Flashback! September 2008 - McCain Suspends His Campaign! - Why Obama's Approach Is Sound

[Median Democrat]

I know that some on this board, as well as Paul Krugman, have demanded that Obama immediately nationalize the banks. Folks on CNBC have demanded that Obama take some immediate action in response to last week's drop in the DOW. Some pundits have demanded a second stimulus even though checks have not even been cut on the first stimulus.

Irrespective of whether we agree or disagree with the policies, I do like Obama's approach, and this is one of the main reasons why I voted for him as President. President Obama has only been President for less than 60 days. Yet, many pundits and DUers have made snap judgments or demanded even more action from Obama despite the fact that his administration has accomplished far more than most other Presidents in their first 100 days.

The knee jerk temptation would be to implement a series of stupid and largely symbolic policies like a gas tax holiday that are politically popular, and which satisfies the media's appetite for immediate gratification. Indeed, given McCain's "suspension" of his campaign where he tried to upstage Congress, can you imagine the kind of stunts he would pull if he were President now?

So, I do like President Obama's continued focus on the big picture. You may agree or disagree on his particular policy choice, but at least I know that the administration is not making snappy announcements in order to generate short-lived political results. If McCain were President, irrespective of whether I agreed or disagreed with his policies, the unpredictable nature of his Presidency alone would have been damaging to the economy.

In other words, remember when McCain would make a big splashy announcement, then loudly reverse course a few days later? Can you imagine that type of leadership in this economic enviroment?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/24/campaign.wrap/index.html

/snip

Earlier Wednesday, McCain announced that he would suspend his campaign to go to Washington and participate in negotiations on the bailout plan, and he called for a postponement of Friday's presidential debate.

His campaign suggested that he would skip the debate if Congress hadn't passed legislation addressing the crisis by then. Obama, however, said the debate in Oxford, Mississippi, should go forward.

"It's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person will be the next president," the Democrat said in Clearwater, Florida. "It is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once. It's more important than ever to present ourselves to the American people."

/snip

[anonymous171]

1. lol I remember that. Many people here were saying that Obama should follow his lead.

[depakid]

2. I don't think people are "demanding" anything

other than sound public policy and acccountability.

Maybe demanding isn't the right word- hoping is probably more accurate. And diappointment is probably an accurate description of the rate of progress on several fronts.

[Median Democrat]

3. Well, Perhaps Obama Could Suspend His Presidency ...

...and move into the Treasury Department to focus on an immediate solution to the economy. Then after announcing the solution, he can then loudly announce a new solution that undercuts the prior one. ;)

Again, it would have been exciting in a bad way if McCain were President.

[depakid]

4. Perhaps just dealing with the matters

and taking advice from people who weren't part of the problem in the first place.

Or at least, aren't contrite and arrogant jerks like Larry Summers- who could easily be Bernie Madoff or Allen Stanford in another life.

Gee Larry, how much did Harvard's endowment lose?