Obama: Let’s keep Friday debate date

McCain suggested postponing the debate to address economic issues.

Los Angeles Times

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Democrat Barack Obama said Wednesday that a scheduled presidential debate is needed more than ever, despite a move by Republican rival John McCain to delay the event so both candidates can focus on the country’s economic crisis.

Obama told reporters that he agreed that the severity of the economic problem should “not be subject to the usual partisan politics,” but he appeared caught off guard by McCain’s suggestion that Friday’s presidential debate be postponed.

“This is exactly the time the American people need to hear from the person who in approximately 40 days will be responsible for dealing with this mess,” Obama said. “In my mind, [the debate] is more important than ever.”

The Commission on Presidential Debates said it planned to hold the debate on Friday despite McCain’s request.

“The plans for this forum have been under way for more than a year and a half,” the commission said. “The CPD’s mission is to provide a forum in which the American public has an opportunity to hear the leading candidates for the president of the United States debate the critical issues facing the nation. We believe the public will be well-served by having all of the debates go forward as scheduled.”

The status of the debate remained uncertain, as the candidates fought for leadership on an issue that polls show is helping Obama. The Democrat said he would continue with debate preparations while McCain suspended campaigning to return to Washington. Also suspended were advertising and fundraising, the McCain campaign said.

Speaking earlier to reporters in New York, McCain said he wants President Bush to convene a leadership meeting there that he and Obama would attend.

“Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington,” McCain said. “I have spoken to Senator Obama and informed him of my decision and have asked him to join me.

”We must meet as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans, and we must meet until this crisis is resolved,” McCain said. “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.”

The presidential campaigns disagreed on what had happened leading up to McCain’s announcement.

The Obama campaign said the senator from Illinois had called McCain on Wednesday morning to propose that they issue a joint statement in support of a package to help fix the economy as soon as possible.

The campaigns have issued a joint statement before — on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The candidates suspended campaigning that day and made a joint appearance at ground zero in New York.

“At 8:30 this morning, Senator Obama called Senator McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal,” the Obama campaign said. “At 2:30 this afternoon, Senator McCain returned Senator Obama’s call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement. The two campaigns are currently working together on the details.”

But the McCain camp painted a different picture.

“Senator Obama phoned Senator McCain at 8:30 a.m. this morning but did not reach him. The topic of Senator Obama’s call to Senator McCain was never discussed. Senator McCain was meeting with economic advisors and talking to leaders in Congress throughout the day prior to calling Senator Obama,” McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said in an e-mail.

“At 2:30 p.m., Senator Mc- Cain phoned Senator Obama and expressed deep concern that the plan on the table would not pass as it currently stands. He asked Senator Obama to join him in returning to Washington to lead a bipartisan effort to solve this problem,” Rogers said.

“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.

“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.”

McCain spoke as national polls show Obama benefiting from the crisis, especially among likely voters who say that the economy and jobs are their main concern. The economic crisis has dominated the increasingly bitter presidential race since the stock and credit markets went off the rails last week.