CNN confirms: McCain, Obama to meet with Bush about bailout
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/24/art.bushwave0924.ap.jpg caption="Pres. Bush has summoned Sens. McCain and Obama and congressional leadership to the White House to discuss his plan to bailout the nation's fianancial markets."]
WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Bush has asked both Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama to join him for a meeting at the White House Thursday afternoon to discuss the economic bailout plan, a White House officials said.
"The President called Sen. Obama tonight around 7:30 pm," said Dana Perino, White House press secretary. "The president has invited the bicameral and bipartisan leadership, and the two senators running for president, to the White House tomorrow to work on driving to a bipartisan and timely solution."
Obama's campaign said in a statement that he has accepted the invitation.
"A few moments ago, President Bush called Senator Obama and asked him to attend a meeting in Washington tomorrow, which he agreed to do," the statement said.
"He has said that he will continue to work in a bipartisan spirit and do whatever is necessary to come up with a final solution."
A McCain adviser said McCain also plans to attend.
- CNN's Elaine Quijano and Dana Bash contributed to this report.
McCain really needed a nap – give the old guy a break. After all, presidents don't really have to be "Presidential", they just have to say they are.
Sigh! My goodness, one of the few times in eight years President Bush tries to do the right thing. His thought process lets get the smart guy and rough tough guy together. It's getting scary and the smart guy just may have a chance.
Bush is trying to save McCain from himself, it won't do much good.
What a stupid tactic McCain pulled. He just blew apart any possible chance at the presidency with this grandstanding. What's he gonna do Friday night during the debate? Sit in a chair drinking a martini? He CANNOT attend the finance committee, he has NO SAY in what they decide. His erratic behavior shows just how unstable and mentally incapacitated he is.
Congratulations Mr Barack Obama, McCain just handed you the presidency.
I think that Obama should say "If the Republican Presidental Candidate cannot show up to debate me on Friday night, I would be happy to debate Sarah Palin, since if she becomes Vice-President, she will be expected to substitute for the President when he can't make it."
Gosh-the big money guys really must have gotten themselves into a pinch this time. It really MUST BE IMPORTANT TO DO MY PART AS A SLAVE TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY to protect WHO? You must ask yourself- Do i have the average retirement account balance of 3 MILLION DOLLARS? If you don't, then expect to be a SLAVE TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND HAVE YOUR CHILDREN BE A SLAVE TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AT LEAST UNTIL YOU GRANDCHILDREN ARE FIVE YEARS OLD!....
Jeff
Oh PLEASE. They're trying to postpone the debates and we're not falling for it!!
$700 billion to bail out wall street how about main street? America do you realize that that $700 billion that you will spend will be use to bail out Chinese banks and other foreign banks bad business and then they will sell these business back to us American. We should not let this to happen because the same mess will come back again in wall street. Wall Street greed, big CEO Payout need to have control over them. This $700 billion just show you that the republicans do not care. Congress please do not let George Bush rush you and us American into this mess. Bush has four months in power and he does not care of whatever mess that $700 billion will make.
Is that package has a plan to bail out main street as well? The economy cannot run good without main street confidence. If main street do not have money that $700 billions is a waste.
I admire both candidates.
But Obama looked a little confused today on what to do. I'm not sure if "waiting to be called upon" is leadership. Leadership is taking initiative.
John McCain surprised us today. Politically it was brilliant. It made everyone stop and pay attention to him. And what debate will happen if he doesn't go? Obama is now under the whim of McCain. Whatever actions he takes on this issue will seem to have been initiated by McCain's leadership. Inaction looks like political incompetence. This all plays into the idea that McCain is a practical leader who rolls up his sleeve and that Barack Obama is a speaker and permanent candidate (although a very good one!) Now it seems McCain has already won this brief logistical battle because Obama is going to the White House with him.
And look at Bushie! He is no lame duck making such broad and sweeping policy. Like him or hate him, he is trying to do something positive here to save our economy.
Now if someone just pays off my Amex than this is just great 🙂
how convenient...
Gayle, what makes you think that McCain is not 'playacting'? Perhaps the act is pretending to be indispensible in Washington – where a committee has been busy hammering out a deal acceptable to both parties. I think the American people deserve to hear from both candidates Friday night, during the debate. And lastly, voters must never, never forget that it was deregulation that got America into its current mess.
"Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."
McCain, the deregulator
McCain isn't showing leadership. All he's showing is how sneaky he is. Obama tried to act in good faith.
Obama , don't let their bad judgment rub off on you. Stay clear.
Last week we were in total crisis and McCain didn't get it, this week everything's ok because Congress, who helped get us into this, is working on it and we need to get on with the debates. I honestly believe the economic crisis is a bit more important right now, and this is an excellent opportunity for both candidates to show their commitment to bipartisan solutions.
No matter who wins, about half the country is going to be unhappy. It seems smart to foster relationships working together now, because whoever loses is still going to play an important role in our government, and it's better for our country if there is not animosity and they believe in each other's ability to work across the aisle.
I don't know about anyone else, but if I were running for office, I would want to believe that my opponent is a worthy adversary, otherwise the win wouldn't mean much to me. And the fact that about half the country thinks that person worthy would ensure that I would not ignore everything they have to say.
McCain has openly admitted he doesn't know enough about the economy. Bush has proven he knows nothing outside of his own portfolio. Now he's going to get advice from McCain? What is this... the sequel to "Dumb and Dumber?"
It's funny that Obama has been campaigning how McCain will bring more of the same. But really they are all a part of the same failed leadership that has been running this country. The democrats have controlled the majority in congress for the last couple of years and they have accomplished nothing. It's easy to cast blame for Bush, in fact it's become fashionable, but being honest about the situation America is in right now, it wouldn't be fair to exclude the hundreds of other elected government officials whom Americans have entrusted to lead and make the right decisions. They have all had some responsibility for the state of affairs today. Maybe they should take a pay cut to pay for the bailouts. The amount of money these campaigns throw around is sickening. There is no substance to the campaigning. I've seen nothing but vague ideas from both parties how they will address the issues. Even their own ideas contradict themselves. The rest is all hype, mis-information, and sleek marketing to cover up for the lack of substance. They aren't campaigning because they care about the issues. That should be apparent when they are campaigning based on statistics and key votes. They are playing numbers games. Sick. America needs real leadership and both candidates are buffoons. They should instate a option for a vote of no-confidence.
Does anyone else find it odd that all these disasters suddenly came up this year at election time?War surge,bad VP choice,Georgia mess,Gas prices and now a financial crisis.This is all a setup by the Republicans.McCain is looking for a way to avoid the debate stage with Obama and to keep Palin away from the media.The financial crisis pulls Obama off the trail and keeps McCain and Palin away from the national q&a sessions.Any fool can see this is what's going on here.The people are again being duped by the Republicans.If this were not an election year who would Bush call on??????
Just another diversion from McCain – and it back fired on him today...which is why the President had to call Obama to Washington. What a joke. It baffles me how seemingly educated people continue to look right through the McCain smoke and mirrors. Truth be told, he has yet to be prepared for any interview, I doubt he's prepared for the debate.
Abby/Gayle – please do tell...what is it about McCain's leadership you support? Is it the way he handled the Keating 5? Or his views of big corporate pay outs such as Carly Fiorina? Or is it his patriotism? I mean really, you must have more to say than "Good Job McCain – a leader we need for America."
The leader of this country better be able to juggle more than one thing at a time. Brilliantly stated by Obama.
I don't understand how someone can say McCain did this out of love for his country. Ignorance is bliss. McCain wants to move the debate to Oct 2 so Palin does not have to debate. Why can't people see that? Also why can people realize that McCain is too old to multi-task...he can't cram about the economy and a debate too. Honestly I think all this is too much for him.
Does Bush and his Republican party think the whole of America is basically STUPID?!!!! How dare he intercede by interrupting the presidential campaign. Do we live in a totalitarian regime, or a democracy? It's Obama's right to continue compaigning, not McCain's or the president's right to manipulate and dictate what he should do. Obviously, the Rebulicans know they've created more than one crisis too big to correct and are very aware of losing control of the country, and are quite realistically facing their possible extinction as a party. Shame on you BUSH and the ENTIRE Republican party!!!!!!
Shame on Republicans. Shame on them.
Obama is making the White House meeting and still will be there for the debate.
McCain and Palin are true Republicans. Avoid scrutiny at all costs.
There is a saying in legal circles: Justice has not only to be done but to be seen to be done.
How can you give justice to the choice of a president when you are running from the normal scrutiny a presidential candidate endures.
if they still give bailout mean all politicans must be get out
with the president asking obama to be there tomarrow in a meeting with him, this sort of takes the wind of mc cain sails. mc cains just going there for a couple of reasons , one, to help get votes on the republican side to help the president and the problem with that almost all these republicans are up for reelection and they are not going to give mc cain credit since he never was there for almost a year now and not catching the fall back as much as them , and they are not going to give him any credit , as for the democrats , thats a no brainer . he stands a chance to be even more in with bush , which will sink him., even more so that this is about 90% a done thing , he will be a dollar shot and a day late, and he never was involved in all the other bail outs, so if he does not make the debate on friday then it will cost him greatly, and also hurt the poeple and the state that set this up a year in advance and the money made for the area , in poeple comeing in for this , this just might be mc cains down fall , yet you seen it comeing , yesterday during one of palins meetings , john was there and the press , when john made the statement HE would take questions , and the first question was for sarah and witin 2 min. everyone was ordered out of the room , they got to see the real john they know, yet this was set up for sarah, not him yet he felt shut out , and sarah paid for that one also one said she was very goodlooking nothing is going for him. ken
I hope Bush doesn't endorse OBAMA after the meeting.
He needs Ideas from OBAMA to fix the economy.
Looks like this is OBAMA'S KATRINA.... "I would just be in the way...they don't need me...call me if you need me". Well, Big Daddy called and guess who is going to DC. No leadership from OBAMA.