(CNN) – As John McCain returned to Capitol Hill Thursday to support the passage of a package to address the nation’s financial crisis, Democrats spent the morning gleefully directing reporters to a statement from the Republican nominee Tuesday – three days after the bailout bill was introduced – that he had not read the text of the administration’s proposal.
"I have not had a chance to see it in writing. I have to examine it,” he told a Cleveland television station.
Watch: McCain's bailout proposal
The McCain campaign said Thursday the Arizona senator had immediately been briefed on the elements of the plan – but could not say whether or not he had since read the three-page proposal, pointing instead to his meetings with congressional leaders and briefings with top officials. They also said the question was less relevant because final text was likely to be different than the original proposal.
Watch: What are the candidates saying about the bailout plan?
From CNN Politics
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McCain's itinerary:
1. Take phone call from Obama asking for a joint statement, realize he has been beaten to the punch.
2. State there is an economic crisis, claim to "suspend" campaign to one-up Obama and then repeatedly claim he is intimately involved in working out the bailout problem.
3. Continune running ads, having surrogates talk to the press and have Palin answer 4 softball questions from her press corp, all despite "suspending" campaign.
4. Interview on Katy Couric's show (snubbing Letterman).
5. Speak at Clinton's CGI event during congressional business hours.
6. Ignore news that an agreed-upon bill is going to be presented to the treasury Dept.
7. Arrive in DC for photo op with Lieberman.
8. Accidentally tell everyone he still hasn't read the bill the President proposed and that Congress has been changing for the past week...and has now changed in an agreed-upon
9. Read the bills (one would hope).
10. Claim credit for pulling the nation out of this disaster.
LIES.
McCain is dangerous.
Do you really want his (or, Palin's) finger on the trigger?
Oh.. brother! It's like deja vu all over again? Hadn't we have one already residing in the WH who is not fond of reading? HELLO!!!
Obama would have it read it if they put it on a teleprompter.
Still waiting for Obamas Harvard records..........Columbia 2.0 GPA...How EXACTLY did he get into Harvard?
Putting Obama, a 3-year experienced U.S. Senator, in charge of the country is total stupidity. It is like putting a new-hire in charge of the company with a multi-trillion dollar budget. Are people really this stupid?
Details, schmetails. Who has time to read? I'm too busy inventing things like the BlackBerry.
Let's put an end to this cruel joke. Just say NO to Bush 44 and Caribou Barbie.
Go Obama/Biden!!!
Probably not!!! This whole fiasco of the last 24hrs. was a stunt. The McCain campaign is arrogant and smug!!! It's time to move on and stop this type of game playing with our country !!!
No McCain has not read the bailout bill nor has he effectively preped for the debate. This is just another distration that protects him from having to answer hard question. I'm sorry to say, the warrior and the bulldog with lipstick are beiginnig to look like a chickens. He has not supended his compaign. Palin continues at full sped.
not surprised
Obama did read the bill which is why he proposed 4 clauses to the bill. The 4 clauses is the following: no golden parachuette, the money the goverment makes goes to the taxpayers, oversight and housing bill to keep people in their homes. McCain did not have any proposals because he did not read the bill. How can McCain negotiate if he doesn't even know the bill or the reason for concerns by lawmakers.
Why didn't he read it? I thought they emailed to him.
If you believe McCain is not throwing a Hail Mary to save his bid then I have a Bridge to Nowhere to sell.
It's infinitely amazing to continue to see the kind of partisan comments made by many people in this forum. These are exactly the kind of people that are continuing the problems with the two party system, they are no different than (R) Sean Hannity or any of the other right wing blowhards. Our government, both (D) & (R) has failed us miserably, and people like you, relish the opportunity to make it appear the one party or one person is to blame for the problems in our country. It is despicable to see that the blindness of radical politicians has infected our nation One can only hope that people like the radical Democrats or Republicans like them will grow fewer in numbers following the collapse of our financial markets. I can almost here the scathing comments being typed by her and others. I must be a radical Independent who is bent of forging a new coalition to destroy our government, not save it for future generations...
It looks like John is a day late and a dollar short. Now there should be no reason for him ducking this debate and I hope he doesn't try to act like he was part of the solution when we all know he wasn't. The fact that he couldn't even read this 3 PAGE DOCUMENT is utterly pathetic.
Why would John want to read the bill. Just take his picture and shut- up.
What does this tell you about McCain, he screams the "sky is falling..the sky is falling", but has no common sense to take a breath and let congress do there job. this is what the McCain presidency is all about, pretending (like Bush) to know what he is talking about, and in fact he doesn't., so I rest my case, Bush & McCain are really twins!
Oh my, what will we do if McCain doesn't rush down to DC to save the day...Mc Cain to the rescuueeeeee...oh wait, the firemen aleady put the fire out...i guess he can say he was there and saw the whole thing with his own two eyes. my hero. NOT.
Aren't you people glad that Social Security wasn't privatized????
If people had listened to the republicans, including John McCain, our social security would be gone!
Obama didn't want to go to DC because he had to get advice from Bill Ayers and Rev. Wright first.
Terrorists and racists in an Obama cabinet- is that really what the people of America want? I don't think so.
That is right cnn you won't post my blog.
Mccain always take credit for everything good, but no posistion for bad credit.
Just like he have taken credit for the Iraq surge, he cry out every day the surge works the surge works, as if he plan the surge.
Mccain there is supporting rolls and planning rolls. So please let the planners take credit for their job, not the mare supporters.
Yeah, He will take credit for the bailout bil whereas he haven't read it. It should have the first thing he will focus on since he put his country first as he alwasy say.
Yah right Mccain take credit for every good even if you did nothing to support it. Now you cancelled all your ads and rallies just to prove your point you mean business.
Wise man Mccain, i kinda like your styes, but do Americans buy it?
Hey was 3rd or so from the bottom at the academy, can he read?
Here I come to save the day! Mighty McMouse
This man's campaign is falling apart at the seems. Can someone tell me what happened to the John McCain I used to admire. He is the most pathetic candidate for president other than good ol dubya. Wake up America this is our last chance to restore our good name around the world.
Let's be honest here.
He's not going to vote on the bill based on whether it's good or bad.
He's going to vote based on whether he can exploit his vote for political gains.
Gotta stick with his "country last" attitude.
McCain is a JOKE....this is the biggest crisis we have faced during our generation, and he makes his decision based on a biased brief from a known moron?
McCain, you are pathetic. With politicians like you, who needs terrorists!!
Obama/Biden '08. Truely the most credible hero's of our generation!
WASP!!!! WomenAgainstSarahPalin!!!