama is a selfish prig who only cares about things like “policy”, “initiatives” and “leadership.”
Hooray For Anything: Barry needs to announce that he’ll go ahead and send Biden to Washington, and tell McCain that he can send his eminently qualified vp to do whatever task he won’t be available for. Oh and then he should tell McCain to suck it.
“so that he can fly back to Washington to get in the way of the grown-ups and screw up their negotiations”
Jim, this is why you deserve every golden bed you own. Hell, go buy another one right now.
After all his militaristic bravado, McCain’t ducking Obama looks wimpy, not “crazy enough to work.” It confirms his own party’s many, many suspicions about him (Bush would wade right in, sound totally moronic, and lean on friendly media to pronounce him victorious). McCain’t isn’t The White Stuff that the GOP is fond of, and Palin is slowly proving an embarrassment to all but the most hardcore right wingers. Johnny can’t lift his hands above his ass, and she can’t get her brains any higher. It ain’t goin’ so good, which is what the GOP center thought when they let Johnny walk the plank. He’s looking more and more like the Goldwater of the 21st century — but it’s still a long way to Tipperary.
bontster: Yeah, but if Barry agreed to McNuggets townhallcrap this would have never have happened. Barry would be so braindead listening to bitterz, the bald guy would be takin him to the early bird special
Special Agent Jack Mehoff: I’m sure what a golden bed is a euphimism for, but Jim, do it and do it on some bank’s credit card that will get bailed out
Hey guys,
I just want to point out that redstate is claiming this as a “loose loose” for Obama.
http://www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/sep/24/masterstroke-or-political-suicide-mccain-hal/#comments
I can’t help but SIGH for them.
“Farthingsworth” is an awesome word and I’m using it as often as possible today because of this post from the poetic Jim Newell.