 "Photo: Chris Carlson; The Associated Press")
NEW YORK — The economic crisis and raw politics threatened to derail thefirst presidential debate as John McCain challenged Barack Obama to delay Friday’s forum and unite to help Washington fix the financial mess. Obama rebuffed his GOP rival, saying the next president needs to “deal with more than one thing at once.”
The White House rivals maneuvered Wednesday to claim the leadership role in resolving the economic turmoil that has overshadowed their campaign. Obama said he would proceed with his debate preparations while consulting with bailout negotiators and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. McCain said he would stop all advertising, fundraising and other campaign events and return to Washington to work for a bipartisan solution.
“It’s my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who, in approximately 40 days, will be responsible for dealing with this mess,” Obama said at a news conference in Clearwater, Fla.
But McCain said they must focus on a bipartisan solution as the Bush administration’s $700 billion bailout proposal seemed headed for defeat. If not, McCain said ominously, credit will dry up, people will no longer be able to buy homes, life savings will be at stake and businesses will not have enough money to pay workers.
“It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration’s proposal,” McCain said. “I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time.”
In a joint statement Wednesday night, the candidates said the country faces “a moment of economic crisis,” and called for political unity to solve it because “the jobs, savings and the prosperity of the American people are at stake.” Both said the Bush plan was “flawed.”
“We cannot risk an economic catastrophe,” they said. “Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, McCain’s representative in debate negotiations, said McCain will not attend the debate “unless there is an agreement that would provide a solution” to the financial crisis.
Asked whether the debate could go forward if McCain doesn’t show, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said: “My sense is there’s going to be a stage, a moderator, an audience and at least one presidential candidate.”
The competing positions came after the two senators spoke privately, each trying to portray himself as a bipartisan leader in a time of crisis.
Even as McCain said he was putting the country first, his surprise announcement was clearly political. It was an attempt to out-maneuver Obama on an issue on which McCain is trailing, the economy, as the Democrat gains in polls.
And while McCain’s campaign said he would “suspend” his campaign, it simply will move to Washington knowing the spotlight will remain on him no matter where he is.
Obama, too, made a political calculation by rejecting McCain’s challenge while still trying to appear on top of the problem. Both the Commission on Presidential Debates and the University of Mississippi, the site of the forum, said they continued to plan for the debate.
markets open on Monday.McCain adviser Steve Schmidt would not say how long the suspension would last but indicated it would go through the weekend in hopes of reaching a deal before the
Scores of congressional Republicans hinted this week they may oppose the proposed $700 billion bailout, and Reid pointedly suggested that Democratic lawmakers could not be expected to back it if McCain did not publicly do so.
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