The Vice President is suppose to be ready to step-up if the President is unable to fulfill his duties. Why not just switch and let Biden/Palin debate Friday and Obama/McCain on the 2nd?

...and invite St Ralph, just so the Other Septuagenarian on the ballot will stop crying about not being included.

This whole situation has revealed the hypocrisy and emptiness of the McCain/Palin ticket. The obvious answer would be to let the VP debate go forward and hold the presidential debate in the VP time slot.

But after Sarah's CBS interview, it's pretty clear why THAT can't happen, and why the McCain/Palin ticket is not ready to lead.

Barack Obama is right. In simple terms, a President of the United States really has to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Seriously, Barr's right about the buffer. I think anyone who consistently polls over, say, 1% should be included. More perspectives is good, even -- sometimes especially -- perspectives that don't fit "common wisdom".

...pretty please, let them move Biden vs. Palin up and change the format to a more open one. Without a month to rehearse her bullshit, empty-headed talking points, Georgia Bush will look even more hopeless and maniacal than she will with the prep time.

Pretty, pretty, please? At least, Obama camp, make the suggestion so the McLame campaign can backpedal desperately.

How about Obama vs. Batman?

How could you write that article without mentioning Nader or McKinney?

Oh, yeah, you write for Salon - the Mighty Queen of the Tablloids!

/journalsimist!

And as for Nader & McKinney....this is a presidential election, not a circus. Grown-ups only.

bitches!

For a guy named "soylentgreenleftovers' I have to wonder what kind of 'adult' you are.

At any rate, let them all debate. Nader will nail Wall Street and deregulation better than Obama, and McKinney will express how it is hurting average working people, and tear the major parties new assholes.

By the way, it looks like the 'adults' are planning on swallowing the bailout, with chief adults Bush/ Cheney/ Pelosi/ Frank tweaking it for political cover.

The opinion of a cannibal raises the bar hear at Salon.

The cannibal voting block is decidedly against Nader and McKinney.

If The Lunatic McCain wants to leave the debate door wide open so he can go to Washington and further politicize the most precarious piece of legislation Congress has faced in 50 years, there is no reason why the opportunity should not be seized.

Obama should absolutely embrace this offer. Think about it, even if Barr mops the floor with Obama, the main thing he would be do is wick conservative voters away from McCain.

Barr could play the "spoiler" put Obama in the White House while maybe, just maybe, chipping away at the cancerous duopoly that has been destroying are government.

If McCain is too stupid to show up tomorrow night, then I would be perfectly entertained by watching 2 candidates rip him, rather than just 1. I think it's a great idea.

Neither Nader or McKinney are going to capture more than a fraction of a percent of voters. At this point, they are both nuisances. Any rational being can see that. Rational being the operative word.

To the Libertarians, the Green Party. We already know the Dem and Repub positions. Let's hear from someone who HASN'T had their hands in creating this mess.

obama and Barr are at the same level of leadership. Barr has a slight edge.

Should be a good debate.

Bob Barr is a better "Republican" than John McCain. Imagine how many votes would go to him over McCain in the so called swing states?

Obama should praise Barr as being a 'true' conservative at every opportunity and a real maverick for following his convictions.

If I were in the Obama camp, I think I would jump at the Barr offer. Barr is unlikely to have a large cross-appeal with Obama, and the majority of votes that he gets will likely come from the McCain pile. Providing Barr with a prominent forum could be a huge drain on McCain's voter pool--particularly if, as I expect, Barr performs well.

It is unlikely that Obama would get drubbed, but even if he did it would still probably hurt McCain more than himself. Furthermore, when Obama and McCain do finally meet, McCain will be at the disadvantage of then having to clear whatever bar that, well, Barr, set for him. It will force McCain into a position of competing against both men.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I don't see the downside here. Am I missing something?

And what the hell, McKinney too since the Greens and Libertarians have a bona fide national presence (if not a large one). Nothing against Nader but I'm guessing he's on the ballot in a lot less states than the Greens or the Libs, and at least in a few (like here in Texas) they both run down-ballot candidates alongside the Dems and Republicans.

If McCain wants to dodge the party, screw him.

I'd just be worried that Obama would agree to debate Barr, then McCain would show up, and they'd both turn on Obama. That could be nasty. Or McCain might hide behind Barr and let him go on the attack.

I tend to think Obama could probably wipe the floor with either of them, but I'm just worried about how the press would play it.