September 26
Debating the McCain-Obama debate
Posted by Laura Snook, senior news editor
What’s happening:
Actually, it’s what isn’t happening: the first televised debate between would-be US presidents
John McCain and
Barack Obama, slated to take place in Mississippi tonight, is in limbo – another victim of economic turbulence. Until their respective parties help Congress reach a deal on the Bush administration’s $700bn plan to rescue Wall Street, McCain, who says it’s time to put politics aside,
wants the debate postponed. What people are saying:
In a speech about the crumbling US economy, McCain said: “It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem. We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved. I am directing my campaign to work with the Obama campaign and the commission on presidential debates to delay Friday night's debates until we have taken action to address this crisis.” Obama responded by telling reporters: “I think that it is going to be part of the president’s job to deal with more than one thing at once.”
A statement on his website says: “Barack is moving ahead with plans for Friday’s debate. The election is less than 40 days away, and the American people deserve to hear directly from the candidates about how they intend to lead our country.”
Why we should give a damn:
The debate over the debate now dwarfs the original, which would have comprised eight 10-minute head-to-head sessions on key issues. McCain has been accused of
‘naked politics’ on a day when a
Washington Post/ABC poll showed him nine points behind his Democrat opponent. Both sides have been accused of manipulating a national crisis for personal gain. But, as one commentator warns, this maybe
the election you wouldn’t want to win... I'll be watching the debate, which organisers have said will go ahead with or without McCain, and will bring you the best analysis and opinion from across the web in its wake. In the meantime, do you agree with McCain that it’s time to put politics aside, or is Obama right when he says the US deserves to hear from the candidates?
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