Barney Frank on McCain, Hail Marys

Posted: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:26 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Congress, Democrats

From NBC's Mike Viqueira

For what it's worth, the man who is leading congressional Democrats in negotiating the bailout deal with the administration isn't impressed with Sen. McCain's announcement.

Rep. Barney Frank told a group of reporters outside the House chamber:

"It's the longest Hail Mary pass in the history of either football or Marys."

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Comments

The president has to focus on more than one thing at a time McCain...this shows either you are not truly presidential material, or, it is YOU who is taking advantage of the economic crisis [brought on by your deregulation policies] for political purposes. McCain, you are a coward! You don't deserve to be called a former Vet!

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:32 PM)

Well said congressman. McCain is running scared right now and knows that he cannot possibly win a debate against Barack Obama on the topic of the economy. And people will be watching this one like no other.

Doug, Renton, WA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:32 PM)

What about the ongoing crisis for 46,000,000 Americans who lack health insurance? What about the energy crisis? Or the crisis faced by real families every single day who can't send their kids to decent school?

McCain served nearly 30 years in Washington. The only crisis he sees is his poll numbers falling like a rock. This stunt is as dishonest and dishonorable as the man himself has become.

Suzanne (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:33 PM)

Do these guys still vote in the senate while they are campaingning? And if not why not?
This is important but they do need to multi-task, they both do need to go to DC and submit their vote, but they do need to do the debate also.

Anne/Ohio (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:34 PM)

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

That's my congressman right there. Great guy...

McCain is pulling out all the stops to keep the GOP in power, isn't he? Why didn't he make this "announcement" days ago???????

markus, Boston, MA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:34 PM)

This is plainly a political stunt. The campaigns were in talks this morning about releasing a joint statement. This is a fact. But before the statement is released, and likely after some back-and-forth between the campaigns, McCain makes the "shocking" "suprising" announcement that he wants to suspend the presidential campaigns. If, as has been established, the two campaigns were working on a joint statement, why did McCain's campaign not bring this idea up BEFORE making the VERY PUBLIC announcement that it was suspending its campaign? There is only one explanation: it is a stunt. If, as I am sure the McCain campaign will assert, McCain is "putting country first", why then - and note to the press, please ask this question - why then did the McCain campaign not try BEFORE making the announcement, to get the Obama campaign to agree to the suspension, just as they were doing with the joint statement? Stunt, stunt, stunt.

Stunt (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:34 PM)

Do you suppose this is what McCain's been "praying" for? Seems like political opportunism to me.

Mike L, Burlington, Vermont (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:34 PM)

Go, Barney, you call him out on this!!

Cindi in Louisiana (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:34 PM)

Hail Mary was the first thing that came to mind. Desperate, pathetic, and cynical all came next. McCain...not ready to debate, and not fit to be POTUS!

UCLAdy04 (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:34 PM)

That is exactly right!

Enough of your constituted fears, Senator McCain
No way!
No how!
No McCain/Palin!
Nobody but Obama/Biden
NO BLANK CHECK

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:34 PM)

Now this is the funniest thing I have ever read on this site.

Go Obama

HHB in Estero (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:35 PM)

We can smell the despiration, Johnny...and it smells like wet Depends.

John Burton, Baltimore, MD (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:35 PM)

Send in the clown, oops I mean Palin. If McCain can't debate then Palin should. After all she should be able to step in at a moments notice, well that moment appears to be Friday's debate. The debate should go on and if neither GOP candidate is ready, then in my book neither GOP candidate is ready to lead this faltering nation.

dw (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:35 PM)

Desperate! That's what McCain's announcement is. He is loosing on this subject. Hopefully the public won't be fooled.

Kathy (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:35 PM)

SPOT ON! sometimes the democrats make me proud.

happy, boston, ma (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:35 PM)

I agree with Rep. Frank. It is clearly a political stunt in response to new polling placing McCain further behind Obama than was previously thought. A president must be able to multi-task. He can not only focus on one issue at a time. Moreover, rather than depoliticizing the bailout, he will be furthering the politicization of the crisis.

Sam, Seattle, Washington (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:36 PM)

One more: Is this how McCain will govern? Shoot first and Ask later. I cannot work like this in my office. We need a sensible President, not a attention grabbing show-off. He will tick off people who works for him and the foreign leaders and mostly us American People.

Becky, CA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:36 PM)

The debates should go on.

A lot of commitments have been made.

A entire segment of the United States (about one hundred million people) are waiting to weigh in on these candidates and their performance.

They both have planes. They can still be in washinton on Thursday—fly to Miss. for the debates and come back afterwards to work over the weekend.

I think McSame his scared and needs a break.

He cannot be trusted under any circumstances. He always has a game going. It Always McCAIN FIRST. Do not be fooled.

And I do not want McCain representing us Americans on the foreign scene.

Andrea, New York City (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:37 PM)

Amen, this is so obviously a political ploy. Just like saying he was talking about Americans are fundamentally strong when he said the economy is fundamentally sound.

Fred, Teaneck, NJ (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:37 PM)

That's priceless...I love it!

McCain is imploding...all of his own making.

PAMama4Obama (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:38 PM)

McCain is the Cowardly Lion. He will crash and burn like the many times he's been shot down in Viet Nam.

ENOUGH!!!

The Presidential Candidate should be able to multi-task. If not, then that Candidate is not ready to lead.

Where is Palin in your time of need, McCain!!!! (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:38 PM)

Barney Frank is a hoot. I'm so glad he and Chris Dodd are leading the way on this crisis. I feel so much better with two cool heads pervailing on this issue.

Suz in KS (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:38 PM)

that was actually pretty funny! lol

"It's the longest Hail Mary pass in the history of either football or Marys."

Frankie D, Union, NJ (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:38 PM)

and THIS is the reason why i love Barney Frank.

twostepcub (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:38 PM)

I would even go as far as to call holding on the McCain camp. You can't win a football game by constantly doing hail mary passes. It don't work that way.

ts mpls, mn (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:39 PM)

I hope Obama doesn't bite. McCain's been dreading this debate for weeks. The man is scared, and that's obvious.

Peter McArdle, Penfield, NY (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:39 PM)

Of course this is a hail mary. McCain knows there is one posession left, he's just not sure what game he's playing.

kristi (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:39 PM)

Way to go Rep Frank. Thanks for calling this maneuver
for exactly what it is-Political Tactics-Shame on McCain!!

Sandra, Tennessee (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:39 PM)

Exactly. Nothing but gimmicks...

Sarah, Brooklyn, NY (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM)

OH! OH! Barney! That's the best line of the campaign so far. Except the whole, "I can see Russia from my house".

Bless you Mr. Frank.

American Citizen (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM)

True. Of course there will be a debate. For McCain to suspend his campaign to the economic crisis is a gimmick. McCain said yesturday that his vote on the bailout bill was not neccessary. McCain deregulated the markets and has not voted on a bill since April. All of a sudden the economy is so important to McCain he wants to vote on the bill. Please. Don't fall for it. McCain is running scared because he is falling behind on the polls.

voter (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM)

What a ridiculous ploy on McCain's part--how silly this is!

Robert Pivarnik, Providence, RI (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM)

Agreed, McCain/Palin is as dead as an empty suit and they know it.

David, Los Angels,CA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM)

McCain, despite his words, has just interjected MORE partisan politics into the financial crisis than we need right now.
Go Barney Frank!!

BECCA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM)

Barack Obama has what it takes to be President. A President has to be able to handle many issues and crisis at one time. He will not be able to pick and choose what crisis he will handle first. He will need to wake at 3:00am for that call that cannot wait until morning. He must, at a moments notice, make rational decisions that are critical to the country and the world.
Barack Obama has the tenacity to work to his full capacity to make this a better country.

Barack Obama IS our CHAMPION! AND he will continue to be when he is our PRESIDENT!!

John McCain is getting his DUFF kicked and now, out of concern for the country, he is suspending his campaign? Give me a break! He wants to cancel the debate and focus all his attention on the ecomony. McCain, the one who admitted he knows nothing about the economy!

Barack Obama's poll numbers are gaining daily and he is surging in all polls because people have confidence that he does know how run Washington and the country. He has McCain running scared.

McCain is a coward. He cannot stand up to Obama and he knows that his attempt at looking "presidential" is the only chance he has.

MCCAIN IS A COWARD!

ONE MORE REASON WHY I AM VOTING OBAMA/BIDEN '08

Leslie (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM)

I never was impressed with anything about Mccain, Never, Ever.

gepa (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:41 PM)

McCain is running scared - as well he should. This is not going to help him at all. Another bad judgment on his part.

Dan (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:41 PM)

Go Barney!! That's priceless....

Next thing you know, Palin will want to "postpone" her debate too so that she can concentrate on "Troopergate".

ENOUGH!!!

Stella, Tucson (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:41 PM)

McCain is running scared - as well he should. This is not going to help him at all. Another bad judgment on his part.

Dan (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:41 PM)

Like I tell my little boy when he's faced with something he isn't happy about, "it's time to put your big boy pants on and get it done."

Of course, he usually doesn't like to put his toys away or brush his teeth. It's not like he's down in the polls and desperately avoiding debating his opponent or anything. But still...big boy pants would help John McCain right about now.

another mama for obama (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:41 PM)

But Senator McCain, you said the economy is fundamentally strong.

5 days after Paulson and Bernanke revealed that plan, McCain suddenly acted like his hair is on fire.

Clearly, McCain's campaign saw today's poll numbers and is panicking.

Dan, WI (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:41 PM)

Well, if you guys would take your blinders off, you would realize that we, the taxpayers, do not pay these guys to campaign for the Presidency. They are paid to be senators. They should be doing their jobs. If Obama was the one calling for a postponement of the debate, you guys would be talking about how inspirational he is to make that decision, and how wonderful it is that he is putting this HUGE, MONUMENTAL, UNPRECEDENTED economic crisis first.

And I don't want to hear it. I'm voting Obama this election cycle, only because I feel he is the lesser of two evils. I just see the bias for what it is, because I don't have a pony in this race. My candidate (the best candidate) lost in the primary.

Hillary Girl, Tulsa, OK (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:42 PM)

Dow finished about even today. McCain's panic doesn't help the market. Congress seems headed for a stop-gap bailout agreement. So what's McCain up to? Pure politics. It is what it is. Perhaps Governor Palin can tag along to osmotically absorb economic knowledge.
What's next from this "fundamentally sound" candidate?

Justin Grimes (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:43 PM)

Pile on dems.

We love the smell of napom in the debates!

Retribution (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:43 PM)

Barney Frank may be one of the most like men now!

DWoods, Northbrook, IL (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:44 PM)

Barney Frank is one of the funniest people in politics, and one of the sharpest too.

EricW, Newtown, PA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:44 PM)

Mr. McGimmick is at it again.
How many more from that campaing will fit into that 'cone of silence'?

Eileen, Portland, Maine (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:45 PM)

You are glass McCain. We see through your posturing. It's sad that you really believe the American people are so stupid. p.s. I don't expect you could handle a 3 am phone call either.

Cut and Run McCain (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:45 PM)

Apparently, McCain can't multi task. Not a promising future for a want-to-be president.

chris, SC (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:46 PM)

Grandstand, This is a political move, We will be hearing in his campaign what a unselfish move he made, postponing his campaign for the good of the American People. Give me a break McCain this move is just as sincere as your reason for picking Sarah Palin as your running mate. Your reason was out of desperation then and it is the same now.

jennyp (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:46 PM)

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