September 26, 2008

Brad Weighs In with a Question for Dafydd (and the Massmind)

Hatched by Brad

Our friend and worth co-conspirator against creeping statism, Brad Linaweaver, has a question for me; but I'd like you all to answer as well. This is your forum, too!

Here's Brad:

~

Regarding the latest McCain/Obama symbolism, aren't we conflating two things? McCain taking some days off from the campaign trail to go back to the Senate during the economic crisis is not the same as McCain canceling his participation in a scheduled debate unless Washington agrees on a deal. Democrats and Republicans are not making this distinction, because all they care about is the purity of their guy and the perfidy of the other guy.

Do you agree with my distinction or not?

~

Dafydd responds:

Yes, of course they are two separate things. They are distinct. I don't see that it's an important distinction, but it is a distinction.

However, what McCain actually suggested was not to skip but to postpone the debate, just for a few days. I see a much bigger distinction between what McCain said and how Brad characterized it ("canceling his participation in a scheduled debate") than between that postponement request and the decision to work on the liquidity catastrophe rather than jet around the country giving stump speeches. He was only saying that these negotiations were intense enough that he might not be able to break away from them in the middle... or he might, depending on how much progress had been made.

In any event, as you see, there was sufficient progress that McCain feels comfortable flying down to Mississippi for the debate, and then flying right back up to paradise on the Potomac; so the question is to some extent mooted.

But honestly, I really don't think that it's very important whether the debate is held tonight or next Tuesday or Wednesday night... which is really all that the debate flap was ever about.

All right, anybody else who wants to toss in your two centavos in the comments, feel free.

Hatched by Brad on this day, September 26, 2008, at the time of 4:29 PM

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Comments

The following hissed in response by: Mr. Michael

McCain taking some days off from the campaign trail to go back to the Senate during the economic crisis is not the same as McCain canceling his participation in a scheduled debate unless Washington agrees on a deal.

I disagree... the Debate is not a part of normal Senatorial activity... it's purely a Presidential Campaign event. If there is important, Nation Changing Legislation to be hammered out, it should take precedence over a campaign schedule. I'll grant you, it is the real Day Job of the two candidates this year. but frankly forging and passing real Laws that attempt (we are told) to prevent the collapse of our economy is of a higher priority than looking good talking about Foreign Events. Or should be.

McCain put his campaign on hold... and since the Debate is a part of the campaign, it would have been proper to postpone the Debate. Instead, we postpone the solution (again, we are told) to our current Economic Crisis. If it is indeed a crisis that needs to be solved by the actions of Congress, they chose poorly in having the debate tonight.

Better for the hosts who laid out all that money to put it on, sure...

The above hissed in response by: Mr. Michael [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 26, 2008 11:23 PM

The following hissed in response by: Geoman

I seem to remember McCain asking Obama to participate in a series (10 or more) town hall style debates some time ago. Obama refused, and reluctantly agreed to just three debates, with a set format.

But you see, McCain is scared of debates.

The above hissed in response by: Geoman [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 29, 2008 10:19 AM

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