September 24th, 2008
04:43 PM ET
15 years ago
Obama 'inclined' to debate
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/24/art.debate.gi.jpg caption="Obama wants to press on with the debate."](CNN) - Barack Obama is 'inclined" to go ahead with the debate Friday night, campaign sources tell CNN.
McCain said Wednesday the debate should be postponed if the economic bailout has not passed congress by that time.
Obama is expected to make a statement around 4:30 p.m. ET.
From CNN Politics
- Blinken says State Department is working to deal with 'unprecedented demand' for passports
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- North Carolina set to become 40th state to expand Medicaid after yearslong battle in GOP-led statehouse
- Former Connecticut high school athletes urge appeals court to revive their challenge to state's trans-inclusive sports policy
- US and Canada reach a deal on decades-old asylum agreement
- House fails to override Biden veto of resolution to overturn investment rule
I don’t understand why as candidates they must refrain from debating the issue when that is their most important job.
CNN must modify the debate to be exclusive to the crisis and the two candidates must tell us how they plan to ride it out if they are elected.
There are enough politicians and bureaucrats in Washington working on the issue.
We have a serious job of electing one of them and McCain and Obama should tell us how they will fix the problem. It is more important for them to tell us this at this point than anything else they may do.
Good for Obama. If ANYTHING is going to be changed about Friday's debate...let's have it focus around THE ECONOMY. If McCain is really concerned about this issue – as most Americans are at this moment – then let's have the discussion focus on that topic like it should be rather than trying to forcefeed us all a bunch of stuff on foreign affairs that – frankly – don't matter much to the average joe right now.
Why not debate? The American public needs as much information and discussion as possible.
try to delay it johnny boy
McCain continues to postpone events, because he doesn't have the answers, only excuses ......when McCain doesn't speak that means Sarah Palin is quiet also ....she's a puppet waiting for McCain to pull her strings at every turn..
Again: McCain sees the national issues, Bama sees Bama issues.... (same as with visiting troops, same as with telling Iraq not to start US withdrawal under Bush... my goodness.. who is this guy....
This is better than my Wednesday night poker game....
My God,what is with cnn praising Mccain for this.
Obama called him first to say let's make a joint statement in unison and McCain jumps and gives a press conference.That is a real snake for you and we should all see that it!
I am appauled at McCain!I am disgusted at this joke!
I bet their next move is to cancel the vp debate!
MCCAIN IS TRYING TO SHAM AMERICA!
There is no need to not debate. A few hours in front of America talking about economic security might do the country good. Obama should pivot and suggest that the topic be changed from foreign policy to the economy so that Americans can hear their perspective based on what they know as of the time of the debate.
I hope that BO tells this cat, he'll meet him in Mississippi.
SHALOM
Debate can not wait. Presidential candidates can not wait for things to cool... they need to address things when the issue is hot!
If McSame is scared ask him to have Sarah by his side during the debate! LOL
MCCAIN NEWSFLASH
OBAMA KNOWS HOW TO SKIP AND CHEW GUM..........
HE CAN RETURN TO WASHINGTON AND DEBATE.....
SAME OLD TRICKS...MC CAIN WE ARE DONE WITH YOUR GAMES....
YOU ARE LOSING AND THIS IS WHAT YOU CAME UP WITH....
THIS WON'T WORK!
good. mccain wants to drop everything, including debates, to finally show up on the hill and cast a vote?
i mean, the dude hasn't bothered to show up to vote on anything in almost 6 months. yesterday he admitted that he hadn't even read paulson's bailout plan. now suddenly he has to quit the debates?
part of being president is the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time, john.
A crises is ALL the more reason to HAVE a debate.
Move the debate to D.C.
They should be debating. There's no reason they can't be in Washington all of tomorrow and part of Friday, then travel to Ole Miss for Friday's night debate. We need to see this debate sooner rather than later, especially as early voting is being permitted in a number of states.
why not, mcbush wouldn't remember anything about voting anyway!!
McCain might think that he's shrewd but if he really wanted a bipartisan effort why didn't he call Obama and discuss the possibility of suspending the campaign?! I mean come on!!! Obama called him this morning at 8:00am to discuss a joint release but he goes and call a press conference to suspend his campaign and then "implores" Obama to do so...On live Television!!! The funny thing is that McCain has been avoiding the press like a bad case of Hepatitis B... all of a sudden he's calling a Press Conference to announce... calling off the delay and going back to Washington?!... Pandering to the American people on something as serious as this is a slap in the face...
I hope Obama is smart enough to see through this one...
The debate is too important to fob off as Senator McCain wants. And franky, trying to put it off makes Senator McCain look like he's afraid to debate Senator Obama.
Hmm. Maybe he is!
IF OBAMA WANTS MY VOTE...HE BETTER DEBATE. I NEED TO HEAR SOMETHING IF HE HAS TO GO IN AND JUST ANSWER QUESTIONS! THAT WILL MAKE MciNSANE LOOK REALLY BAD!
WATCH PEOPLE, NEXT PALIN WILL WANT TO CANCEL HER DEBATE AGAINST BIDEN...WHAT EXCUSE WILL SHE USE...HER DAUGHTER'S WATER BROKE...GIVE ME A BREAK!
I truly believe the debate and campaign must go on. The President of the United States must be able to mulit task, not just focus on one issue. I believe this is an atttempt by the McCain campaign to stop the bleeding of his campaign and call a "time out" or 'Mercy". He knows he has taken a dip in the polls and this is just another in the long list of excuses to not be accountable for answering the tough questions. He needs to step up to the plate and answer to the American people. He also can't play the "age" card on this one either. Shoot he doesn't know what an economic crisis is with his 13 houses and 13 cars. How can he truly understand what Americans are goiing through!!!
Great for OBAMA......I am glad he said NO. McCain is afraid that this debate will truly show the country that he is unfit to lead .....the Republicans have dimished the legacy of this country long enough and I look forward to seeing Obama rip him into....
McPain is terrified. How handy to postpone the debate...until maybe after the election...???
McSame is afraid to debate Obama....what a coward. Has says nothing and will never be able to say anything. Oh, but what about Sarah Palin??? Now she has become worldly in two days of PR work.....do they think we are that stupid?
I vote for the debate to go forward!!!!
Good for Obama. McCain couldn't help with a financial crisis if his life depended on it and he certainly can't effectively spar with Obama. You go Obama.