Scott Vogel: Cut and Run -- McCain's Gimmick to Reschedule the First Presidential Debate Is Sign of Desperation

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Scott Vogel

Sen. John McCain's cynical request to Sen. Obama to suspend campaigning and reschedule their first presidential debate, slated for this Friday, Sept. 26th, in order to return to Washington to suddenly fix the broken economy is a sure sign of desperation.  Sen. Obama must absolutely show up in Oxford, Mississippi and go forward with the debate, even if it means talking to an empty chair. 

Let John McCain do the explaining as to why he could not make it to the first presidential debate -- especially since McCain blames the nasty tone of the campaign on Obama for his refusal to fly around the country with McCain to do town hall debates.  

McCain's gambit to re-schedule the debate has given Obama a remarkable rhetorical opening.  Sen. Obama, it's time to pounce.  

This cynical gimmick from the McCain campaign must be called out for what it is: a hail mary pass to score some cheap points.  It will surely fail if team Obama plays its cards correctly and goes on the offense. 

It's as if the McCain campaign finally wised up to the fact that a major exam is scheduled for Friday.  All the Senator from Arizona can muster is to hope for a "snow day" to avoid taking the test before the American people, estimated to be viewed by as many as 80 million Americans. 

And what a gimmick it is.  McCain and his proud "deregulators" in the Republican Party, along with his economic advisers, notably former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, are viewed by most Americans as the culprits who wrecked the economy.  A recent national poll conducted by the Washington Post reported that by nearly a 2-1 margin Americans blame the GOP for the collapse of the economy. 

What Sen. McCain is attempting to do is downplay the debates in lieu of the "real work" of governing.  Problem is, McCain has been AWOL for virtually the entire campaign for the last 18 months.  A National Journal study found that John McCain had the worst absentee record of any senator, even missing critical votes on the "21st Century GI Bill" for returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and missing crucial votes to support alternative energy and curb global warming. 

McCain is desperately hoping to bring back his line: "Country First" -- as if a presidential debate is a vanity contest and not the serious work of national leaders.  McCain will say that Obama would rather preen for the TV cameras while the Senator from Arizona is back in Washington "fixing" the economy he helped to ruin.  This gamble by Mr. McCain will surely backfire and embarrass him no matter whether the debate will go forward or not.

What's unclear from the McCain campaign is whether or not McCain actually intends to forgo the debate. 

Senator Obama must forcefully state that the American people are entitled to this debate on Friday.  The presidential debates are not a distraction.  Presidential debates are among the most important and vital aspects of a democracy.  The American people rightfully deserve a contest of competing visions for the direction of the country.  The United States is literally hemorrhaging wealth, lives, opportunities, and standing in the world.  There has never before been a more necessary time to stage a presidential debate. 

It will be far too easy for commentators to say that McCain needs more time to prepare, or that McCain is avoiding answering tough questions. 

Also, the mainstream media despises having to waste their own airtime and dollars hyping the debate to their advertisers.  This move by McCain will not likely win him many friends in the "elite media" circles he now frequently ridicules. 

Sen. Obama has an easy response to McCain and should say directly to the American people:

"The American people have a right to hear for themselves the vital questions and challenges facing our great country.  Sen. McCain and I have very strong differences of opinion on the future of our nation.  That's why the American people are entitled to our debate on Friday.

I said I would happily debate John McCain in Oxford, Mississippi and I intend to keep my word and commitment.  I'll let John McCain explain for himself why he does not want to stand before the American public and explain his positions and debate me."   

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION