Slate Magazine predicts...

McCain's next 10 Hail Mary stunts.

1. Returns to Vietnam and jails himself.
2. Offers the post of "vice vice president" to Warren Buffett.
3. Challenges Obama to suspend campaign so they both can go and personally drill for oil offshore.
4. Learns to use computer.
5. Does bombing run over Taliban-controlled tribal areas of Pakistan.
6. Offers to forgo salary, sell one house.
7. Sex-change operation.
8. Suspends campaign until Nov. 4, offers to start being president right now.
9. Sells Alaska to Russia for $700 billion.
10. Pledges to serve only one term. OK, half a term.

http://www.slate.com/id/2200927/

Dems, some in GOP question McCain's intervention

WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain's self-portrait as a bold leader willing to set politics aside to save an endangered financial bailout plan took a pounding Thursday from top Democrats and even some fellow Republicans.

His efforts to re-energize his presidential campaign will partly turn on who wins the public relations battle, destined to play out for days.

Top Democrats in Congress ridiculed McCain's claim Wednesday that negotiations were going nowhere, necessitating his hasty return to Washington to intervene while suspending his campaign.

"It was somewhat stunning" to receive McCain's phone call with that message, said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Talks were proceeding fine without him, Reid said.

Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the chief House Democrat on the bill, said, "all of a sudden, now that we are on the verge of making a deal, John McCain airdrops himself to help us make the deal."

Even the House's Republican leader, John Boehner of Ohio, passed up a chance to praise McCain's leadership powers shortly before the two men met in the Capitol at midday Thursday. Asked by reporters if McCain could help win House Republican votes for the proposed package, Boehner shrugged and said, "Who knows?"

Other Republicans gave McCain more credit. "They got something done this morning only because McCain came back," said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. But DeMint later called the proposal "a trillion-dollar Band-Aid that does not contain a single item that will stimulate our economy."

President Bush's biggest worry is House Republicans, many of whom seemed unimpressed Thursday with McCain's heightened interest. Several said it was essential that both McCain and his Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, back the bailout plan together.

"If McCain and Obama would stand together and take this off the table" as a sharply partisan issue, then wary House Republicans might get on board, said Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn.

Framing the issue in those bipartisan terms, however, complicates McCain's bid to differentiate himself from Obama on leadership issues.

In truth, McCain has faced a no-win situation for days. To support the bailout or a similar plan would put him at odds with millions of voters and many House Republicans at a time his campaign is sliding in the polls. Also, McCain has struggled to distance himself from the unpopular Bush, and embracing the administration's plan would clearly not help.

Obama has an easier path. No one will accuse him of being a Bush clone even if he ends up siding with the administration on this issue. And Democrats in general are more receptive to government regulation of powerful institutions.

McCain's other option was worse. Opposing the main thrust of Bush's plan would have opened him to fierce accusations of walking away from a national crisis. And if a congressional impasse triggered more Wall Street catastrophes, as the administration said it would, the criticism would have been still worse.

McCain's only real option was to say, "I'm the leader, I'm going to put country first," said Republican consultant John Feehery.

McCain tried to do that late Wednesday. Going before TV cameras shortly before Obama did, he signaled his likely support for some version of the costly plan and urged Bush to convene a meeting including Obama. Bush did so, giving McCain and his backers a chance to claim some leadership credit.

"It seemed like this deal yesterday was very close to dead," McCain adviser Mike DuHaime told Fox News on Thursday. "I think you've seen tremendous progress since he made that announcement."

McCain met separately with House and Senate Republicans in the Capitol Thursday. He did not attend meetings where the bailout legislation was being hashed out, and some rank-and-file lawmakers saw little impact from his visit.

"What do I know?" said Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., when asked later about the affect of McCain's detour to Washington. Perhaps, he said, the combined efforts of McCain and Obama would give enough political cover to wavering lawmakers to bring more votes to the bailout package.

Meanwhile, Democrats scoffed at McCain's Wednesday night claim that "no consensus has developed" behind the administration proposal, making his intercession important.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters that McCain called her and urged the White House meeting because "nothing was happening and there was no progress being made on all of this."

"And I said, 'Well, Senator, I have good news for you.'" Pelosi said. "'Quite a bit has been done.'"

Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, previously had called on McCain to take a stand on the bailout proposal. By the time McCain called him on Wednesday, Reid told reporters Thursday, progress was well under way.

Reid spokesman Jim Manley said his boss gave McCain a cool reception. It included reading to him a statement that Reid had just released criticizing McCain's plans. "We need leadership, not a campaign photo-op," said the statement that Reid read to its intended target.

Even if McCain fully embraces a bailout package, many Republican candidates elsewhere on ballots will not go along. Rep. Ray LaHood, an Illinois Republican who is retiring, said he probably will vote for the bailout legislation that eventually emerges.

But the Republican running to replace him, LaHood said, "is running against it. Everyone's running against it."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_s_gambit

What if Sarah Palin's story became a Disney movie?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ricky-van-veen/sarah-palin-disney-traile_b_129387.html

McCain blinked. He's going to the debate, after saying he wasn't leaving Washington until there was a deal.

Wow. Letterman didn't stop last night.

Palin should step down, conservative commentator says

(CNN) – Prominent conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, an early supporter of Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin, said Friday recent interviews have shown the Alaska governor is "out of her league" and should leave the GOP presidential ticket for the good of the party.

The criticism in Parker's Friday column is the latest in a recent string of negative assessments toward the McCain-Palin candidacy from prominent conservatives.

It was fun while it lasted," Parker writes. "Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who is clearly out of her league."

Palin's interview with Couric drew criticism when the Alaska governor was unable to provide an example of when John McCain had pushed for more regulation of Wall Street during his Senate career. Palin also took heat for defending her foreign policy credentials by suggesting Russian leaders enter Alaska airspace when they come to America. Palin was also criticized last week for appearing not to know what the Bush Doctrine is during an interview with Charlie Gibson.

“If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself," Parker also writes. "If Palin were a man, we’d all be guffawing, just as we do every time Joe Biden tickles the back of his throat with his toes. But because she’s a woman — and the first ever on a Republican presidential ticket — we are reluctant to say what is painfully true."

Parker, who praised McCain's "keen judgment" for picking Palin earlier this month and wrote the Alaska governor is a "perfect storm of God, Mom and apple pie," now says Palin should step down from the ticket.

“Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves," Parker writes. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first. Do it for your country."

Parker's comments follow those by prominent conservatives David Brooks, George Will, and David Frum who have all publicly questioned Palin's readiness to be vice president.

"Sarah Palin has many virtues," Brooks wrote in a recent column. "If you wanted someone to destroy a corrupt establishment, she'd be your woman. But the constructive act of governance is another matter. She has not been engaged in national issues, does not have a repertoire of historic patterns and, like President Bush, she seems to compensate for her lack of experience with brashness and excessive decisiveness."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/200...mmentator-says/

With the current state of the economy, if McCain had picked Romney, the polls would probably be a lot different right now.

They're estimating 100 million people will watch the debate tonight.

Some here are saying that McCain is afraid to debate Obama. McCain has asked Obama to debate him at townhall meetings for the last 3 months. McCain also said he would pay for Obama to show up so you cannot say that mcCain is afraid to debate him.

Did anyone else watch the other 50 minutes of the interview where Palin kicked ass? Also did Al Gore know every little aspect of Bill Clintons public life? The news media sucks.

Although I'm not voting Republican this year, I can understand your frustration, Don Smitty.

For the most part, I think that Palin has been quite articulate and a great interview, and I honestly like her. The media does lean towards the left. There's no question about that.

Dude, debate is a debate. Some prefer one style or the other, so what?

And yet, McCain still wanted to cancel the debate this week...and will do it tonight in spite of his word.

I'm sorry, but if that was so-called Republican "ass-kicking," then Reagan is kicking himself in the grave.

"It just proves his campaign is governed by tactics and not ideology. In the end, he blinked and Obama did not. The 'steady hand in a storm' argument looks now to more favor Obama, not McCain," - Craig Shirley, Republican consultant and former McCain adviser.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/26/ex-adviser-mccain-blinked_n_129611.html

I can't believe I forgot that the debate was on tonight. I only got to see the last half hour. I can't really determine who "won" just from what I saw.

Obama I thought clearly was better than McCain early on, and McCain was slightly stronger near the end. I'd call it a draw. There was no knockout punches, no major blunders, and no real memorable moments. McCain probably needed a knockout, and a draw won't help him.

I was feeding my company dinner and totally forgot it. Afterwards, my daughter says, "Oh, I was supposed to watch that for homework." I wanted to smack her on the side of the head.

Gotta love listening to the different opinions from supporters of both sides on tonight's debate. Both are claiming huge victories.

They'll probably re-broadcast the entire debate at some time in the next day or two. Check your tv listings and DVR it for the Little Babbette.

WABC (Channel 7) has a poll showing that 63% of viewers believe that Obama "won".

A McCain adviser called it a huge win, and that it exposed Obama for not being ready to be President. Joe Biden called the debate "fatal" for John McCain, and hopes he can do as well against Palin.

That's the way things are done now.... the "after-thoughts" made by so-called experts have become just as important, if not more so, than the meat and gravy issues debated by the candidates.

The debate ended 35 minutes ago, and McCain has already released an ad with debate footage.

I think that McCain allowing Obama to control the stabilization bill made him look weak. I mean, Obama's 4 point plan is pretty much the same as the one that McCain's group presented the other day. Not mentioning it was a missed opportunity for him. A good night for Obama. Still, I really wish that Biden would just shut up until the election's over.

Not a bad debate. Obama did very very well considering foreign policy is McCain's area of expertise. I did notice McCain never looked at Obama though and came across as grouchy/sarcastic..I guess that's in his nature.

All and all, neither was a clear winner. Those who support O will go for him and those who support M will go for him. Yet, I think most already have their minds made up.


TIS

Eyewitness News has a poll going, and 72% give it to Obama. However, that's a NY station, and Obama's pretty popular here, so I don't know how much weight to give that number.

Edited to Add: SC, I swear I thought you wrote, "DVR it for the Little Brat."

Well, when Charles Krauthammer gives Barack a thumbs up you know he did well.

He was presidential, thoughtful, and came across as calm, cool, and collected. As many have commented already, so many of McCain's references were to the distant past.

On CNN, about 70% say Obama, and on MSNBC it's about 50% to 35% for Obama. Of course those are liberal networks. I can't find a poll on Fox.