>>The way I heard it, Obama called McCain first to propose a joint statement. Then McCain unilaterally announced his moratorium.
>>
>
>OK. I read that McCain called Obama.
>
>I wish they had talked and suspended the campaign bilaterally. Those are the candidates I want to believe in. Dreamer.

It's pretty much impossible to really know these days what is accurate in media reports and what is not. Here is what I read:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/6020372.html

Political maneuvers

Even as McCain said he was putting the country first, his surprise announcement was clearly political. It was an attempt to outmaneuver Obama on an issue on which McCain is trailing, the economy, as the Democrat gains in polls. He quickly went before TV cameras minutes after speaking with Obama and before the two campaigns had hammered out their agreed-agreed upon joint statement.

And while McCain's campaign said he would "suspend" his campaign, it simply will move to Washington knowing the spotlight will remain on him no matter where he is.

Obama, too, made a political calculation by rejecting McCain's challenge while still trying to appear on top of the problem. Obama repeatedly stressed that he called McCain first with the proposal for a joint statement in support of an economic fix. He said McCain called back several hours later, as Obama was leaving a rally in Florida, and agreed to the idea of a statement but also said he wanted to postpone the debate and hold joint meetings in Washington.

Obama said he suggested they first issue the statement.

"When I got back to the hotel, he had gone on television to announce what he was going to do," Obama said.

McCain said he would return to Washington after addressing former President Clinton's Global Initiative session today in New York.

He canceled a scheduled appearance on CBS' The Late Show with David Letterman and a meeting with the Indian prime minister.