(CNN) - McCain senior advisor Mark Salter told reporters Wednesday that the Arizona senator’s decision followed two days of discussions with colleagues on Capitol Hill, who told him that the bailout plan from Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson faced an uphill fight.
He also said that McCain called President Bush today and told him of the plan, but would not characterize the president’s reaction to the proposal.
The McCain campaign will suspend airing all ads and all campaign events pending an agreement with Obama, as well as planned fundraising activities.
He added that McCain would take part in the debate as scheduled if Congress reached agreement on the measure by Friday morning.
(Updated to reflect McCain campaign announcement fundraising activities will be suspended)
From CNN Politics
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This is complete and utter BS from the McCain campaign. He has said repeatedly he does not understand economics. He has, over 26 years advocated the removal of any restrictions or oversight over the financial industry (which shows just how ignorant he is regarding economics). Now, in the middle of a crisis he helped create, as his poll numbers slide, he wants to use a "meeting in Washington" as an excuse not to debate Obama. I don't buy it. I don't buy it for a second.
McCain is just delaying the inevitable debacle to go give opinions to people who don't want to hear them. Every time the I think the McCain campaign can't get any dumber, they prove me wrong. Flying to Washington to poster and vogue in front of Congress doesn't fool anyone John.
After missing over 60% of the votes so far on other important issues, NOW McCain wants to finally cast a vote.
After complaining about not getting "his way or the highway" approach to town halls, NOW McCain would be willing to skip this debate.
After McCain supported Phil Gramm's lobbying of sub-prime mortgages that caused this mess, NOW McCain wants to backpedal from his deregulation.
Give me a break!
Debate on!
Obama/Biden '08
McCain is such a wimp! Does he really think that Americans are as stupid as this? How can a 2 or 3 hour debate affect whether the crisis will be solved or not?
Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course there will be a debate. For McCain to suspend his campaign to the economic crisis is a gimmick. McCain said yesturday that his vote on the bailout bill was not neccessary. McCain deregulated the markets and has not voted on a bill since April. All of a sudden the economy is so important to McCain he wants to vote on the bill. Please. Don't fall for it. McCain is running scared because he is falling behind on the polls.
Boy, he's really freaked out that his boys on Wall Street won't be bailed out by us the taxpayers fast enough.
Is he trying to force an agreement as fast as possible? Who cares if McCain is to chicken to debate. He certainly hasn't been in Washington for the past year.
Debate should be on. McCain should be able to handle both.
This is complete and utter BS from the McCain campaign. He has said repeatedly he does not understand economics. He has, over 26 years advocated the removal of any restrictions or oversight over the financial industry (which shows just how ignorant he is regarding economics). Now, in the middle of a crisis he helped create, as his poll numbers slide, he wants to use a "meeting in Washington" as an excuse not to debate Obama. I don't buy it. I don't buy it for a second.
McCain is just delaying the inevitable debacle to go give opinions to people who don't want to hear them. Every time the I think the McCain campaign can't get any dumber, they prove me wrong. Flying to Washington to poser and vogue in front of Congress doesn't fool anyone John.
I really think this move is more for political purposes than anything else....seems he is slipping in the polls and had to do something.
... and I'll vote for McSame when monkeys fly out of my butt.
Country First!
Look, this man (McCain) is a WAR HERO…he has always put Country first….IT IS OBVIOUS! Now he wants to DELAY the debate…not CANCELL it all together. CNN wake up and be real journalists and quit playing on OBAMA's team. RIDICULOUS! I thought that news journalists are suppose to tell the story without any bias!?! Remember Dan Rather?
DEMOCRAT for McCain…
I too care so much about the country that I think we need to deprive voters of a chance to hear the candidates debate, so a guy who has the worst attendance record of anyone in the Senate can go pretend to work on a friday night, since we already know he can't be bothered to work weekends.
What the h*ll is this man doing.He and his lobbiest friends have alot in common taking from the poor and giving to the rich.What about these poor people that have have their income taxed to pay off this debt that those freaks have left us with.Stop the ads until a decision is made but not the fundraising always about money with this man.When does the receiving stop and the giving begin with with him ,Bush and his elitist friends.His choice for president is an uphill battle and he will do anything get those undecided voters that is if they can trust him.We want that debate John McCain Friday 9/26 and not a day later be the Maverick that you've been telling the american people you are and stop dodging bullets
I don't buy it one bit, only McCain will benifit if Obama cancels his campaign. Stop travelling and going to Washington is a great plan, but don't stop the ads and fundraising. Canceling the debate only helps McCain buy more time to memorize those Karl Rove canned answers.
Nothing will change even if Obama is elected...His supporters, who are mean spirited, is attacking McCain over something that Obama should be doing. Our financial system is in a mess and something has to be done. Congress is debating a 700 BILLION dollar bail out and each member should vote on it.
Maybe it is political on McCain's part, but it is also political on Obama's part as well who is showing a LACK OF LEADERSHIP. He needs to realize that if he becomes President, things will happen out of his control. He will not always have a script and a telepromter. It's more than being President than looking Presidential.
this is such a load of crap. he's afraid and i think obama should debate an empty chair or wait ...why not send your next in command?? let sarah debate obama in your place. she says she is ready right? so lets see how ready you both are. we can have a tag team debate. if you don't know the answer just tag sarah and she will take the question. how does that sound to you john?? no one will know you are just running scared. what a shame. is this what would happen if the country really needed him?? oh no i can't come i'm working on saving the world. OMG
mccain now suddenly cares about the economy because things now he suddenly is realizing but where are these empty words of care 8months ago-there is nothing wrong in using change to promote your career if you have evidence of change in your career there is something wrong in using your military career as a shield from deserved scrutiny
CAMPBELL BROWN has done the impossible. She called out McLame for holding Plain old Palin back. So I guess Cambell's sexist now huh John?
mccain just wants more time to prepare himself
MCcain is not ready to debate Obama,that is why he is trying to postpone it Friday,If i was Obama I would go ahead with the debate,if John MCbush doesn't showup then i would address the nation on the economy, i hope Obama doesn't fall for the lastest tactic by John MCbush, he Know's he can't debate Obama on the issues.
So, let's see. He won't let the press talk to Palin. He won't talk to the press himself for more than seven minutes. When they DO answer a question it's not answer or a solution, just a litany of all the problems and how we should just trust them to solve it all. And now he's using the bailout problem – that he's had a week to discuss and hasn't – as an excuse to delay the first debate.
The Straight-Talk-Express is now the Here-We-Go-Again-Bush-Cheney-Eight-Year-Secrecy-Express. I was giving McCain the benefit of the doubt that he was his own man and not necessarily a Bush third term, but he's changed my mind with all these Cheney/Rove tactics. I can hear Dick now... "so?"
John McCain must not be made the President or we will have four more years of secrecy and disdain for the American people as we have now.
mccain now suddenly cares about the economy because things now he suddenly is realizing but where are these empty words of care 8months ago-there is nothing wrong in using change to promote your career if you have evidence of change in your career there is something wrong in using your military career as a shield from deserved scrutiny
If ever there was a time where a debate between presidential candidates is necessary, NOW is the time! What is wrong with McCain to even suggest the debate should not take place?? Mr. McCain, now is not the time to play politics with the poll numbers ... who are you trying to kid? The poll numbers are sliding, so you try and call time out to stop the momentum, and the American people suffer. No Way McCain ... the debate goes on as planned!
STOP IT ALREADY! DEBATE AND MOVE ON! IT'S 2 HOURS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!