McCain, Obama may skip bailout vote

[Annoyinglysmart]

By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN & AMIE PARNES | 9/28/08

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.

More: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14047.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Obama doesn't have to.

However, since McCluck has suspended his campaign...

[TwilightGardener]

2. Oh, they'd BOTH better be there. That's called "leadership".

[mth44sc]

3. BIG mistake

n/t

[Just-plain-Kathy]

8. You bet it's a "BIG mistake". Something this important and they both...

...are willing to appear that their campaign is more important. I hope this isn't true.

Or worst yet, McCain could say he wasn't going to vote on it, then turns around an votes against it, while calling Obama spineless.

[liberalmuse]

4. If they support this bailout, they need to put their vote behind it.

Too many Congressmen and Senators are running around DC right now, looking for anyone who isn't up for re-election to take the fall for this. They're telling us this is the right thing to do, that we have no choice, yet no one has the goddamned spine to vote for this in the light of day. What does that tell you?

[glowing]

9. EVERY House Republican is up for re-election... This is why they don't

want to do anything this close to the election.. Anyone running in a tight race will not support this bill.. A t.v. ad by the opponent saying, "look this asshat just agreed to give wallstreet a bailout, where's your bailout?" will be the best attack ad against the incumbent.

[ryanmuegge]

5. Obama should vote against it to take the Republican strategy off the table.

But that would be the smart and right thing to do, so I'm sure he'll vote for it or skip it while McCain votes against it.

[DeepBlueC]

13. McCain is already figuring how to game it

[Solly Mack]

6. lolololol

If it works....I supported it but was campaigning for President and couldn't make it back in time to vote. I felt it important to get elected so I could help oversee the program.

If it doesn't work ....I didn't vote for it

[ClarkUSA]

7. They're playing chicken to see which one blinks first.

I'm sure they both plan on being there because the public P.R. fallout would be too great if they didn't.
Now, what will be interesting is who jockeys successfully to let the other guy vote first...

[Pirate Smile]

10. If they both have stated that they clearly support the bill and would vote for it then it wont

matter if they don't show up to vote if the margin it passes by will be large.

[Mojorabbit]

11. Oh I think it will matter

Most of the country is following this.

[Pirate Smile]

12. People would know where they stand so that really isn't an issue - especially if neither

shows up to vote.

[Mojorabbit]

15. No it is a perception problem

and would show lack of leadership and accountability if they do not vote. I am a rabid Obama supporter but it would thoroughly piss me off if he does not vote.

[DeepBlueC]

14. think of the potential ads

that's why this is a game play as much as a legislative effort. Obama has said that if his vote isn't needed to pass he might just continue campaigning, but that was before McCain "suspended" his campaign and now McC's not going to say whether he will be there to cast his vote or not. He's saying to himself that, damn it, this time Obama will have to make his move first and then I'll shiv him. They probably already have ad variations completed already to cover the way it plays out.