(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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Wow, more "play by my rules or don't play at all" from the Republicans. How . . . expected. Why do I get the feeling they don't think the debates are going to go well for McCain?
Impeach BUSH / CHENEY.
McCain just wants to run out of the debate. Same thing is going to happen wit Palin.
The rats are the first ones that jump from the boat.
Why don't they let Gov. Palin and Sen Biden debate in Mississippi on Friday? That's a fair turn around.
Republicans are good at 2 things, politics, and wrecking the economy,
they have turned the United States of America to the United states of Goldman Sachs,
McCain will vote for this, because he has to.
Obama do not vote for it because it is a bill that will come back to haunt just like the authorisation to use force in Iraq
Okay, I understand about the Presidential debate being delayed, but the VP debate as well? The McCain camp clearly doesn't want Palin to face off with Biden b/c they know that she will lose terribly. Stop playing games. Let the American people finally see that she is clearly not qualified for the job.
OGM! I posted on another blog that this would be the next thing they would do.And look-THEY WANT TO CANCEL THE VP DEBATE!
PALIN IS NOT READY!
MCCAIN IS A SHAM!
If this doesn't convince you,nothing will!
Think:They don't want palin to answer questions,now they want to cancel her debate!
MCCAIN CAN'T JUST CHANGE THE RULES AND PLANS OF THE ELECTION ON A WHIM!
MCCAIN DOESN'T OWN AMERICA-MCCAIN DOESN'T OWN THE WORLD!
MCCAIN IS STALLING!
WAKE THE HECK UP AMERICA!
So, that's exactly what I thought was going to happen. If the Presidential debate replaces the VP debate, they will have time to find a reason to cancel the VP debate. After seeing Palins interview with Katie Couric, I can understand why they don't want a VP debate. Joe Biden will wipe the floor with her.
Obama already stated, quite wisely, that the people's choice of our next president is also important. Obama should commit to show up for the debate and challenge McCain to "bring it." If the old man won't show, Obama should take the debate moderator's questions anyway.
How sad this is just trying to buy time because the two of them aren't prepared. Well what can one expect from McCain low man on the totem poll in college and Palin goes to many schools in 5 years to get a BA. McCain and Palin are way of their league!
It takes a Harvard grad to multitask and have the intellect to keep moving forward. Let's vote for inteligence people . Vote Obama/Biden
Obama/Biden supporter
What a joke!
McCain has displayed the most un-presidential and frankly juvenile behavior for weeks now.
There is no way I could ever consider voting for someone so erratic and unstable.
And to think I used to like him. Is there something seriously wrong with him?
Sorry guys, it doesn't matter how much extra time you give her, Palin will never be ready to have a real debate with Biden.
.....and there you have it: The real gambit here is to not have a VP debate, so they can continue to hide the Delicate Alaskan Flower. That's the endgame. WAKE UP, AMERICA – Republicans are trying to hustle you, once again........
This can't be real...IF US AMERICANS LET McCAIN/PALIN IN OFFICE
WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET. AND THIS IS COMIN FROM A REPUBLICAN.
OBAMA/BIDEN 08
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
They cannot get away with shielding Palin like this! It's...surreal!
This is just a sham to get Palin more time to cram for her finals!
Instead of "focusing on the economy" like he claimed, McCain was meeting with Ms. de Rothschild...the surrogate who called Americans "rednecks" earlier this month!
Why would he meet with someone who said that?
Why would he lie and say he was focusing on the economic crisis instead of talking to Obama, when really he was not meeting with economic advisors?
Biggest joke of a VP ever.
Obviously if either Obama's or McCain's physical presence was needed on The Hill, they would have been there on Monday considering we are now in the 2nd week of this financial fiasco.
My gut reaction was this was done by the McCain campaign purely for "grandstanding purposes." Both senatorial offices have plenty of bright and capable individuals whose physical presence in DC would suffice. McCain makes it sound like Congress needs his mere presence to move forward. I think not. Has the man never heard of the latest technology called a phone?
Multitasking apparently isn't one of John McCain's strong suits. He mistakenly thinks by canceling the debate it will make him look like he is in charge and in touch. After flailing around for the last week and a half this is simply another poor attempt to get on message.
Baaawk Baaawk, McCains yellow streak is showing!
OMG.What is he doing?Please calm him down b4 he suspends the elections too.Mcsame.just calm down to avoid heart attack
How convenient. First, McCain's too much of a coward to show up, and now they're trying to avoid having Palin get crushed by Biden as well. Now I bet the Republicans are going to try and agitate to stop the bipartisan revolt against the Bush-McCain policies so he doesn't have to show his failed policies to the American people come Friday. He doesn't care about America's crisis. He just wants to foul it up even more with presidential politics and his own selfish agendas. Obama is 100% correct. I was a swing voter coming into this election and respected McCain, but this campaign has taught me that he's even more dishonorable than Bush himself. I wanted to give McCain a chance, but if he's too much of a politician and a coward to show up and give us Americans quite possibly the first coherent glance at his economic policies (or lack thereof), it's the last straw. As it is, I now am a very firm supporter of Senator Obama.
Who is running the debates. How can one candiddate dictatate when and where the debates take place.
Oh right, now this makes sense. Palin just isn't ready. We get it!
CNN pls pls pls post this:
What's the connection between the bailout deal and the debate? Why can't the debate push through? And I certainly would not like the VP debate be moved to a later date. Why not swap it instead?
how convenient. this guy gets more ridiculous as the days go on!!! your vp is an idiot so try and stop the debate with her and biden so that you have a few more weeks to train her? so ridiculous.
First McCain said No bailout no debate (so clearly mccain wont show up if its not solved) and now the mccain camp said to postpone the VP debate just so sarah palin can get enough experience to debate biden...there are no excuses to postpone a schedule debate...Americans need to know who is right for the job....McCain/Palin is such a joke...
VOTE SMART
VOTE OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!!