Inside the meeting: Ol Gramps McCain sat like a lump and had nothing to offer

[jpertello]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/25/at-white-house-mccain-pla_n_129438.html

Inside an intense White House meeting over the financial crisis on Thursday, where nearly every key player came to an agreement on the outlines of the bailout package, Sen. John McCain stuck out. The Republican candidate, according to sources with direct knowledge, sat quiet through most of the meeting, never offered specifics, and spoke only at the end to raise doubts about the rough compromise that the White House and congressional leaders were nearing.

McCain's reluctance to jump on board the bailout agreement could throw the entire week-long negotiation into a tailspin. Sen. Chris Dodd, after leaving the White House, suggested on CNN that the tenuous process could be derailed by what he viewed as McCain's political motives.

"What happened here, basically, if you want an honest appraisal of the thing, we have been spending a lot of time and I am tired. I have spent almost seven straight days at this in trying to come out with a workout plan for our economy a rescue plan," said Dodd. "What this looked like to me was a rescue plan for John McCain for two hours and took us away from the work we are trying to do today. Serious people trying to do serious work to come up with an answer."

According to the source with knowledge of the White House gathering -- which featured both presidential candidates, congressional leaders and the President -- virtually ever key figure in the room, save McCain and GOP Sen. Richard Shelby, were in agreement over a revised version of Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson's plan.

Towards the end, McCain finally spoke up, mentioning a counter-proposal that had been offered by some conservative House Republicans, which would suspend the capital gains tax for two years and provide tax incentives to encourage firms that buy up bad debt. McCain did not discuss specifics of the plan, though, and was non-committal about supporting it. (probably because he hadn't read it)

[colonel odis]

1. or as my mother would say, "he sat there like a quart of buttermilk."

nice going, mccain, you grandstanding old bastard.

[tavalon]

2. He had a TIA this week

He's trying to recover inconspicuously, unfortunately this grandstand isn't so inconspicuous.

[mdohinoaklawnil]

3. Has that been confirmed about the TIA?

I saw a few posts last night referring to the possibility of that happening..

If John McCain did have a TIA, it will show tonight at the debate. I had a TIA last November and it took a couple of weeks before I even began to feel somewhat "normal".

[tavalon]

9. Nope, just a Fristian diagnosis

but I would trust mine more than his. You are right, it will likely show tonight, though he will likely get over his quicker because he has doctors with him who can administer TPA immediately and I'm fairly sure that can shorten the symptom range.

[Skidmore]

4. He was sitting there looking weaselly because he knew he

came to blow things up. I don't like the bailout, but I sure as hell don't trust McCain any further than he can be thrown. We need no more governance with drama and crisis. We've had this for the past 8 years.

[fasttense]

5. Tax cuts for the uber wealthy is what Repugs are pushing as a bailout???????

"Towards the end, McCain finally spoke up, mentioning a counter-proposal that had been offered by some conservative House Republicans, which would suspend the capital gains tax for two years and provide tax incentives to encourage firms that buy up bad debt."

The Repugs want to give 0% capital gains tax for the uber wealthy and cut corporate taxes. That's it. That's the Repug's great idea. Half the Repugs walked out of the questioning of Paulson when the Dems made it clear they would NOT support a tax cut for the wealthy.

So now McInsane comes along and pushes the tax cut for the wealthy and corporations yet AGAIN.

Tax cuts when the nation's debt is so staggering and will probably getting even bigger after this bailout is just Palin crazy.

Let's face it folks the country has to do SOMETHING. Our economy is in trouble, no matter what McInsane said last week.

But Tax Cuts for the Rich is one of the few tools Repugs have in their limited economic understanding. They use it along with privatization and deregulation as the answer for all economic problems.

The Repugs want the Dems to sign off on tax cuts for the wealthy and then beat up the Dems with it during the campaign. That's why McInsane "did not discuss specifics of the plan, though, and was non-committal about supporting it." He does not want to appear too supportive of more tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations.

[babylonsister]

6. Well that's leadership we can trust-not. He's reminding me more

of the dim son every day.

[KG]

7. yea, a guy that few weeks ago claimed to know little about the economy

is gonna rushing and fix it all up.... :eyes:

[kenny blankenship]

8. But it was VITAL, VITAL that his lump be there to lend its quiet lumpy reassurance

no one is safe without John McCain!

[Supersedeas]

10. but notice -- he is in all of the PICTURES...that all that counts to Palin fanatics