12:50 P.M. ET: John McCain now says he will debate Barack Obama tonight, despite the stall on the bailout negotiations. Original Post: I am – Hercules!!
“Why is AICN covering politics!!” the talkbacker writes. “I just want to read about who plays Lex’s new assistant on ‘Smallville’ and new Johnny Depp pirate movies!!” Why not mention it? Everybody else is, and there may be very little else on TV tonight. And for the record, Ain’t It Cool News has been posting posts about the debates since it began, and I can prove it. Here’s one from October 2000! Here’s one from October 2004! And even if John McCain pulls out of Friday’s long-scheduled debate with Barack Obama, one suspects AICN readers might be keen to discuss why we might be getting “Deal or No Deal” and “Ghost Whisperer” repeats tonight. From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prospects were questionable at best that John McCain and Barack Obama would meet Friday for their first presidential debate as progress appeared to dissolve between Congress and the Bush administration on a $700 billion financial industry bailout. McCain didn't plan to participate in the debate unless there was a consensus. Obama still wants the face-off to go on and was scheduled to travel to the debate site in Oxford, Miss., on Friday. "I believe that it's very possible that we can get an agreement in time for me to fly to Mississippi," McCain said late Thursday. "I understand how important this debate is and I'm very hopeful. But I also have to put the country first." In turn, Obama said: "Obviously the biggest priority is making sure that we get this deal done. But I also think it's important to describe to the American people where the next president wants to take the country and how he's going to deal with this crisis."

Are there any Republicans out there who think Obama’s right about wanting to talk about the economic crisis in a public forum? Are there any Democrats out there who think it would be wrong for McCain to let his fellow senators manage the crisis for a few hours while he’s down in Mississippi yakking it up with the other guy who wants to succeed George Walker Bush? Bandwidth. Predictions. Reactions. 6 p.m. ET / 9 p.m. PT Friday. ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, CSPAN, CNBC. Chris Rock following Bill Clinton's appearance on "The Late Show":

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