(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.
Ooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! So THAT'S what's going on.
The farce of Palin's candidacy needs to end right now. She's probably already doomed McCain but maybe Romney or Huckabee can be drafted.
Hey Scott L.-If McCain was so concerned then why didn't head back to Washington a few days ago? Oh, that's right...he and Caribou Barbie had to get all of their photo ops in with all the foreign dignitaries.
And even better solution, no debates and lets vote now.
He's trying to escape the debates. He's going to get smashed on the economy by Obama so he runs away and tries to turn it to his advantage. I can't understand how people can still consider to vote for him.
Palin has NOTHING to do with the bail out package of wall street. She's NOT a senator or lawmaker or anyone of any importance.
Palin had better debate or NO ONE will vote for the McCai/Palin ticket. There would be NO reason to vote for them.
McCain must really think Americans are stupid.
Gosh, I hope Obama does not accept any of it. Who the heck does McCain think he is? Who gave him the right to call the shots? If he doesn't want to show up, that's his decision. Absolutely no way should the VP debate be delayed or canceled on his whim. I repeat – who the heck does he think he is?
I can understand McCain and Obama skipping because they are both senators,
But Palin is a gov and Biden is a senator. The two of them can have a debate. Besides if the financial crisis is so dire that it won't be solved in 8 days then what's wrong with taking 1 day off for a 1 hour debate?
Okay, we might have bought it if McCain wanted to suspend just his debate, but there is no harm in letting the VPs debate. Palin can't do anything in Washington to help, and Biden is not on any critical committees that I know of. This is just an effort to buy some time to think up a way out of the mess their ticket is in.
Obama only cares about.... well, Obama !
McCain the multitasker? Not in this life time.
WHAT?! NO WAY!!!!
They are such cowards–how crazy is that? I hope the Obama camp does not let them get away with that. That is the real reason McCain wanted to postpone the debate with Barack.
They are snakes, all of them.
I just watched her interview with Katie Couric. OMG! Even Katie tripped her up. Gwen Ifill will kill her.
Now we understand what's going on here. They have realized how pathetic Ms. Palin is and cannot have her debate Niden on national TV. They want that debate cancelled. That's what this whole thing is about. How transparent could they be. Seriously, we are not "that" stupid.
Why would McCain want to cancel this Friday’s Presidential Debate? This is just a political ploy to make McCain look as if he is the saving factor of this financial nightmare.
McCain doesn’t have any political say or clout to help with this situation. He can’t write any policy to offset this situation and, he doesn’t have the sound judgment to even give support to the committee that is meeting on Capitol Hill. It is the Republican Caucus that is stalling and prohibiting solutions for this economic crisis.
Keep in mind that, McCain is the reason for this mess. He voted for deregulation of Banking, he voted with the Bush administration and said that the economy was sound just over a week ago.
Would you, want someone of his character to have an input into a solution for Wall Street? A person who over the last two weeks; changed his position on the economy, the effects of a financial melt-down on the worldwide markets. This is a person who is double minded and who cannot be trusted.
This was a pitiful move on McCain’s part to suggest cancellation of the debate. His only concern is with self (self-righteousness) and political jolt to his deteriorating poll numbers.
hello...
That is just plain sorry.... No he is trying to bail Sarah Palin out because she is not ready either.... WHATEVER.
Let me guess–now we need to postpone the VP debate so that Palin can go help McCain resolve the financial crisis in Washington! She can then add a new line to her stump speech: "I said 'Thaaanks but no thaaaanks to that blank check to Paulson!'"
Stupid McCain!!
The only bail out that McCain is interested in is in bailing out of the debates
I TRIED OF PEOPLE SAYING OH OBAMA WANT DEBATE MC CAIN WHO GIVES MC CAIN THE RIGHT TO CALL ON WHAT TYPE OF DEBATE......I YOU WANT TO FIGHT ME COME TO ME HOUSE I'M NOT COMING ON YOUR GROUNDS!.......OBAMA IS SMART HE'S NOT PLAYING THE WAY MC CAIN WANTS HIM TO PLAY.....LET MC CAIN DO THE REGULAR STAND UP DEBATES.....ITS NOT ALL BOUT MC CAIN!
Again, McCain is the one showing leadership, instead of like the Dem's who just whine and talk and not deliver.
If the Dem's really wanted to solve this, they would be eager to. But no, they are playing games and actually call John McCain's efforts to return to the Senate and hold off campaigning as a stunt or a photo op.
Oh yes, to actually want to do his job, how dare he. This coming from the party that thinks having their inexperienced candidate give a free concert and speech in German is a way for hiim to show up his foreign policy experience. Yes, indeed, if only the Democrats had "American Idol on Foreign Land "show.
McCain is again hijacking the situation solely for his own political gain. There's no reason whatsoever for him to suspend the campaign and to delay the Friday debate. None. It is pure cold political calculation.
Now, the Democrats response MUST be immediate and fierce; there's no delay of the debate! No delay!! If McCain doesn't show up on Friday, Obama should do it by himself.
If the Democrats give in to this political stunt they'll loose.
Why don't they do the VP debate THIS Friday? And the Pres debate on the 2nd?
Republicans are really something. They find a way to politicize anything and everything.
And all because they are tanking in the polls.
What has this country become....
Relax McCain They'll Get It Done!
Since the McCain camp wants to postpone Friday's debate until next Thursday and reschedule the VP debate, how about this as a solution: do the VP debate this Friday and the Pres debate next Thursday. I'm sure Joe and Sarah (and Gwen?) are ready!