Obama to McCain: "Check." - "And Biden's coming for your Queen next week motherf*$&#(%." THE DEBATE

[deadlyaj]

Obama Will Make Debate A Townhall If McCain Doesn't Show

Barack Obama is committed to hosting a public, televised event Friday night in Mississippi even if John McCain does not show up, an official close to the Obama campaign tells the Huffington Post.

In McCain's absence, the Senator is willing to make the scheduled debate a townhall meeting, a one-on-one interview with NewsHour's Jim Lehrer, or the combination of the two, the official said.

Such a course of action could make life incredibly difficult for McCain, who has called for the suspension of the debate in light of the current economic crisis. Should he stay in Washington D.C. -- if a bailout is not completed by then -- and let Obama alone reach tens of millions of television viewers?

A lot, of course, depends upon what the debate commission decides to do. At this point in time, there is no indication that they are going to postpone the affair, as the McCain campaign has asked.

Separately, on Thursday, Obama himself said he was intending to go to Oxford, Miss for the scheduled debate and called on McCain to be there with him.

"The American people deserve to hear directly from myself and Sen. McCain about how we intend to lead our country," Obama said. "The times are too serious to put our campaign on hold, or to ignore the full range of issues that the next president will face."

Meanwhile, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said on Thursday that he expected the debate to go forward as planned.

UPDATE: An adviser Barack Obama says he expects John McCain to attend:

"I actually think he's going to come to the debate," the adviser, Robert Gibbs, told reporters in Washington on Thursday.
And echoing a talking point that Senator Obama used in his press conference on Thursday, Mr. Gibbs added: "I think he will decide that a president is capable of doing more than one thing at a time."

UPDATE II:: More from the AP:

John McCain's campaign expressed cautious optimism Thursday as congressional Republicans and Democrats agreed in principle on a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry hours before the two presidential candidates were to meet with President Bush on the crisis.

Even so, the action didn't appear to be strong enough to convince McCain to attend Friday's scheduled presidential debate. His campaign has said he wouldn't participate unless there was consensus between Congress and the administration, and a spokesman said the afternoon developments had not changed his plans.

Everyone on Fox saying Mccain isnt going to show up!

This is my 100th post and Im just excited to be back from iraq and rdy to vote!

[deadlyaj]

1. wow

can you imagine obama with 90 min of coverage on all the networks? plz plz plz do it!

[FreeState]

5. Would the networks then have to do the same for McCain even though he did not show?

I think its law they have to give equal time... unless Im mistaken... maybe thats his plan?

[Kat45]

7. I'm not sure, but I think they got rid of the equal time law, you know,

like they got rid of the rules of broadcast ownership, etc.

Though that doesn't mean the network would not feel 'compelled' to give equal time to prove that they give 'balanced' coverage.

[NYC Liberal]

15. Nope, no more equal time laws since the 80s.

The Repugs got rid of the Fairness Doctrine. Now they get to reap what they sow, if McCain doesn't show up.

They'll whine anyway, but they did it -- since it's McCain's own decision whether to show up.

[FreeState]

18. Thanks all - I was thinking it was just radio but did not realize it was all broadcast... n/t

[chalky]

16. They got rid of the equal time law, alright.

but that won't stop them from pissing and moaning about how that mean ol' liberal media gave Barack all that precious attention and it's just not fair! Waaah!

eta: I was tempted to recommend this thread just for the title alone. Priceless.

[AtomicKitten]

2. Wow! Biden v. Palin. It's going to be a polite blood bath.

On edit: Glad to have you back safe and sound.

[TheDonkey]

3. I cannot wait until the VP debate. Palin: "well when Putin flies over Alaska!!!"

somehow that gives her foreign policy chops.

[Historic NY]

4. He could rent a chicken corpse to put in the corner with a suit.

[Miss Chybil]

6. That "cautious optimism" is funny since I just read on another thread

that McCain said there "never was a deal." Could it be he is talking out of both sides of his mouth?

[jpgray]

8. Cheers for your service, and here's to having something interesting to watch

:toast:

[TexasObserver]

9. I hope McCain is a no show, and Obama does the town hall with the crowd.

I do not expect a hundred million to watch, but many millions will watch, and there will be coverage. It is very important not to allow John McCain's latest tantrum to derail the planned event.

Like the child who throws the tantrum, rule one is: they don't get whatever it is they threw a fit over.

[ClayZ]

10. Yay! Welcome Home!

:patriot:


K and R

[Cha]

11. Rec'd! I remember you deadlyaj.. From way

back around Texas time. Wow, how far we've come and so happy you came back from Iraq:bounce:

THis is win win for Obama and Ol Miss is counting on the revenue.

"Ironically enough, if John McCain goes through with his threat to skip the foreign policy debate scheduled for this Friday for the sake of prolonging and complicating the ongoing negotiations over the Paulson bailout package, it may end up creating another distressed asset -- the University of Mississippi's investment in Friday's face-off. Officials from Ole Miss told ABC News today that a cancellation would be "devastating" to the University -- and that a postponement might not be possible:

Andrew Mullins, special assistant to University Chancellor Robert Khayat, told ABC News that the Ole Miss campus has been transformed to accommodate the candidates and the press. Road blocks are in place on campus and in the community and the debate television set for the candidates has already been constructed. He said the university has spent roughly five and half million dollars getting ready for the debate.

Mullins also noted that if the Commission on Presidential Debates asks the campus to hold the debate at a later date, he is not sure the university would be able to accommodate them.

"It's huge. You cannot just say that you're not going to do this thing," Mullins said. "I don't have any idea whether we do the debate" at a later date. " probably wouldn't do it."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/24/ole-miss-officials-debate_n_129057.html

[BlueIdaho]

12. Welcome Home! nm.

[K Gardner]

13. Gramps blew his wad with the Suspend/Return Stunt. He's got nothing left for a debate tomorrow

night.. his only choices:

Show up and Bomb
Don't show up and Bomb.

He's done, either way.

[panAmerican]

14. Welcome back; glad to see you're ready and excited to vote

Hope the others will be home soon, too.

[cliffordu]

17. Welcome home!

:patriot:

[renate]

19. welcome back!

Very very glad you're home! Thank you for your service.

:patriot: :bounce:

[Hawkowl]

20. To the greatest page!!!

In honor of your return and an informative post!

[Jennicut]

21. I love that Obama never backed down to McIdiot and that Palin will have to debate Oct 2nd

She is so going to look like a moron. All Joe Biden has to do is show up and just let her talk. That will be enough.

[Life Long Dem]

22. McSame ended up in the corner when he tried to corner Obama!

Each day Obama tells us he's for the country and not for the few at the top.