A Survey USA poll taken immediately after John McCain’s announcement that he was suspending his campaign is not supportive of his actions. Out of 1000 adults polled, 86% said the debate should go on as planned or focus on the economy.
McCain’s gambit is a real shocker. The election is close, but his call to suspend the campaign, postpone Friday’s debate and take an active role in the bailout plan sounds desperate.
The Commission on Presidential Debate has announced that Friday’s debate will continue. Obama said he plans to continue to debate on Friday and says a President must be able to do more than one thing at once.
This places McCain in a difficult situation. If he does not debate, he gives the stage to Obama. If he does debate, it looks like he has backed down.
Since neither McCain nor Obama are on the Senate committees involved at negotiating a compromise on the bailout plan, that makes it even more surprising that McCain is prepared to give up a debate. One on one, McCain is probably the better debater. Obama tends to explain too much; McCain is a master of one-liners.
McCain and Obama, as party leaders, can be helpful at pulling together the votes to pass a final bill. Beyond that, it appears their influence is limited.
McCain’s political surrogates are suggesting that the Presidential debate be moved to October 2 when the Vice-Presidential debate was scheduled. The Vice-Presidential debate would then be postponed to a still undefined future date.
Sarah Palin is still on a tight rope from the McCain campaign. She is still not allowed full access to the press. Suspiciously, with this proposal, it looks like the McCain campaign is trying to remove her from the debate spotlight. Perhaps that is the goal of this highly dangerous political move.
