Will the current crisis let McCain pass the mortgage reforms he sponsored but failed to pass in 2006?
In the most dramatic event of the Presidential campaign, Republican presidential hopeful John McCain has officially suspended his campaign and canceled public appearances so that he can return to Washington and be fully involved in efforts to put together legislation to meet President Bush's call for government support for the unstable mortgage and securities markets.…
Article comments
76 - handyguy
I think Dave has just explained, as transparently as he ever has in my experience, his whole way of operating:
Use half-truths and partial facts to construct your own reality - and simply ignore, or belittle, anything that might provide counter-evidence.
Then periodically accuse anyone who disagrees with you of actually being the one who is distorting the the truth.
And never, ever admit that you might possibly be in error.
77 - Dave Nalle
Handy, I've made my share of mistakes. But when I'm right I'm right and I'm not going to back down because I get harassed by a bunch of partisan die hards who can't even see the obvious truths about Obama and the dangerous agenda he represents.
And Baritone, Ayers actually helped raise thousands from other contributors as well. Plus I was thinking more about the Hamas spokesman who said: "We like Mr. Obama and we hope that he will win the election. I do believe that Mr. Obama is like John Kennedy, a great man with great principles. He has a vision to change America, to make it in a position to lead the world community, but not with domination and arrogance."
Dave
78 - Dave Nalle
Now we are in the midst of the biggest rip off in world history, coupled with the socialization of not only free markets but of hedge/risk capital. Where is Nalle talkin about socialism now eh? Not a peep out of him in that regard.
You may note that I haven't written for or against the bailout. I'm not willing to jump to a conclusion about it until we see just how bad it ends up being. It's possible they could still cut the bullshit and deal with the problems in a responsible way.
Dave
79 - Baritone
"And Baritone, Ayers actually helped raise thousands from other contributors as well."
If so, so what? Do you think Obama's gonna blow up the White House?
"Plus I was thinking more about the Hamas spokesman who said: "We like Mr. Obama and we hope that he will win the election. I do believe that Mr. Obama is like John Kennedy, a great man with great principles. He has a vision to change America, to make it in a position to lead the world community, but not with domination and arrogance."
So you hold Obama responsible for what Hamas says or thinks? While neither I nor, I would be willing to wager Obama, support Hamas, it is wrong to assume that everyone and everything that the members of Hamas say and do is evil or stupid. It is just possible that they understand things that we don't. That seems like a pretty level headed and reasoned statement. Is it subterfuge? Perhaps, perhaps not. Unless you have been a fly on the wall at Hamas meetings, and are conversant in their language, you can't have any real idea what their design was in making the statement above.
B
80 - Dave Nalle
If so, so what? Do you think Obama's gonna blow up the White House?
Ayers' target was actually the capitol building, wasn't it?
And I didn't say he WAS a terrorist, I said he was supported by terrorists.
None of which is why I oppose him.
Dave
81 - David Black
." I do believe that Mr. Obama is like John Kennedy, a great man with great principles."
Such a "great man" that he repeatedly cheated on his wife and kids with mafia whores. He let his equally deplorable father use his mafia connections to fix key union states in his favor as well.
The man and his whole philandering, dishonest, and murdering family were scum.
I cheered when two of them were assassinated. They got what they deserved.
That's how a real conservative would look at it.
82 - Lisa Solod Warren
Dave, because Hamas likes Obama, you ASSUME that means he is SUPPORTED by terrorists? Take logic in college, did you? Obama is the preferred candidate by all the world leaders which means he might restore some of our standing in the world, standing which George Bush singlhandedly destroyed. Which might mean we get our diplomatic muscle back. WHich might mean we can prevent, rather than start, a war or two.
83 - Cannonshop
Mr. Black, why do you keep bringing up a dead guy from Massachusetts? The current Democrat candidate resembles JFK in conduct and career about as much as any other forty-something guy with a pretty face does. You're adding elevator shoes to the Chicago Politician every time you make the comparison.
84 - Cindy D
"At the bipartisan White House meeting that Mr. McCain had called for a day earlier, he sat silently for more than 40 minutes, more observer than leader, and then offered only a vague sense of where he stood, said people in the meeting.
(snip)
Still, as a matter of political appearances, the day’s events succeeded most of all in raising questions about precisely why Mr. McCain had called for postponing the first debate and returned to Washington to focus on the bailout plan, and what his own views were about what should be done."
Good plan McCain. Charge back to Washington like you're going to save the world.
The problem is he can't think far enough ahead. He had no idea what to do once he got to Washington. His plan ended at grandstanding.
Quote from here.
85 - Clavos
Obama is the preferred candidate by all the world leaders which means he might restore some of our standing in the world...
Oh, right. "All the world's leaders" are motivated to restore US "standing in the world," 'cause we all know that the rest of the world looks to our shining example of democracy for guidance.
Might it not be that they prefer him because they see him as easier to manipulate for their own ends?
Are you really so naive as to think "all the world's leaders" want what's best for US? Are you including Ahmadinejad, Putin, Kim, Chavez, etc. in that group?
Outside of what Stan calls the Anglosphere, most of the world delights in seeing the US weakened and humiliated.
86 - Baritone
Like us or not, the fate of many countries across the globe rely upon the welfare and actions of the U.S. Yes, these countries have a vested interest in who sits in the WH. Is it cynical for them to be concerned for their own best interest?
As to who can be most easily manipulated, I believe the jury is still out on that one. That the governments of some countries perceive either McCain or Obama as being more or less malleable is immaterial.
I see McCain as a loose cannon. His volatility could wind up getting us all blown into a pink mist.
B
87 - Lisa Solod Warren
You know, Clav, you might try being a little less cynical. If we continue to assume that the whole world wants to blow us up, we might as well commit suicide en masse. I mean, what's the point? Why even bother with diplomacy or negotiation? Or let's just go in and bomb the hell out of everyone who we think hates us and then sort out the bodies later? One or two huge nuclear blasts should do it and if the U.S. survives, well, all the better. It's time for end times anyway?
You don't have kids, do you? Don't much care about seeing them grow up? You're old enough, have lived long enough. Are you ready to just kick the bucket and get it over with?
Not me. I have a fifteen year old and a twenty year old and I'm not nearly ready to go myself. Even my parents are still around, as well as my sisters and their children and I just got a brand new grand niece.
It would be nice to elect someone who could possibly repair some of the damage Bush has caused.
Call me a Pollyanna or an idealist if you want, but I am not ready to throw up my hands and admit defeat yet.
88 - El Bicho
"Handy, I've made my share of mistakes."
Like this article. The campaign was never suspended and McCain continued with at least a couple of public appearances, such as CBS News and the Clinton Initiative
89 - Daniel Miller
Lisa,
Here. Let me fix it for you: Obama is the preferred candidate by
allmany of the world leaders which means he mightrestore,further erodesome of our standingour influence in the world,standingwhich George Bush and most of his recent predecessorssinglhandedly destroyedsubstantially diminished.Cynical, I don't think so.
Perhaps you and/or I may change our views tonight, since the debate is now going forward.
Dan(Miller)
90 - Baritone
It now seems that Johnny has thought better of his getting entangled in this messy negotiation.
Before he arrived in DC yesterday, there had been an announcement of an "agreement in principle." It was only after McCain's getting involved that whatever "agreement" there had been, had vanished into the ether. A couple of Congressmen stated that they didn't want either McCain or Obama to get into the mix - that the whole negotiation was "delicate" and that the infusion of presidential politics could only disrupt any progress being made. That is apparently exactly what happened. The appearance of Obama and McCain became a distraction, a sideshow.
Obama came reluctantly, and only at the behest of the president. It had been his better considered opinion that it was preferable to remain at arms length from what was going on in DC. As it was, Obama was keeping abreast of the proceedings. Frankly, it's not clear that McCain was - especially since he revealed on Tuesday that he hadn't taken the time to even read the initial bail out proposal - all 2 and 1/2 pages of it.
Apparently, as I type, both Obama and McCain are winging their way to Oxford, Mississippi.
Good debating Senators!
B
91 - Clavos
Sorry, Lisa, "cynical" has yet to let me down, all my life - not gonna get all touchy-feely now.
No kids - didn't want 'em.
Wife has two nieces, both Wellesley alums, one's a waitress ("actress") in NYC, the other's about to marry a lawyer in DC (nobody's perfect); they're grownups, they don't need me (us) looking out for them.
I have a nephew, 14, and a niece, 10. They're self reliant, with their own touches of cynicism -- they'll be fine.
92 - Lisa Solod Warren
Wow. You ARE cynical.....
It's not a question of looking after, Clav. It's a question of love. And trying to leave some sort of world for them, rather than just using up this one and the rest be damned. You don't sound like a real happy man.
93 - Clavos
...trying to leave some sort of world for them...
What kind of world gets left for them is completely out of my (and your) control. I split the cost of the older girls' tuitions with their father and will pay all of the youngsters' education (they're poorer). That's a far greater determinant of what kind of world they'll live in than anything else I can do.
You don't sound like a real happy man.
Only fly in my ointment is my wife being a cripple, Lisa.
Otherwise, we're both very happy.
94 - handyguy
At least tonight's debate was relatively serious and issue-oriented.
I could have done without McCain's inaccurate refrain, "Sen. Obama just doesn't get it," although it's a play on the best line in Obama's convention speech.
It will be interesting to watch the poll numbers over the next few days.