This is a sink-or-swim moment for America. We cannot simply catch our breath. We've got to swim for the shores. We must address the conditions that set the stage for the turmoil unfolding on Wall Street, or we will find ourselves lurching from crisis to crisis. Just as Wall Street must once again look further than the quarterly report, our nation must as well.

- Senator Hillary Clinton

(Emphasis mine.) Looking past getting Wall Street through the next quarter, Senator Hillary Clinton presses her argument for a new HOLC:

Context:

• Associated Press: Palin Once Blessed to Be Free From Withcraft
• Max Blumenthal: The Witch Fighter Annoints Palin
• KagroX at Daily Kos: Preacher Problem

John McCain may want to think twice before running new ads about Rev. Wright. His campaign said this week Wright could come up during the last 43 days of the election. Undoubtedly, the Obama campaign will ignore them and refuse to fight back with the Palin preacher videos, saying saying it's all about the economy, but the media won't and voters will see them. [More...]

Another sign John McCain's Hail Mary pass to use Sarah Palin to save his failing campaign isn't working: Time Magazine/CNN's swing state polls released today. The states polled: Colorado, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Montana and West Virginia

[T]he new poll suggests that the appeal of McCain's running mate Sarah Palin may not be as much of a game changer as some believed a month ago. Obama has a double-digit lead among women in Colorado, Michigan and Pennsylvania, while he ties with McCain in Montana, and is ahead only 3 points in West Virginia.

More good news on the independent/moderate voters: [More...]

Via Huffington Post, Sen. John McCain canceled his taped appearance on Dave Letterman's show today as part of his announcement he was suspending his campaign, but instead went down the street to be interviewed by Katie Couric.

Bump and Update: The New York Times reports the Bush meeting was "precipitated" by McCain:

The meeting with Mr. Bush on Thursday was precipitated by a call from Mr. McCain, who cast his request as a matter of urgent national priority. “Following Sept. 11, our national leaders came together at a time of crisis,” he told a small group of reporters, while reading the brief statement from a teleprompter, in a small ballroom at the New York Hilton Hotel. “We must show that kind of patriotism now.”

Could it be any more clear that McCain just made his second Hail Mary pass of this election? Is there anything he won't put second to his personal ambition of becoming President? At least his desperation is becoming transparent to all but his base -- even the media gets it.

Original Post

Bush Invites Obama to Bailout Meeting Tomorrow

ABC News reports:[More...]

President Bush tonight:

“The government’s top economic experts warn that, without immediate action by Congress, America could slip into a financial panic and a distressing scenario would unfold,” Bush told the nation. “More banks could fail, including some in your community. The stock market would drop even more, which would reduce the value of your retirement account. The value of your home could plummet. Foreclosures would rise dramatically.”

Bush and McCain are as in sync as Henny Penny and Chicken Little:

One day when Chicken Licken was scratching among the leaves, an acorn fell out of the sky and struck her on the tail. ‘Oh,’ said Chicken Licken, ‘the sky is falling! I am going to tell the King.’ So she went along until she met Henny Penny. ‘Good morning Chicken Licken, where are you going?’ ‘Oh, Henny Penny, the sky is falling and I am going to tell the King.’ ‘How do you know the sky is falling?’ asked Henny Penny. ‘I saw it with my own eyes, I heard it with my own ears, and a piece of it fell on my tail!’ said Chicken Licken. ‘Then I will go with you,’ said Henny Penny.

This is how we got the Patriot Act. Memo to Congress: Act in haste, repent at leisure.

Recently, President George Bush had been doing a Greta Garbo imitation. Personally I would love to leave George Bush alone, if he would leave the country alone. But alas, that is not to be just yet.

Tonight at 9:00 pm, Bush emerges from seclusion to tell the country how important it is that we do something about the Wall Street crisis. I assume he won't be asking for the "clean bill" Treasury Secretary Paulson proposed this weekend. But maybe he will - the man is insane.

In any event. any time we see Bush, it is good for Democrats politically. So welcome back President Bush. We'd like to see more of you the next 40 days. After that, I assure you, we will let you alone.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

This strikes me as just plain weird:

Mr. McCain said that after speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York on Thursday, he would return to Washington to work on the bailout package.

(Emphasis supplied.) Can someone explain to me how time is of the essence requiring cancellation of the Presidential debate but it does not require McCain to cancel his appearance at the Clinton Global Initiative?

In the scheme of things, it seems to me a discussion of the credit/mortgage crisis on Wall Street with his opponent to be the next President is a lot more important than his appearance at the Clinton Global Inititiative. Why isn't McCain going to be in Washington TONIGHT?!?? Why is he not going to be in Washington tomorrow?!?!?!

This makes no sense. Clearly this is a stunt by McCain.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed this week took the lead for himself and four other accused terrorists during pre-trial hearings in their military commissions proceeding.

Mohammed, Ramzi Binalshibh, Mustafa Ahmed al Hawsawi, Walid bin Attash and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali are charged with conspiring with al Qaeda to kill civilians in the September 11 attacks. All face the death penalty. While blasting the procedures as an "inquisition" and requesting recusal of the judge, Mohammed also offered to try and convince Ramzi Binalshibh to come out of his cell voluntarily and attend the proceedings. [More...]

Via Kos, SUSA snap polled the McCain debate stunt:

The first debate between John McCain and Barack Obama is scheduled to take place in two days. Should the debate be held as scheduled? Should the debate be held, but the format changed to focus on the economy? Or, should the debate be postponed?

Hold as scheduled 50
Hold with focus on economy 36
Postpone 10

More...

John McCain has made a political gambit today, asking for a delay for the Friday night Presidential debate, saying he needs to be in Washington to do, no one knows what exactly. Obama is responding in a news conference as we speak.

He mentions his idea of a joint statement of principles with Senator McCain outlining where they stand on the Wall Street bailout, arguing that he and McCain seem to have some agreement on the issue. He lists the agreements, while something must be done, what is done must include the following principles - (1) Accountability; (2) Fairness to taxpayers, meaning they should get their money back; (3) mortgage relief for ordinary citizens, not just a bailout for Wall Street; and (4) no windfall for Wall Street executives and companies.

Asked about the Friday debate, Obama reminds that he initiated the joint statement. He states that McCain agreed but also called for a meeting in Washington, and possibly suspending the debates. Obama said he wanted to have the statement first. Then McCain went on TV, with no warning to Obama, calling for a delay of the debates. [More...]

as John McCain has proposed, why not have a discussion about the Wall Street credit/mortgage crisis instead? John McCain can discuss what he thinks is important about it and what we should do about it and Obama can do the same.

If they happen to agree on the issue, so much for the better. When the two people from which our next President will be chosen agree on a solution, then that will be the plan to follow, since one of them will have to live with it come next January 20.

Let's not run away from the issue Senator McCain, let's discuss it for the sake of the American People. Barack Obama should offer this change to John McCain, for the sake of the country.

Greg Sargent agrees with me: "Obama will make a public statement on this shortly -- it'll be interesting to see if Obama calls on McCain to do the debate on other terms. For instance, he could invite McCain to make the debate about the economy, rather than about national security."

(Emphasis supplied.)

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only