(CNN) - McCain supporter Sen. Lindsey Graham tells CNN the McCain campaign is proposing to the Presidential Debate Commission and the Obama camp that if there's no bailout deal by Friday, the first presidential debate should take the place of the VP debate, currently scheduled for next Thursday, October 2 in St. Louis.
In this scenario, the vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin would be rescheduled for a date yet to be determined, and take place in Oxford, Mississippi, currently slated to be the site of the first presidential faceoff this Friday.
Graham says the McCain camp is well aware of the position of the Obama campaign and the debate commission that the debate should go on as planned - but both he and another senior McCain adviser insist the Republican nominee will not go to the debate Friday if there's no deal on the bailout.
From CNN Politics
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McCain is so transparent – he wants to give Palin more time to study before the VP debate. He doesn't really care about the American people.
This has nothing to do with Barack. He should just show up and let McCain go to DC for photo opts.
Obama/Biden 08
No freekin way McCain. You and Palin must debate. You can't get away with this crap!!!
Mccain is running scared....so much for being a "Hero"....
Obama is a true leader.....McSame retire.
Obama/Biden
She hasn't had enough time to memorize all the answers?
And we have a standoff! We will see, Mr. McCain. Let's see...I want a president who backs out of his obligations...sound familiar?? Look at Wall Street!
How dense do these Republicans think we are???
Sounds like Sarah hasn't had time to cram for her exam with Professor Biden.
Lame: Congress needs McCain's help like I need my 2 year old son's help lifting a couch. It makes him feel good about himself, and important, but any mature observer knows that the 2 year old is being humored and is contributing little. McCain is asking us to smile at him, the economic two year old, while he goes to "fix" the economy.
This looks like cutting and running from a face to face comparison of him and Obama by the voters.
PS: Funny how he has time for his other meetings tomorrow, and a long drawn out day of announcing his gimmick. This is pathetic.
McCain pandering at it's best! He does not care about the country, he cares about how it will possibly help him look better. How about those slimy attack ads John? Are you going top suspend them as well?
Obama is correct Presidents must focus on more than one thing at a time. The Election is only forty days away, the American people want to hear from the candidates in a debate forum. And isn't it convenient that the McCain campaign wants to reschedule the VP debate for a later date.
The actual delay is intended to give more time for Sarah Palin.Pathetic!
Chicken...LOL...how special..trying to MOVE PALIN/BIDENs debate to another time to give her more time to prepare....PLEASE DON'T FALL FOR THIS....
Sure hope Obama's teleprompter does not break down – he will not be able to think or talk without it. To even suggest McCain is afraid to debate is just too much. Obama was the one who was "chicken" to do Townhall debates – McCain is putting his "Country First" by wanting to stop the upcoming debate – Obama is putting himself "first" as usual. He also put a stop to debates with Hillary because he felt there had been enough debates!
Go McCain – someone has to look out for our benefit at those meetings with Congress – Congress is not looking out for us. And Obama does not want to attend? What does that say for him, not much.
Perhaps the good Senator from Illinois can fill the rest of us in on how he is being so calm about the Country's welfare – I think he is hand and hand with the crooks that got us here.
McCain is not persoally to blame for the mess we are in and to blame him for it is just wrong. I cannot believe Obama is going up in the poll numbers over this. Obama never did anything to help the economy while in the senate or now for that matter. Come on people, McCain should not have to take the blunt end of all this – he does not deserve it. But the blame on the people that really caused us this mess and make them accountable. McCain should not be made a scapegoat in this campaign for the mess we are in.
Why doesn't anybody but the Huffington Post have the story that it's going to cost Ole Miss millions of dollars if this thing is postponed?
And what'll happen to the vice-presidential debates?
John McCain is a coward and a fraud.
Now is not a time for partisanship. The future is important, but we need to work on the present. McCain understands this.
McCain camp is a bunch of freakin losers
how about just have no debates at all ... what McCain camp smoking?
Enough. Enough. Enough.
Stand strong Barack!
What a tragic, tragic gimmick... and now they're trying to buy Mrs. Palin some time for her own debate.
Sad, sad, sad. I hope this backfires horribly on him.
Sounds like a way to cancel the vp debate. Don't go for it, Obama.
what a joke
Bloody Chickens. Are both McCain and Palin gonna hide now until the election?
This is crazy. McCain is a low life, chicken little twerp. Let the debate go forward.
country first (mccain / palin) – selfishness last (nobama / by-then)
NO it is silly to act in a rash way. The Debate should go on. They can send their bipartisan statement and if needed can fly to DC to be of help if it is felt they are needed. Keeping this process of the election is important and they can do both. First things First.