I am suspending this blog until the financial crisis is solved, and I call on Brad DeLong to do the same

Go with your political instinct, Dan. This is a real sharp move. And it inevitably leads the news. Given McCain's history, this sort of "putting the country first" maneuver may really be sincere.

Obama spent much of the time after the Palin nomination looking foolishly churlish. He could put himself in that position again. Particularly if W and Paulson decide that a tough Friday night negotiation session is in order...

From a policy standpoint, McCain had disagreements with the Paulson approach. This allows him to put his stamp in a bailout he has to live with, should he become President. So this move is bold -- but justifiable.

I really don't see the negative for McCain here, even (and perhaps especially) if Obama does not choose to play.

It looks to me as if McCain's campaign is going to look like Brett Favre playing from behind: lots of impressive gunslinging (I think today's move will be a "completion") with some embarrassing game-changing interceptions.

Nope. It's just insane. Whatever its motivation, it feels like a panicky gambit that really inspires zero confidence in McCain or the economy. I wonder how the markets will react to this latest "bold move" (I'm so sick of bold moves) tomorrow.

I think it is time to stock up on canned goods.

It's insane, but I bet it plays well. The move isn't about shaping the policy response, but about looking like he is doing something.

I would also like to announce that I am suspending all my classes until this crisis is solved.

OK. This is the most hilarious live-blogging I've read in a long time:

Wonkette

Wow. Is all this really happening? Is our political system in free-fall collapse as well?

This is floundering, not straight talk. Consider his decision making since wrapping up the nomination. Postrel nails it.

McCain is needed in Washington to put together a coalition of Republicans to pass the Bill. Cheney and Bush have no sway with anyone anymore, and at last count(according to Drudge) only four Republicans were planning on voting for whatever bailout is in the works.

The Democrats, rightly, want this to be a bipartisan bill, to share the political fallout of the bill's unpopularity.

The Debate in Mississippi will not be rescheduled, partly because the University and the local community have already invested a lot. Not showing up would be akin to standing up the American public for a date.

This was all political theatrics, and quite sloppy to boot. It will be hailed by those already supporting McCain and no one else.

It's time for the Obama people to dust off the chicken. Because this is a transparent move by McCain and Palin to reduce (and in her case eliminate) debate exposure. It is worse than pathetic. It is worse than cynical. It is unpresidential.

McCain is a silly old man, grasping for straws. Does any reasonable observer not see this for the transparent ploy that it is? Truly, McCain has gone from quirky to crazy in his quest to assume the Presidency.

Of course it's a tactical move, but what would McCain do but suspend his campaign to hold the attention on it? McCain started this race already behind Obama because of the age (pardon me, experience) issue and the poor approval ratings of the Republican administration. Now McCain's only chance is to be a risk-taker and launch surprise moves such as selecting Palin as his running mate or suspending his campaign to get his hands dirty with the financial crisis (compulsory ironic !).

I don't think it will work, but it's the only viable option from a tactical standpoint.

McCain's pulling the fire alarm to get out of midterms, that's all this is (OK, I borrowed the metaphor from some comment thread, but it is terribly apt). If it flies, maybe he also gets the VP debate canceled by moving the first prez debate into its slot, thus keeping the Palin trainwreck under wraps.

Obama's not buying it and the press, pissed that McCain is trying to wreck the event they've been planning for months, won't play along this time.

Besides is "McCain: Erratic and Unpredictable" really a good message right now?

This is like an Olympic swimmer who while losing a race suddenly stops in the middle of the pool and shouts "time-out!"

A man with McCain's age and experience knows perfectly well that there are no time-out's in life, especially for a President. Like his choice of VP this was a cheap politcal stunt designed to keep the race close.

I used to admire and like John McCain. What a dissapointment.

I am having a bad hair day. I am suspending my lecture to deal with the crisis.

OK, after listening to the responses overnight, it looks like Obama found an intelligent response (the Presidency requires multitasking) that might neutralize anyting McCain accomplishes with his move. But we'll see. All parties who sign off on this deal will need both Obama and McCain to be on board with this thing. Otherwise it does not pass Congress. Obama holding himself aloof from the policy process will have some dangers for him -- particularly if he ends up being as loudly luke warm about the legislation as he sounded in his news conference.

My guess is, listening to the rather sour reaction from everybody, McCain has reached the diminishing returns part of Hail Mary politicking. If this does not work out for him, the metrics of this election will do him in.

Don't lok for McCain to be at the debate, or for anyone to tune in to a multi-hour Obama press conference. And don't look for anyone to pay a political price for that.

I DO NOT APPROVE OF John McCain’s message announcing the suspension of his campaign and requesting a postponement of his first debate with Barack Obama. I’m not buying the latest brand of snake oil that John McCain is selling.

The Presidential and VP debates will be a joke and a fraud as long as they held hostage by the CULT OF CELEBRITY JOURNALISM.

TV news anchors and talk show hosts should never be allowed to ask debate questions. They lack the basic knowledge to ask intelligent, probing questions.

Jim Lehrer, Bob Schieffer and their colleagues who moderated the party presidential debates know nothing about economics, healthcare, energy policy, foreign policy, etc.

Because they lack a genuine understanding of issues, Lehrer and Schieffer trivialize these proceedings by posing silly, simplistic Gotcha questions, “What Would You If” questions, “Will You Pledge” questions, and Polling/Campaign Tactics questions.

Questions for Party Presidential debates, General Election Presidential debates, and VP debates should be posed by a panel of subject specialist experts on economics, healthcare, foreign policy, etc. chosen from liberal and conservative think tanks and foundations such as the Brookings Institution, AEI, IPS, CSIS, Ctr for American Progress, New America Fdn, Kaiser Family Fdn, CFR, etc.

I’d like to see a debate on foreign policy where the candidates answer questions from Steve Clemons, Steve Coll, Flynt Leverett, and Anthony Cordesman.

I’d like to see a debate covering executive privilege, judicial appointments, the unitary executive, and Congressional oversight where the candidates answer questions from Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann.

Extend the length of the Presidential and VP debates to 2 and ½ to 3 hours and give candidates about 7 minutes to answer questions and about 4 to 5 minutes for rebuttals.