In Case You Didn't Think McCain Was Grandstanding On Suspending his Campaign....

The sad part is that I think he has done real harm.

Only a preview of what he would do full time, if elected. This guy has lost his way, morally.

And now there is this: This Article

He is a detriment to the process and made it into a political move. This does not jib with his "country first" motto. It proves he is "McCain first" or "Election First" and that is sad and dangerous.

"I have craved distinction in my life," McCain wrote in his 2002 political memoir, "Worth the Fighting For." "I have wanted renown and influence for their own sake. That is, of course, the great temptation of public life. ... I have never been able to conquer it permanently, but I have tried."

Don't say he didn't warn us.

Wow! Sandy that gives me chills.

Carla, it did the same to me. It came from one of the articles Ron linked. I hope everyone will follow the links for the rest of the story. We already know the truth about John McCain but seeing this many people pull the old and new together really drives home the point.

My impression was that, by the time McCain actually got BACK to D.C. (after having lunch, checking into his hotel, doing an interview and doing ANOTHER interview), the vote had already been made 2 hours before...

""His decision amounted to a masterful political stroke.""
Worked then as the article goes on to say, and it is working this time too!
Despite what the Democratic political pundits say out there in the media or the looney lefties here on Gather, the public sees McCain as being willing to suspend his campaign for the sake of the country., Just like the Republicans did in response to the gulf hurricane and before when mcCain said better to lose an election than to lose the war.
You may believe that it is no more than a political stunt, the public doesn't see it that way. And now McCain gets to go down to the debate and say it looks like "WE" have come to a solution to the financial crisis, Obama not to be included in "WE", because he stayed behind to multitask.

But lets take a look at what has transpired the last few days.
McCain didn't just suspend his campaign because of the financial crisis but because he (as was Obama) was in contact with his fellow representatives and had heard of the Republican rumblings to come, while Obama was being told by the likes of Barney Frank "no problems everything is A O.K. we have it all fixed" being a good little Democrat Obama stayed put.

Tony S,
You are expressing your very wishful hopings, you are obviously extremely biased on the subject and couldn't discern the position of the public if someone wrote it down on paper and handed it to you.

Dan,

The Republican party has left McCain twisting in the wind on this one. They led him to believe a deal was imminent and that he could "put country first" by coming to town and taking the glory for getting over the goal line. Little did he know that Boehner was going to blow it all up.

Now McCain can't stake out a position on the bailout lest he anger one or the other waring Republican faction. And, he has to do an about face on his pledge to postpone the debate with Obama until a deal is done.

They fumbled this one badly. He looks like a meandering old fool.

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?memberId=128770&articleId=281474977458098

Regardless of McCain's motives, it is logical that all available members of Congress attend such an important time in Congress because what Congress does about the economy will potentially influence decades of the nation's economy. I don't really care if McCain is pulling a publicity stunt, because all I care about is that he is there representing his state, WHICH IS HIS JOB.

all I care about is that he is there representing his state, WHICH IS HIS JOB.

Hasn't it been his job throughout the campaign, T.J.? Are you upset with him for choosing only this one day to do his job, and making such a ME ME ME ME production of it? Couldn't he have done the same thing Obama did, which was work this and his campaign without trying to turn himself into a martyr?

"McCain's Vietnam heroism, on the other hand, continues to be so jaw-droppingly impressive that even David Letterman had to mention it Wednesday at great length before ripping into the candidate for ditching his show at the last minute. "

I heard this on Letterman too. I keep missing where someone becomes a hero because he is captured. What happened to heroes being like John Kerry charging while under fire or some GI diving on a grenade to save his men? What, exactly, is "heroic" about being captured? Near as I can figure it out, you become a "Hero" by putting on the uniform and I object to that line of thinking. I knew some bonafide heroes...and they never referred to themselves as heroes.

Should be a great debate....between the "Hero" and the reputed Muslim Terrorist. You tell me who it is that "Frames" these debates.

Sandy, that's why I don't think members of Congress should be paid for campaigning and never going work and am open to the idea of forcing resignations PRIOR to an election so they can campaign.

McCain has worked more days in Congress than Obama. Almost as soon as Obama was elected to the Senate, he began campaigning for president.

"Regardless of McCain's motives, it is logical that all available members of Congress attend such an important time in Congress because what Congress does about the economy will potentially influence decades of the nation's economy."

Actually he had no business there until it came to a vote. Both senators were being well informed. If it wasn't an election year, McCain wouldn't be involved in finance committee deliberations, because he's not on one. In point of fact other Republicans and Democrats, actually involved in the negotiations asked that they not inject presidential politics into this process, and indeed, McCain was locked out of banking committee deliberations there in the senate, and went to the house, who were more accepting. Then he proceeded to get involved in the plan that sunk negotiations so far. He hasn't showed up, not even for the new GI bill voting, and not since about April. This is a grandstanding job, obviously.

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"I don't really care if McCain is pulling a publicity stunt, because all I care about is that he is there representing his state, WHICH IS HIS JOB."

Right and his MIA status all year has not invalidated that approach at all. lol.

Ron, are you opposed to a senator actually being informed of the contents of a bill before voting for or against it? He didn't want to depend on the interpretations of staffers and the minority whip when deciding how to vote because this is so important, and yes, because this vote will affect the outcome of the election.

No TJ I'm just opposed to pretentious self serving politicos that pretend to do things for patriotic reasons. Seems the rest of the year he was more than happy to leave all this to staffers, too bad they couldn't vote for him. too, lol. McCain is hardly a part of the solution, he's been a deregulator all his life, and actually helped cause this mess. I can't possibly see where the old fossil has a damned thing to add to the solution, unless he's going to retire. This was purely a grandstanding ploy. Judging from the present results, it has failed miserably, too.

Tony S., Tonight, you're gonna see the substance McCain is made

Indeed, we did

Let's be clear: John McCain is offering nothing of substance

As for his Grandstanding, I've wriitten:

"I believe Senator John McCain made a strategic blunder in his forcefully and public move in going to Washington DC for discussions on the Financial crisis. John McCain used Bluster to place his actions into the limelight and boxed himself in to a retraction. I believe if he had true concerns as a servant of the people, he could have silently traveled of his own accord to Washington DC and offer his assistance toward solving a problem, then not having acheived his objective, simply call and cancel his participation in the debate at the last moment.

This shows me a lack of thoughtful planning and leads me to view his actions as reckless. It's akin to someone going out publically and making sure their neighbors see them praying to God or announcing they have performed good works, all the while seeking the approval of those witnesses alone.

A senior McCain adviser made clear McCain would not attend a Friday debate unless a congressional rescue deal was sealed.

"If the package is reached and the country is saved, there will be a debate," the aide said. "But if there's no deal, how can you get on a plane . . . for a debate?"

Have you folks heard the latest news out of Alaska ?

September 26, 2008
Palin should step down, conservative commentator says

(CNN) – Prominent conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, an early supporter of Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin, said Friday recent interviews have shown the Alaska governor is "out of her league" and should leave the GOP presidential ticket for the good of the party.

The criticism in Parker's Friday column is the latest in a recent string of negative assessments toward the McCain-Palin candidacy from prominent conservatives.

It was fun while it lasted," Parker writes. "Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who is clearly out of her league."

Richard, Ann Coulter likes Palin. What else matters? As for the Hannity interview, that went swimmingly. Ms. Parker is out of her league in journalism if she was unable to see that.

Ron, you're missing the point. McCain should be there because that is what he is paid to do. Whether him being there is helpful or not is irrelevant, as are his motives, because at the end of the day, he gets a paycheck for representing his state on the Senate floor.

TJ, if he had worried about that all year, I might give him a pass on this grandstanding. Unfortunately, I think McCain is not near as worried about serving his state as he is his own ambition, and opportunism.

he has done real harm

Tony,
When has Obama been to the Senate floor? Ever?

Ron,
You continue to miss the point. His MOTIVES are irrelevant. I care about motives, too, but they really don't matter in the end. I would rather have a president that has selfish motives but good policies than a president that has good motives but crappy policies. If you're electing a president based on personality, you're missing the entire point of democracy, too.

TJ,
I hardly miss your point, it is self serving and disgusting to say that motive doesn't or shouldn't figure into it. Integrity is important to me. John McCain has none. Policy does figure into it, too, and he's four more years of Bush policy,which sucks. McCain loses on both counts

"I care about motives, too, but they really don't matter in the end."

Translation: You DON'T care about his motives.

"I would rather have a president that has selfish motives but good policies than a president that has good motives but crappy policies."

So, naturally, you'd vote for McPain the sell-out who has BOTH selfish motives AND crappy policies. Lemmee guess, Harvard? LoL!

mccain and palin are perfect for each other...a pair of idiots!