(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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McCain's Straight Talk Express has taken a detour.... As he goes on TV, to say he is suspending his campaign..... and going back to Washington.... and calls for Barack to do the same... SOME HOW HE FORGOT TO SAY, THAT BARACK CALLED HIM FOR THEM TO WORK TOGETHER.....
HE IS DISGUSTING!!!!
TALK ABOUT FLIP FLOP!!! He just can`t make up his mind....
Since when was McLiar elected President and makes the shots?
He has NO credibility!
why are the repugs controlling the date for the debates? Do they have that much power over everyone? Yes, the economy is in it's weekest state and something needs to be done but the debates should go on. Does it mean if these crisis are not solved by November 4 there will be no voting? Give me a break, McPalin, you must learn to multi-task. That is one of the qualifiications of a president should be able to do that.
Wow......he wants out of this debate pretty bad.........hmm......
Good !!! About time somebody put the country first.
Oh, and what about democracy?
McCain wanting to put the debate on hold is politically motivated. You watch, he will vote against the President's plan so that he can refute claims that he is Bush's man and in his pocket. Wake up America and think outside the box on this one. Let's be two steps ahead of Mr. Dementia on this one.
McCain can't just blackmail Congress into rushing this decision!!!
This is ridiculous!
McCain and Obama should debate and Congress should keep hammering out the details of the bailout without them!
If Obama or McCain need to cast crucial votes, THEN they can go to Washington.
Nothing different will get done in Congress if McCain and Obama are physically in Washington, as opposed to Florida.
This is a DESPERATE STUNT!!!
Don't forget that McCain's campaign manager just got caught in another LIE this morning about money he received from Fannie Mae.
America, these people are trying to steal another election!!!
BREAKING NEWS: John McCain has just put out a statement requesting to postpone Friday debates and suspend campaigning and he wants to go back to Wash to take part in Bailout debate. No response yet from the Obama campaign. Stay tuned. Could it have something to do with Rick Davis with his finger in the money cookie jar from FreddieMac? They want to restrategize, he ain't fooling nobody. I say keep the train moving. The world affairs don't stop, we got soldiers fighing in Iraq & Afghan. That's what multitasking is all about. Here is where having a sharp mind comes into play. The world is revolving.
Let's see... the only thing that has changed is the polls. McCain was up last week, and now that he's down and people don't trust him, he wants to change the subject. How sweet of him. A true politician who puts politics before country.
McShame is so sad. He cares nothing about the bailout. He is just reacting to the poll of polls. Not that I believe in the polls beacuse I have yet to be call for one (home or cellphone). But McShame seems to believe. Maybe him & his gal palin are craming up on their economics.
Why all the cheers from the anti-Obama crowd about Obama/Biden voting for the bridge to nowhere? They never denied they voting for it.
The entire world simply called Palin and McCain out on their lies with the infamous "thank but no thanks" line. The line fit well with the "reformer" rhetoric, but the facts just don't add up.
Nice try anti-Obamabots!
If McCain doesn't show up for the debate, watch him sink further in the polls. This has become too painful to watch any longer.
This sounds kind of fishy to me, the whole thing stinks of the republicans at work!!!!
Also the president having a speech
As if the american people will pay any attention to this loser!!!!!
it all *happened under his watch*
Bush has no credibility whatsoever with the American people!!!!!
PURE POLITICS for McCain! Hmm he will go to Washington AFTER he speaks at Clinton's Global Mtg.. BUT CAN'T FIND TWO HOURS TO DEBATE OBAMA.. HMM.. YES IT'S POLITICAL!!
Obama calls McCain to be NON partisan AND McCain screams it out in the media LIKE it was his idea!!! GRANDSTANDER!!!!!!
You've gotta be kidding me. Can there be anyone with a pulse who doesn't see that this is a huge, stupid trick? There can't be, right?
It's common knowledge that McCain hasn't been preparing nearly as much as Obama has for this debate.
He's a wittle afwaid.
is he running out of money or something? weird move. i dont like it.
Interesting wording: "The McCain campaign will suspend airing all ads"
Given that a large proportion of the ads for the McCain campaign are not being aired by the McCain campaign, while most of the ads for the Obama campaign are being aired by the Obama campaign, this is some real weasel-wording.
As is to be expected
My friends, character matters, and John McCain is one heck of a character
This is unbelievable. They CANNOT get away with this! Media, do your job! And if not, Americans stand up to this!
Sarah didn't WORK................Again McCain trying to KEEP the American people as hostage.....................
A "timetable for the bailout' now? Friday? That's soon considering the ridiculous parts of the plan.
Did we ban airplanes??? Why can't they fly back and forth? No aircraft fuel in Mississippi now???? What's wrong with being in Washington, fly to Mississippi Friday late afternoon then fly back to Washington? They've done that much all along on the campaigns.
Does anyone other than myself notice that John McCain's right eye looks like it is about to pop out of his head and his left eye is squinting. He looks like he's about to pop a spleen. I'm having serious thoughts about his health all the time.
This is absolutely RIDICULOUS. This man is not fit to be president and he is making sure everyone knows this.