McCain, Obama may skip bailout vote

Politico ^ | 9-28-2008 | CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN & AMIE PARNES

[Kleebo151]

DETROIT, Mich.— The financial crisis is the only thing Barack Obama and John McCain talk about these days.

But neither nominee would commit Sunday to actually returning to the Senate this week to vote on the $700 billion bill aimed at preventing widespread economic collapse.

The dichotomy between their campaign trail rhetoric and their absence in the Senate is nothing new in this presidential race. Both nominees have spoken extensively in their travels over the last 20 months about bills on which they do not vote because they could not make it back to the Senate.

Yet no other piece of legislation has dominated the debate in this election cycle nearly as much as the financial bailout.

[Kleebo151]

What are they scared of?

[neodad]

“Not Present”

[Ingtar]

I’d say whichever one showed up and voted against it gets my vote, except there is no way I am voting for Obama. Perhaps if I said the only way to get my vote is to show up and vote against it, that might work.

[scrabblehack]

Dang, it’s a big mistake for McCain, I think...especially when he wanted to cancel the debate for the importance of the issue...

[FlingWingFlyer]

LOL! I wouldn’t vote for that “crap sandwich” either. However, one of them is going to be stuck with it.

[teletech]

I can see why Zerobama would skip the vote but McCain should be there and SHOULD VOTE NO! If he votes for this bill he is done!

[redangus]

I thought OBama has been working on this for weeks, talking to Paulson and wrote the legislation being considered and now he is not going to vote on his own bill. That is beyond strange.

[K-oneTexas]

I agree with the comment in Post #4.

As far as the "crap sandwich" ... I believe that's what the Dems are hoping for put of the Pubbies.

[Harry Wurzbach]

If McCain is going to claim “success” in his efforts in getting that deal done he has to show up and vote. As I understand what he said this morning, he supports it though he thinks it’s a ‘crap sandwich.’

[frankiep]

That’s the first thing I thought too. He basically staked his entire candidacy on this issue when he said that he was going to suspend his campaign to work on this issue. For him to now not even vote on it would make him look like a joke. As it stands right now, it is looking more and more like his decision to suspend the campaign, no matter how short the suspension may have been, will wind up being the reason why he will lose. Sorry, but lately it just looks like he is throwing it all away.

[antiunion person]

It doesn't matter if Obama returns to Washington to vote. He will only vote present. He is noncommittal except to ruin this country.

[Prokopton]

I can see why Zerobama would skip the vote but McCain should be there and SHOULD VOTE NO! If he votes for this bill he is done!

Not voting is the same as voting for it. Isn't this what is claimed about not voting for McCain, that it is a vote for Obama?

[Harry Wurzbach]

What is going on? McCain seemed to be on a pretty good roll until last week. Now it’s like he’s forgotten how to campaign.

[Zeddicus]

Oh what the hell?! Skipping this vote would be worse for McCain than voting yes!

For Obama, it doesn’t matter what he does. The Left doesn’t question their messiah, and neither does the press.

[Prokopton]

Sorry, but lately it just looks like he is throwing it all away

You can fool some of the people some of the time.......

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

McCain should vote no.....Main Street does not want this (dems nor repub.)

[igoramus08]

What is going on? McCain seemed to be on a pretty good roll until last week. Now it’s like he’s forgotten how to campaign.

Obama is a Saul Alinsky agitator. They are trained to go into a meeting and effect an outcome. In the case of the meeting last week, derail it, and make McCain look silly.

McCain needs to go back on the Straight Talk express and call out Franks, Dodds and especially Obama for causing this economic debacle.

[fantom]

Either way he can't punt on this . He stopped his campaign to lead the charge . Yes or know , do someting.

[VRWC For Truth]

Accountability ... the real crisis.

[Gene Eric]

>> “Not Present”

Yeah, that might not work.