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Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:
McCain Wins Debate — Although the fate of tonight's presidential debate in Mississippi remains very much up in the air, John McCain has apparently already won it — if you believe an Internet ad an astute reader spotted next to this piece in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal this morning.
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The Politico:
McCain will go to debate — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) ended three days of suspense on Friday morning and announced that he will leave bailout negotiations in Washington and fly to Oxford, Miss., for the opening presidential debate. — McCain had previously said that he would suspend …
The Caucus:
Debate Is On — 11:52 a.m. | Updated: Senator John McCain's campaign said Friday morning that he will attend tonight's debate with Senator Barack Obama at the University of Mississippi, reversing his earlier call to postpone the debate so he could participate in the Congressional negotiations …
Discussion:
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Fox News:
Huckabee Calls McCain Debate Ploy a ‘Huge Mistake’ — MOBILE, Ala. — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Thursday that Sen. John McCain made a “huge mistake” by even discussing canceling the presidential debate with Sen. Barack Obama. — McCain's campaign has said the Republican …
The Huffington Post:
Ex-Adviser: McCain “Blinked,” Campaign “Governed By Tactics, Not Ideology” — Scroll down to see McCain ad... After days of saying that John McCain would not attend Friday's presidential debate unless an agreement on a bailout package for the markets was “locked-down,” the McCain campaign has gone back on its word.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Paul Volpe / Washington Post:
McCain Blinks — The news that John McCain will debate Barack Obama tonight in Mississippi is a concession by the Arizona senator that his attempt to score a quick political victory on legislation to bail out the financial sector did not pan out as he had hoped.
Patrick Healy / New York Times:
McCain Decides to Participate in Debate — Senator John McCain's campaign said Friday morning that he will attend tonight's debate with Senator Barack Obama at the University of Mississippi, reversing his earlier call to postpone the debate so he could participate in the Congressional negotiations …
David Brooks / New York Times:
Thinking About McCain — I've been covering John McCain steadily for a decade. A few years ago, I worked on a book, which I foolishly never completed, on the U.S. Senate with McCain as the central character. So when I step back and think of McCain, even in the heat of this campaign …
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The New Republic:
Putting Country Last — I don't know John McCain as well as David Brooks does. In fact, I don't know him personally at all. But I covered his 2000 and 2008 primary campaigns, and I spent considerable time interviewing him, including several long interviews I did for a profile in 2006.
New York Times:
Fate of Bailout Plan Remains Uncertain — WASHINGTON — The day began with an agreement that Washington hoped would end the financial crisis that has gripped the nation. It dissolved into a verbal brawl in the Cabinet Room of the White House, urgent warnings from the president and pleas …
Discussion:
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William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
McCain's Choice — Is there a third way? — The McCain campaign is now trying to broker a deal between House Republicans, Treasury Secretary Paulson, and the Democrats. This will be tough—but it's worth a shot. — If it works, fine. If it fails, McCain will have, I think, three alternative paths:
Hugh Hewitt / Townhall.com:
Memo To House Republicans — Here's a shocker: No one likes the risks involved in Paulson 2.0 or the precedent of using so much public money to rescue reckless bankers, both private and semi-private.. — But there is a very good chance that (1) it will actually make money for the Treasury and …
Faiz / Think Progress:
House GOP Aides: McCain ‘Not Familiar With The Details’ Of The Financial Bailout
House GOP Aides: McCain ‘Not Familiar With The Details’ Of The Financial Bailout
New York Times:
McCain Leaps Into a Thicket
McCain Leaps Into a Thicket
Discussion:
The Crypt's Blogs, The Swamp, The Daily Dish, Washington Post, Jonathan Martin's Blogs, NY Daily News, Ben Smith's Blogs, Confederate Yankee, Taylor Marsh, TalkLeft, The Caucus, Daily Kos, Marc Ambinder, Political Machine, MSNBC, Boston Globe, The Corner, The Mahablog, Gateway Pundit and pandagon.net
Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:
Depends on the Meaning of ‘Close’
Depends on the Meaning of ‘Close’
Discussion:
Real Clear Politics
Kathleen Parker / National Review:
Palin Problem — If at one time women were considered heretical for swimming upstream against feminist orthodoxy, they now face condemnation for swimming downstream — away from Sarah Palin. — To express reservations about her qualifications to be vice president — and possibly president — is to risk being labeled anti-woman.
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
PUSHING FOR A GRACEFUL EXIT.... Kathleen Parker, a columnist syndicated …
PUSHING FOR A GRACEFUL EXIT.... Kathleen Parker, a columnist syndicated …
Discussion:
Boztopia.com
Slate:
SLATE PREDICTS MCCAIN'S NEXT 10 HAIL MARY STUNTS. — 1. Returns to Vietnam and jails himself. — 2. Offers the post of “vice vice president” to Warren Buffett. — 3. Challenges Obama to suspend campaign so they both can go and personally drill for oil offshore. — 4. Learns to use computer.
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
National Review asks: Did WaMu fail because it employed minorities? — (updated below) — National Review's Mark Krikorian notes that (1) Washington Mutual became the largest bank to fail in American history yesterday and (2) its last press release touted the fact that it was named …
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Washington Post:
Away from Wall Street, Economists Question Basis of Paulson's Plan — The Bush administration's pitch for a sweeping bailout of the financial system has centered on two simple premises: that the economy could suffer a crippling downturn if action is not taken very quickly and that this action …
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Associated Press:
Debate is on, McCain campaign says — Candidate previously said he wouldn't debate without bailout deal in place — WASHINGTON - Republican John McCain agreed to attend the first presidential debate Friday night even though Congress doesn't have a bailout deal, reversing an earlier decision …
Alan Fram / Associated Press:
AP poll: Few support Bush's market rescue plan — WASHINGTON - There is scant public support for President Bush's $700 billion federal rescue plan for the financial industry and little expectation it would solve the crisis that has roiled the markets and hobbled some of the country's largest …