(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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Uh-0h, looks like McCain and the Repubs are having second thoughts about Palin being ready to debate by next week. I guess the crash course of international affairs was too much for Sarah and she's no where near ready for prime time next week.
Just another round of "Bailin' Palin" is all this is.
John's camp is extremely intelligent. This week the press was finally getting ground on his VP's inability to answer questions about issues, his campaign manager company as of last month taking money for corrupt mortage companies, and his poll numbers have dipped. Change the subject, distract, and still get what you want. Palin is the real issue, choosing her was a mistake and that can't be allowed to speak. Perfect plan to cancel the vp debate and not let Americans hear her and see what a bad decision john made and why he should never lead this nation.
Oh – got it now. if you were Stevie Wonder you should be able to see what they are trying. The goal was to postpone the VP debate?! They made their beds and they should lie in it. They went with Palin they should be stuck with her showing her inexperience in the VP debate. Let JOE at her. If by some fluke McClueless is elected, we deserve what this next administration will give us. Come on people.....VOTE OBAMA/BIDEN 08/12
The biggest joke of all Presidential candidates=John McLame. Unprepared on day one. 10 days ago the economy was fundamentally strong, today it's a historical crisis and he wants his campaign bailed out. Let democracy progress.
Now I get it. This need to "deleay the debate" is all a ploy to dodge the Vice-Presidential debate so that Gov. Palin won't make a fool of herself. If McCain is putting "country first", then I say black is white. If we dsay it enough, many people will start to believe it.
Don't be fooled. This is a tactic. McCain wants to wait until the dust is settled or a "solution" [albeit there won't ever be a real solution] has been reached that he can point to and use as reference.
He knows that if he goes into the debate Friday night, he'll be creamed. As he said so himself, he's very weak on economics... and what do you think will be most talked about if the debate were Friday?
Ahaaaaah! Nice try, GOP. Not even close to legitimate.
It turns out that the whole mess is to give Palin a couple of days dalay to prepare for the debate.
Palin First,
McCain second.
Wow, totally didn't see this one coming....maybe McCain wants to reschedule it for November 5th.
hahahaha.... "insist the Republican nominee will not go to the debate Friday if there's no deal on the bailout."
what the...???
how can they even justify that?
if this guy's national poll numbers don't drop below 40 within the next week i'll be very surprised, especially if there's a no-show, what a muppet.
Obama/Biden 08
Of course they want to postpone their debate.
"Be silent and be thought a fool. Speak and remove all doubt."
How lame can you get, Senator McCain? We already know your VP pick is a know-nothing right wingnut who would go down in smoke and flames in a one-on-one with Joe Biden.
First you wrap yourself in the flag with your war story, and now you hide behind the economic problems of the day (that you and your fellow Republicans caused in the first place!) to avoid having a truly substantive debate on the issues.
You'll say and do ANYTHING to get elected!
I am appalled to watch CNN continue try to prop up John McCain. Time to let this peevish, senile man go down.
I am amazed at how crazy and utterly predictable these moves are by the McCain camp. It all seems too convenient! Its nothing but a diversion in the face of hard times winning a debate by the Republicans. Is this the kind of shenanigans we can expect from our next president if McCain is elected????
I am floored and yet these surprises are becoming commonplace. Just nuts!
McCain's decision to return to Washington is the correct decision for a US Senator. Obama"s, comment that presidents have to do many things is off base. The last I heard he was still a US Senator from Illinios. It appears to me he is being presumptous and belongs in DC with the rest of our legislators to hhelp resolve the financial crisis.. Thanks
How about October 3rd, because Palin needs to be questioned, and this country needs to see who she is?
Are you kidding me? So you're telling the the guy who wants to be President of the United States cannot have a debate for a couple of hours to help calm the nerves of the millions of Americans that will be affected regardless of if there is a bailout or not? Now they want to postpone the VP debates for a time TBA because they're still scared that Palin might screw up....Its so sad that his is what it has come to...
Why, Mac? So you can pressure the moderators into giving the hard questions to Biden while going ridiculously easy on wimpy Palin?
I got news for ya: IT WON'T WORK! Man it up, or get outta here!
Are you kidding me? McCain is such a joke.
This is the kind of Politics that Obama wants to change. The game McCain is playing is not good for the country. He and Palin do not want to debate as they will lose.
They are both scared.
This is just a tactic they are trying.
As Obama said, that a President should be able to do more than one thing at a time. It is called multi-tasking.
America should demand that the debates go on as they are for us.
agree. Country First.
Postponing the inevitable. The show must go on America–Presidents don't take time off. The economy is a very significant issue, but so is choosing the next president of the US–he is, afterall, the one who has to deal with it. So is this fear of McCain debating Obama or Palin debating Biden? Maybe both.
Stop the charades McCain.
OF COURSE! Palin needs all the time she can get to prepare.
Cnn is so not objective... BE OBJECTIVE
Now the real reason for McCain's new stunt is coming out! They will try to cancel the Vice Presidential debate because they know if Palin can't talk to reporters, she certainly can't speak in a debate format.
I can't believe the American people are stupid enough to give this woman such an important job with no "interview."