Obama 'optimistic' a deal can be reached
Watch: Sen. Barack Obama says he is optimistic a deal can be reached on the financial bailout.
(CNN)— Sen. Barack Obama said Friday he is “optimistic” a deal can be reached on the financial bailout and the best way forward is to explain his vision to the American people at the debate in Mississippi.
“I think that there is real progress being made this morning and last night,” Obama told reporters onboard his press plane en route to the debate.
Watch: 'real progress being made," Obama says
The Illinois senator said he had several conversations with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Sen. Chris Dodd, and other Republicans involved that reassured him progress will be made.
McCain also announced Friday he will head to the debate, feeling sufficient progress on the bill had been made.
Watch: GOP leaders say the return of McCain and Obama helped talks progress
“At this point, my strong sense is that the best thing that I can do, rather than to inject presidential politics into some delicate negotiations, is to go down to Mississippi and explain to the American people what is going on and my vision for leading the country over the next four years,” Obama also said.
Asked if Thursday’s meeting at the White House was a mistake, Obama admitted he wasn’t sure “it was as productive as it could have been,” adding the best move at this point is “to just move forward.”
Both John McCain and Barack Obama are expected back in Washington D.C. after Friday night’s debate to finalize plans for an economic package.
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So in this meeting with Bush yesterday, Obama was asked what his plan for this bail out is, and he told them. McCain was asked what his plan is, and he deferred to his advisors. Please tell us again why it was so urgent for McCain to get back to Washington?
A leader that is calm and collected in a crisis. That is what I see in Obama. In McCain I see the Road Runner scrambling aound and always falling on his face. President Obama has a wonderful sound to it!
With a degree in journalism, one would think that Sarah Palin would do better with interviews and completing full sentences? Let's not let McCain's so-called "suspension" distract us from Sarah Palin's "bombed" interview with Couric this week.
The funny thing is who is going to run this country if Obama wins.
The Obama people just keep on eating him up. Its like a sickness.
Hey congress I hear that Iran is attacking America.
I'm shooting hoops call me if you need me.
President Obama
WOW IF THAT DOESN'T DESTROY THIS COUNTRY NOTHING WILL.
I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE CAN BE SO STUPID AND SO UNEDUCATED TO VOTE FOR THIS MAN!!!!!!!!!
Wow, republicans are starting to see the light. It's bad when your campaign gets bashed by republicans.
Obama showed leadership ,poise, and capability of leading this country through this crisis and any other crisis that may come his way! McCain ran around like he always does catastrophising the situation and calling
for a halt to campaigning a delay of debating! He really didn't need to go to Washington he should have stayed focused on the debate and his VP
whom was having a terrible time with her 3rd interview with Katie Couric! Both McCain and Palin looked like they were floundering in shallow water yesterdayI don't think the public is fooled by his reasoning they saw for themselves who looked more Presidential in a moment of crisis!
Obama/Biden
Doesn't take much smarts for Obama to vote "present!"
JD, I would love to call my Senator however my somewhat Senator is McCain. He is never here and always at one of his many homes. Try to ask a question in his home state of AZ, and you get the same answer time and again Sen. McCain will get back to you he is out of the office at this time. Is he or has he been in office for years? Don't know can't ever reach him.
TRUST NO DEMOCRAT! PERIOD! TRUST NO MEDIA! PERIOD!
Obama is getting wiser as this process goes on. His remarks hit the bulls eye each time. First it was the President should be able to multi task, and then the injection of Presidential politics into the bailout negociations. Someone needs to tell McCain that we already have a President for right now, and that his responsibility is to ensure America that the next one is competent. What a POS McCain is
ONE NATION
I am enjoying seeing the Repubs turn on Bush and McCain. Palin doesn't have a clue and should slap McCain for making a bone-head pick.
Obama-real judgement- real leadership
If the Rep think the insurance thing will work. SPEAK UP. Start with not putting tax payer money on the line but leave room enough to have access to the billions if needed and keep monitoring the situation. I think that is wise. They need to get these bad debts off these companies books. They should give Americans some money and give conditional incentives to restructure some of these mortgage back securities or buy them outright in return for stack in these companies. I don't see why this is so hard.
Obama better hope so, after he blew thing up at the meeting with the president....First time sitting at the grown-ups' table, and he comes up short...
Barack Obama continue to flex his presidential muscle.
OBAMA '08!!
No one mentioned the fact that OBAMA and the DEMONcrats tried to slide into the bailout bill 100 MILLION DOLLARS for campaigning organization ACORN as an ADD ON!
I WANT TO POSE A QUESTION!!!
You people voting for OBAMA....How many of you supported Bush/Administration AFTER 9/11? Have you forgotten what happen? You all call yourselves Americans...ha! The nerve for OBAMA and his supporters to DISRESPECT McCain after all he has fought for! If you dont like him fine...but come on, getting PERSONAL and being ignorant towards a man that has endured so much!
How about you ALL MOVE to CANADA....you make me SICK!
DEMOCRAT for McCAIN!
DONT FORGET OUR TROOPS you HEATHENS!
Obama is so poised, and such a LEADER in times of crisis!
McCain has shown himself to be erratic and dangerously spontaneous. Not only with the debate stunt, but also with his choice of Palin. Her interviews have proven that she truly is not qualified to be VP.
We need wisdom so much more than brash swagger during these complicated times. Obama is the only candidate who is wise enough to lead our country through this.
"CALL ME IF YOU NEED ME'" THIS IS THE PRESIDENT.WOW. COOL. AMERICAN PEOPLE WHEN YOU HAVE PROBLEM CALL ME MAYBE I WILL COME FROM SKY AND DO SOMETHING.
i belive obamas progressive views can really help the united states if he were to be appointed president.im also looking foward to the debate with McCain tonight and thgeir plans for the country.politics are crazy and fun to watch.when these two go head to head in this debate it will be interesting to watch who comes out on top.im a strong supporter of obama and believe his plans for the future are best!
Of course Obama meddling and posturing is called leadership while the same exact thing from McCain is called a cheap trick.
Last FactCheck showed Biden with the lie on taxes, but by now Obama/biden can get away with any lie and slander. They can literally stand up and obviously lie and the followers eyes glaze over.
Please do not sell out on this financial bailout. keep in mind that main street is tired of wall street and the large money that has been made by the exec.
I challenge any of the Mccain supporters to show me HOW Obama is attempting to take credit for this.....
please remember... this whole thing was orchestrated by mccain.
As usual the GOP zealots here spout off rhetoric that has nothing to do with the posting above.
A deal was about to be reached but Bush decided to step in and 'fix' that by helping his boy Johnny Mac out. He prob felt bad for destroying the country and GOP and making it tough on Johnny.
Through all these situations and crises you see McCain making the wrong decisions or saying the wrong things. I don't want another dumb president who shows up 2 days after the stuff hit the fan.
Very impressive, trying to stay positive and above the fray with what might be the only level head on either ticket at this point (sorry, Joe). Obama is correct in that visibly elbowing his way into ongoing negotiations with all of his entourage, press hangers-on, and etc. at this point is only a distraction, not a help. Keep involved behind the scenes and be there to vote when it's time. That's good judgment.
Obama did NOT receive more from Fannie and Freddie than McCain. The McCain campaign released those numbers from a poll that EXCLUDED donations made by board members and lobbiests...McCain's base. If you INCLUDE lobbiests and board members, McCain has made 10 times more from Fannie and Freddie.
McCain's top advisor was getting $15,000 a MONTH from Freddie until August!!!
Current momentum has to be continue till Nov 4th