McCain running away from debate -- who's he kidding?

UPDATE 2: I've posted sort of a counterpoint to this piece, which criticizes his opponent: Three Myths About the Town Hall Meetings Obama Refused To Do

UPDATE: He's not fooling Letterman either! From tonight's "Late Show":

What was I just saying about late night talk shows having the guts to say what MSM journalists will not?

Above: Is this the real reason
McCain's avoiding a debate
on the economy? (538.com

John McCain doesn't like televised debates that much. Instead, he prefers to do town hall meetings, the informal Q-and-A sessions where he can engage the people directly without interference from that pesky news media. And no wonder: he revived his 2008 presidential bid by barnstorming the country doing town halls.

Today, McCain announced that he wants to skip Friday's first presidential debate with Barack Obama because it's in the "national interest" to deal with the impending financial situation.

I think these facts are not unrelated. If McCain succeeds in cancelling Friday's debate, that would leave just two scheduled opportunities for his opponent to engage him directly on national television ... and one of them would be a town hall meeting.

Well, it sort of serves Barack Obama right. Obama was the one, after all, who decided that a slim lead in the polls was reason enough to refuse McCain's calls for a series of town-hall meetings over the summer. I happen to believe that Obama would do pretty well in those town halls, because McCain has not held one where the room wasn't packed with Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, let alone held a town hall where his chief opponent was standing right there, ready to refute anything he said. Instead, he ducked out for political reasons, and now McCain is paying him back in his own currency.

So what does Obama do? Well, the only correct response to McCain's call to suspend the debate is to say: Forget it. And that is what both Ole Miss (the host school for Friday's debate) and Obama both said in their responses.

McCain's motives are transparent. He's not needed in Washington, so why does he want to go there? As Jonathan Alter rightly noted, John McCain has not exactly pushed a lot of heavy-hitting legislation during his 25 years as a senator. Mitch McConnell (despite his supportive comments today) is not awaiting McCain's arrival at Reagan Airport. McCain and Obama are needed in front of the American people, in a battle of ideas about our economic future.

And McCain will be happy to do that ... in a town-hall meeting. Friday's debate -- which was supposed to be about foreign policy -- is a more formalized affair with PBS's Jim Lehrer asking the questions, a format that supposedly favors Obama. (And to the commenter who seems to think Lehrer would stick to only asking questions about North Korea and Iraq ... c'mon. He's a journalist, not a robot.)

In a way, you can't blame McCain for trying to postpone an encounter with his opponent until the current fiscal mess blows off page one. Since Wall Street started its wild ride last week, Obama's lead over his GOP rival has widened to as much as nine points (WaPo) and gives him a pronounced lead in electoral college projections, as seen in the above chart posted today by the super-wonky 538.com.

Still, I'm reminded that McCain, at the 9/11 service forum, piously defended his running mate's derisive "community organizer" comment about Obama by saying, if my opponent had just agreed to debate me earlier this summer, we could have had a campaign of more substance. He can't fall back on that rejoinder any longer, because now he's the one perceived as avoiding a debate.

This just in: Keith Olbermann is filling in for McCain on Dave's show.

Previously on TV Barn: I pointed out that town-hall debates are usually devoid of tough follow-up questions that journalists like to ask. I wondered if ABC was frozen out of the debates because of the whole gotcha debate mess during the primaries. I chided the Obama campaign for going after a genial Chicago radio host because he dared to have two right-wing authors critical of Obama on his show.

Comments

[Maria]

Honestly, how is John McCain going to help negotiations at this time? Come on now, use your head. Economics is not your strong suit, and there are far more productive people there to help solve the problem at this moment. Sounds like your trying to divert the issues and running scared.

[Derek]

Obama is so two-faced. When we get an opportunity to see whether he can really step up to the table and actually solve a problem, he would rather stay campaigning. Is the only thing he can do is talk, not do. Did anyone catch the "Wall Street/Main Street" campaign tag riddled throughout his reponse. I am actually scared that if he becomes President, he will only know how to look for his speechwriter. He didn't respond to the hurricanes last month, now he avoids the economy. He does know how to give good soundbytes during interviews.

[DougBlackburn]

RancidVenison....you need to get you facts straight, apparently you are one of those many Liberals out there that blame Bush for just about anything. Since your uneducated comment about blaming Bush for this mess...why don't you do your homework and see what President under the advice of what Federal Chairman passed the law that allowed the two banking systems to combine. The two banking segments weren't allowed to intertwine after the Great Depression, but it was all reversed in 1999. Hmmm...George W. Bush wasn't in office in 1999 was he? Clinton under the advice of Alan Greenspan got this ball rolling.

[DF]

It would have been so much smarter for McCain to have announced he was suspending the campaign ON THE LATE SHOW.

What a buffoon.

He must have thought picking Palin was going to sink his campaign, but it backfired. He can't be trying to win.

[Jay]

Senator McCain!

I thought the problems with the economy were all 'psychological'!

Now quitcher whinin' and keep your commitments.

[owen thompson]

Alena Marie,

There can be only one president at a time. We have one right? Bush should be the one providing leadership. Let's not have 3 quasi-presidents down there. Thats a recipe for disaster.

McCain lost my confidence with this one. He IS injecting politics into this, not deflecting it. If he wanted to prove his leadership and take one for the country, he could have gone to dc, quietly, pulled together some votes, fly to Ole Miss on Friday and have the NYT, WAPO, and etc, talk about it after the voting is done.

I truly believe this is the moment that McCain showed us what a maverick presidency looks like and its not good.

[David Lucas]

Plain and simple McCain is running from the debate for a number of resons.
Mon morning: Fundamentals good
Mon afternoon: Fundamentals (Americans) always good, economy bad.
Tues: No more bailouts.
Wed:: We need to bailout AIG
Thursday morning: Fire Chris Cox
Thurs afternoon: Follow the Presidents' lead
Fri: It's all Obama's fault

Mon:I have reservations on the plan
Tues:We need to hear from the President on this
Wedsnesday:Cancel the debates, shred the Constitution. Install me as King. No more questions for Palin.

Personally after reading the transcript of the Couric interview I think they have decided not to expose Palin to anymore questioning....period. I think this whole exercise is to keep Palin off that stage. Coric reduced her to saying that she "would get back to her in writing." with a list of important McCain accomplishments by way of economic regulation.

[Professor Strat]

Let me get this straight... Senator McCain and Senator Obama are competing against each other to prove they are worthy of the presidency. Keep in mind, both already have a job--representing their constituents' interests in their home states. I know Sen. Obama hasn't always taken that responsibility very seriously, but when Sen. McCain makes the decision to put his presidential campaign on hold in order to give his full attention to his current responsibilities--in the midst of the most serious financial crisis this nation has faced eighty years--he is derided by opponents as "a chicken?" The extent of Sen. Obama's concern about the crisis was to issue a "joint statement." He either didn't think the crisis was worth his undivided attention, or that he didn't have the leadership it takes to make a difference in Washington. He may be right on that. Don't worry, though, he'll still be able to dazzle us all with his pontificating brilliance in the upcoming debates--postponed or not.

[karin]

john mccain has lost any semplance of appearing presidential. he appears panicked, manipulative, and just plain idiotic. he buried himself with this cowardly move. oh yes, heroes can become cowards, especially if they are broken. this is one broken man. if he had the best interest of the country at heart - he would never put sarah one heartbeat away from being president. what a joke. i am a woman and not sexist. she is just not qualified to lead and knows nothing and they won't even let her talk. what a loser.

[rjr3]

Wow !!!!
WOW !!!!

I read about this yesterday and just thought it was 30 seconds or so - not 10 minutes..

Dave was right ... have Sarah fill in :):)

[nan1111]

It's definitely a politcal ploy... If John McCain had been so concerned about being in Washington to save the American people then he should have and would have put his campaign on hold at the beginning of the week. It is clear the debate is coming up and that the American people wanted to hear what both candidates have to say and he bugged out knowing he would not fair well in a debate with Obama. This is a man who has stated the fundamentals of the economy our strong just a little over a week ago. This is a man who wants to come in and claim some type of responsibility for the work Congress has already done and they claim they are almost finished with the legislation. McCain's politcal moves remind me of George Bush and the way he works... Too scary for me, and I tend to lean to the Republican side of the fence.... I think I will be voting Democrat this year as my own party just isn't cutting it!!!

[David]

Shouldn't a President be able to juggle international affairs, domestic crises and keeping Americans informed as to what their leaders are doing all at the same time?

And if you are unable to do that, doesn't that reasonably call into question your ability to be President?

[kenton]

McCain is running away from the debate; the economy is the most important issue facing America and the world today, and people need to see their future leader's opinion before they vote.

Letterman was on fire last night - he's always best when he's got a good target for his anger, so at least we can thank McCain for that.

[Joe]

It's pretty wild to watch this whole thing spin into something it doesn't need to be. Whenever one of the candidates does or says something the other spins it to help his cause. Grow up everyone! Stop letting them bounce us back and forth. They are both doing this to avoid talking about the issues.

Here's the quote that should have stopped this whole topic! I'd like to move on.

Anyone know who said this today?
"We know he didn't do it because he's afraid because Sen. McCain wanted more debates,"

[Deeva]

Sophia,
McCain cancelled his Letterman show appearance on the premise that he was needed immediately in Washington. So did he rush to the airport? No, McCain hustled himself over to Katie Couric’s side instead. Obviously the CBS news desk provided the same amount of TV exposure but with a more presidential tone – and it only cost one little lie. Washington could wait a little longer.

Also, Washington is as good a place as any to bone up for the debate. Just do some multitasking as Obama might say. As far as leaving for a few hours to attend to debate, Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania said it best: “What, does McCain think the Senate will still be working at 9 p.m. Friday? I think this is all political..."

[Redfoxx]

McCain has nothing to see with the economic crisis. He can do nothing about it. He can offer his opinion, but the decisions made does not involve him. The american people want to know what he plans to do because of this crisis, and should attend the debates to explain just that. I think he is just stalling to cram for the exam.

[Howard]

We are facing the worst economic melt down since the great depression. McCain says it should take first priority over politics. Obama says if you need me, call me, I'll be at the debate hall. Then, Obama says McCain should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. First of all, Obama has never set aside his personal ambition for the good of the country. He has no sense of priority. The economic problem is huge, will effect Americans for decades, and deserves more than a Presidential candidate's rubber stamp, or blank check. The walk and chew gum cliche is about as trite as Obama's slogans ... like 'change we can believe in'. Unlike Obama, McCain is responsible, and has genuine leadership qualities. Obama will say, or do anything to get elected. McCain puts Americans, and America above politics, and personal ambition. No Wright, no Pfleger, no Farrakhan, no Rezko, no Ayers, no mean Michelle, and NOBAMA !!!

[Carrie]

On McCain and his insistence for Town Hall Meetings over debates; McCain is tricky, to put it nicely. He prefers the Town Hall settings to Debates because he has people planted in the audience to select, with the questions he has prepared and rehearsed the answers for, to make him appear to be wise as Solomon. But, he isn't. He is sneaky and not to be trusted, not a man of his word, dishonest to the bone.