Will he or won't he?
Friday, September 26, 2008 at 10:39AM John McCain is playing an enormously high stakes game of poker with his campaign.
He's essentially betting the ranch that a bailout deal will get done today, and that he can claim some credit -- any credit -- for making that happen.
Yesterday, it looked like a compromise had been reached, but House Republicans balked at the deal, in part because it didn't do enough for main street. Some are suggesting that McCain is partly to blame because he's riled up the House Republicans with his populist rhetoric about tigther regulations, limits on CEO pay, and homeowner protections.
If a deal doesn't get done today, and he decides not to attend the debate, his campaign will be effectively over. No matter how he tries to spin it, the American public isn't going to buy it. It will be a collosal blunder, and he'll be toast.
If a deal does get done today, however, then he can show up to the debate as a conquering hero, and crow about protecting homeowners interests while Obama did debate prep.
It's a risky gambit with huge upside or downside. And the Democrats in Congress know this; I doubt they'll sign off on a deal prior to the debate and essentially hand McCain the issue. So McCain will have to decide: Do I attend the debate with no bailout deal, or skip it altogether? Neither is a good option, but skipping the debate would be a disaster.
Reader Comments (7)
Now that McCain himself decided to inject politics into this financial mess, the Democrats will see to it that nothing gets done before the debate. They know what McCain is up to here, and will not give him the chance to show he came in to save the day...no way that is going to happen. I can't see how this gamble pays off for him. Too many factors are out of his hands, the biggest of which is that the house/senate majority won't let him look like some sort of savior.
On a side note, if you close your eyes and listen to Pfailin talk, does she not sound exactly like Frances Mcdermid in the move Fargo.
From reports I've seen, also heard McCain was a bump on a log at yesterday's White House discussions - and "deferred to colleagues." Now that's solid Presidential leadership material.
McCain doesn't know that much about what they're talking about. But he does know a political opportunity.
What is "insurance"? What is this "private market"? No one knows exactly what that means in this context. Banks don't have the money to pay for the insurance. Is the insurance some kind of loan? Or is "insurance" some kind of keyword? No one knows, and I think that extends to the House GOP.
There won't be a deal until Sunday night, before the Asian markets open. Politics aside, I really hope that the House deal, whatever it actually is, can be easily assimilated with what the Senate and Administration want to do.
I fail to see how McCain's suspension of his campaign to focus on this issue is wholly disingenuous. If ever a market correction qualified as a crisis, this is it. Whether or not a deal is reached today, this weekend or never, I commend McCain for temporarily giving it a higher priority than campaigning.
And Obama . . . does he even have any understanding of or experience in what's at stake in passing crucial legislation during a time of crisis, in his brief congressional career?
Joseph, lay off the crack pipe. This was the biggest political stunt of the campaign. His supposed "suspending" his campaign never happened...he was still running ads, his national offices were still working. The whole thing backfired on him, it was a hail mary pass that fell woefully incomplete. Further, his own party thought he was a distraction. His campaign is falling faster than the NY Mets playoff hopes. He needs to sell one of his 16 houses and nine cars...that liquidity will help some of the banks where he keeps his stash. He is an utter baffoon.
McCain and Pfailin are a joke at this point.
Thank you for your sharing!
nike shoes
Louis Vuitton Handbags
new era hats
new era hats