From NPR's Audie Cornish:
According to a 3:20 EDT phone conversation with Andy Mullins, executive assistant to Chancellor at the University of Mississippi, the school has heard the news reports BUT they have NOT been contacted by either campaign postponing or cancelling the debate. He says, "we are continuing to prepare just like the debate is going to occur."
We'll keep you posted as we learn more...
-- Evie Stone
3:47 PM ET | 09-24-2008 | permalink
Sounds like another delay tactic. The financial crisis is still going to be there if the candidates decides to reschedule the first debate.
Trick or what? Too many worms these days. I want a large, if not huge crowd, and I want truly hard ball questions (not namby stuff like Chris Matthews which is anything but hard ball or better yet, take it to the mat). Must be precise questions calling for precise answers. Eye ball to eye ball, or better yet direct to and from the audience, No bias, prejudice, twisting, diversions, or flack thrown in the area or escape allowed.
McCain's trying to stall because he knows he'll be asked about the economy and apparently he is not ready to talk about it. It is important for the American people to hear this debate - McCain is already trying to hide Sarah & keep her from having to answer hard questions. The election is coming soon, and we need to hear the candidates. Presidents have to do multiple things - is it too much for John? Making me think less of him. Maybe he really is not ready to be President.
Please urge the powers that be NOT to postpone the debate. John McCain can spare a couple of hours. Anyone can see through this ploy. He's had a bad week, questions on the economy will surely come up, and he doesn't want to answer them. He committed to this debate andthe country is waiting for it. He has not right to postpone it now.
Tell me about it dshell-McCain sounds so fake!! He is the man who knows very little about the economy-(his own words) and now we are in a dire crisis and everything needs to stop. DON'T FALL FOR IT PEOPLE!!! Let the debate go on!
McCain needs more than a postponement of the debate to become knowledgeable in the finance arena. He should review his Keating notes and the supposed lessons he learned from that experience.
Senator McCain is a coward. Senator Obama is much more intelligent than Senator McCain, but running like a chicken is not a solution. You can run, but you can't hide.
Face your opponent, my friend; it's a matter of honor and courage.
They should include the leading third party candidates. But they have no guts, and they know their hired hands won't be able to stand up to real debate.
I once again see Senator McCain acting more like the minority leader in the Senate than Cadidate for POTUS.
I think someone should remind him that the he's not the minority leader in the Senate, and Govenor Palin isn't the candidate for POTUS.
Thats impressive - after a few million $$$ spent, 1000's of people choreograhing the debate (if its in fact a debate - recall that Bush / Kerry was more a softball discussion than debate), lodging arranged, and millions of people ready to watch it - McCain now suggests cancelling it and waste all that money and effort?
Is he going to fix the financial crisis on Friday night? How 'bout a few good rib shots to your opponent instead - like you agreed.
Come on man - show your cards...you're looking peaked and weak. Put your strategizing aside and do what you promised...or is your administration also going to be backstepping like this too.
You're already refusing to talk with any media and your media force-field around Palin is beyond obvious...this makes you look foolish.
McCain - if you ain't gonna S&^%, then get off the pot buddy.
What a joke. BRING ON THE DEBATE!!!
Whatever small measure of respect our family still held for McCain is now totally erased by this latest ploy. What a cowardly thing to do.
I live in Oxford, MS and it is difficult to describe the time, effort, planning and money that have gone into preparations for this debate (on the part of both the University of Mississippi and the city of Oxford). How shameful for McCain to contemplate ditching the debate here in order to deal with an "economic crisis" while creating small-scale economic crisis here in MS.
McCain's tactics are simply insulting to the intelligence of the American people. This is clearly a ploy on his part because he is not prepared at this point in time. A president needs to be able to multi-task or he/she has no business in the White House. Sorry McCain, but not everyone buys into your schemes. Please contact both headquarters and demand that the debate continues as scheduled!!!
Do Not Stop The Debate! If Macain is too afraid to talk about the most important issue since the Great Depression...then he must be left behind.....This is the most important debate of the century! John, you better come out from under the bed...
McCain wants to skip this Friday's debate so wouldn't this be the perfect time for Sarah to step in and debate Obama and demonstrate she is ready to replace McCain in a moment's notice.
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