Country First: McCain Got Involved At Paulson’s Request

September 25, 2008 |   |  Presidential Election

Bob Schieffer of CBS News reports that John McCain suspended his campaign to work on reaching a financial crisis rescue package after Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson indicated a deal would fail without his leadership in bringing Republicans aboard.  Newsbusters has the transcript and video.

BOB SCHIEFFER: I am told, Maggie, that the way McCain got involved in this in the first place, the Treasury Secretary was briefing Republicans in the House yesterday, the Republican conference, asked how many were ready to support the bailout plan. Only four of them held up their hands.  Paulson then called, according to my sources, Senator Lindsey Graham, who is very close to John McCain, and told him: you’ve got to get the people in the McCain campaign, you’ve got to convince John McCain to give these Republicans some political cover. If you don’t do that, this whole bailout plan is going to fail. So that’s how, McCain, apparently, became involved.

This is an emergency, and it required leadership. This is not some stunt, this is McCain managing a crisis.

Patrons Flee Suspicious Hot Dog Package at Citizens Bank Park

September 25, 2008 |   |  Just Plain Weird

Citizen’s Bank Park was evacuated and the bomb squad called in a few hours before Wednesday evening’s Phillies game due to a suspicious hot dogs outside the park.  The hot dogs did not survive the incident.

According to police, Pattison Street between Darien and 11th Streets was shutdown as officials investigated the discovery of several suspicious packages near a ticket office.

Fans inside the stadium were evacuated, but players remained on the field during the incident.

Bomb squad members further investigated the packages and determined they were simply several hot dogs in foil wrappers. Sadly, the wieners were detonated as a precaution.

The stadium was reopened at about 5:20 p.m.

I’ve heard of explosions resulting from hot dogs at the ball park, but they’re not usually the kind that require calling in the bomb squad.  Just a little Glade.

Tonight’s Address By President Bush

September 24, 2008 |   |  Economy

I’ve mainly stayed out of the way when it comes to the market rescue package.  I’m no economist and I figured there were better sources than me where you could get your information regarding the issue.

That said, there are some common sense things that I’ve been itching to say as I watched elation slowly turn to bitterness and anger regarding the package and the perception that it’s some big pay-out to Wall Street fat cats.

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Country First: McCain Suspends Campaign to Focus on Economy

September 24, 2008 |   |  Presidential Election

John McCain has announced that he is suspending his Presidential campaign to return to Washington DC in order to focus on the crisis in the financial markets, and is calling upon Barack Obama to do the same.  McCain has also requested a delay to Friday’s debate until the crisis is resolved.

Although Obama was given notice of this decision by McCain, Obama’s response is absent at this hour.

UPDATE: CNN reports Obama camp sees “no reason to cancel debate on Friday or suspend campaign.” Problem? What problem?

Usually, it’s about 2 or 3 days before the Obama camp gets their act together to offer a coherent response to any crisis.  Maybe we should get Regis over there to ask Obama if that is his “final answer.”

UPDATE II: Obama’s second answer – “will work with McCain campaign to suspend debate.”  Is that your final answer, Barack?

UPDATE III: Obama spokesman Bill Burton to ABC – “debate is on.”  Is that your final answer, Barack?

UPDATE IV: McCain also suspending ads? Do they need to go back to Washington too?  That one I don’t get.

UPDATE V: Obama lying about 8:30 AM Phone Call.  Obama says he called McCain’s campaign to ask that they come up with a joint statement about the market crisis.  What Obama is leaving out is that Obama never reached the McCain campaign at that time – McCain was meeting with economic advisers. No request was made at that time.

UPDATE VI: Obama says the debate goes on.  Why weren’t the town hall meetings John McCain wanted all summer this important?  Is Obama renting a teleprompter for Friday night?  Tone deaf response from Obama.

UPDATE VII: Obama – “Hey, if you need me you know how to reach me.”  Is he friggin’ kidding?  Is that leadership?  “Hey, Harry, if you need me just hit me up on my cell.”

Text of McCain’s statement via Drudge:

MCCAIN: America this week faces an historic crisis in our financial system. We must pass legislation to address this crisis. If we do not, credit will dry up, with devastating consequences for our economy. People will no longer be able to buy homes and their life savings will be at stake. Businesses will not have enough money to pay their employees. If we do not act, ever corner of our country will be impacted. We cannot allow this to happen.

Last Friday, I laid out my proposal and I have since discussed my priorities and concerns with the bill the Administration has put forward. Senator Obama has expressed his priorities and concerns.This morning, I met with a group of economic advisers to talk about the proposal on the table and the steps that we should take going forward.I have also spoken with members of Congress to hear their perspective.

It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the Administration’ proposal. I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time.

Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington after speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative. I have spoken to Senator Obama and informed him of my decision and have asked him to join me.

I am calling on the President to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress, including Senator Obama and myself. It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem.

We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved.I am directing my campaign to work with the Obama campaign and the commission on presidential debates to delay Friday night’s debate until we have taken action to address this crisis.

I am confident that before the markets open on Monday we can achieve consensus on legislation that will stabilize our financial markets, protect taxpayers and homeowners, and earn the confidence of the American people. All we must do to achieve this is temporarily set politics aside, and I am committed to doing so.

Following September 11th, our national leaders came together at a time of crisis. We must show that kind of patriotism now. Americans across our country lament the fact that partisan divisions in Washington have prevented us from addressing our national challenges. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country.

Bush To Screw Up Nation’s DVR Schedules at 9:01 PM

September 24, 2008 |   |  Television

President Bush will deliver a televised address to the nation tonight concerning the credit crisis and proposed government bail out, likely screwing up everyone’s planned recordings of Criminal Minds and CSI: New York’s season premieres.

The address also threatens to derail David Blaine’s live magic show and the gulliable idiots who plan to watch it believing a man can possess magical abilities, viewers also known as Obama voters.

Dr. Strangeweighting: Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Polls

September 24, 2008 |   |  Presidential Polling

Remember back in early September, when that USA Today poll showed John McCain opening up a 10-point lead against Barack Obama and all the liberals ran down the street naked screaming and crying “Oh, the humanity” like it was May 9, 1937?  They were dropping Biden, they were dropping Obama, they were threatening riots in the streets on the evening of November 4.

Normal people laughed and laughed because of their total meltdown.

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Ayers And Wright Coming To A Television Near You

September 23, 2008 |   |  Presidential Election

The McCain campaign is fed up with lies coming from the Obama campaign, specifically those fictionally linking McCain’s immigration stance to the one they made up as representing talk radio host Rush Limbaugh’s, and is finally ready to go nuclear and push the button on a series of ads highlighting Barack Obama’s radical ties.

The McCain campaign, according to one aide, decided it would play the Wright and Ayers cards after Mr. Obama’s campaign ran ads linking Senator McCain to a talk radio host, Rush Limbaugh. “Our position is we are no longer going to feel constrained to avoid his very real associations in contrast to the very fictional associations he has imputed to John McCain in this campaign,” this aide said.

I think most of us are thinking, “It’s about time.”