John McCain’s Remarks on the Economic Crisis
New York, NY
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
America this week faces an historic crisis in our financial system. We must pass legislation to address this crisis. If we do not, credit will dry up, with devastating consequences for our economy. People will no longer be able to buy homes and their life savings will be at stake. Businesses will not have enough money to pay their employees. If we do not act, ever corner of our country will be impacted. We cannot allow this to happen.
Last Friday, I laid out my proposal and I have since discussed my priorities and concerns with the bill the Administration has put forward. Senator Obama has expressed his priorities and concerns. This morning, I met with a group of economic advisers to talk about the proposal on the table and the steps that we should take going forward. I have also spoken with members of Congress to hear their perspective.
It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the Administration’s proposal. I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time.
Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington after speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative. I have spoken to Senator Obama and informed him of my decision and have asked him to join me.
I am calling on the President to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress, including Senator Obama and myself. 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 debate until we have taken action to address this crisis.
I am confident that before the markets open on Monday we can achieve consensus on legislation that will stabilize our financial markets, protect taxpayers and homeowners, and earn the confidence of the American people. All we must do to achieve this is temporarily set politics aside, and I am committed to doing so.
Following September 11th, our national leaders came together at a time of crisis. We must show that kind of patriotism now. Americans across our country lament the fact that partisan divisions in Washington have prevented us from addressing our national challenges. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country.
Barry The Clueless One isn’t coming because he would be outshone by John McCain, because it is Barry the empty vessel, vs John McCain, the solid leader in a crisis...
The problem I have with this is that I absolutely cannot envision a real scenario - one that actually happens - in which this ends up working to McCain’s benefit.
If McCain is counting on the media to frame this as he would have it framed, he has lost the gamble.
If he is hoping to be credited for helping to solve the problem, I cannot yet see how this happens.
Honestly, I’m baffled. Perhaps it’s a chance to get the microphones in his face so that he can start defining himself again instead of being silenced by the media and thus defined by them.
Also, as an original Sarah Palin die-hard backer.............let’s stop with the interviews with Obama supporters and heir stupid “gotcha” questions already. Enough.
I pray that McCain is making the right move. I pray because I am not confident.
My first reaction was ‘what the heck is he doing?!’ But, the more I thought about it, I thought you sly fox McCain..yarr genius. Obama says oh do more than one thing at a time but what can he do about this issue if he isn’t in the senate working on it? Make some statement? Then says he’d review it as if he would have any input after the fact? Obama doesn’t dare go and get in the thick of this because he’d be teleprompterless and lost. This is a chance for people to see each candidate in action, debating an issue, working on a problem, coming up with ideas. McCain goes to work and Obama goes to fundraisers. You tell me who’s going to come out on top on this one.
