McCain delay sparks Twitter fray

IDG News Service — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:23:41 -0400

US Republican presidential candidate John McCain's decision to suspend his campaign to deal with the US financial meltdown has prompted Twitter users to respond with a campaign of their own -- a campaign to suspend whatever they can get away with.

Turning up for work, the laws of gravity and vows of celibacy are just a few of the things users of the popular micro-blogging site are "#suspending" in mockery of McCain's announcement Wednesday that he would "suspend" his campaign and return to Washington to deal with the US financial crisis.

McCain's "suspension", as well as his request to postpone the imminent presidential debate with Democratic rival Barack Obama, quickly made the candidate a target of ridicule among US comedians.

David Letterman poked fun at the Republican nominee during CBS's The Late Show, where McCain had been scheduled to appear on the show but cancelled. "What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!" Letterman said

Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report went so far as to suspend his show "in favor of drinking beer in the dark". Colbert then proclaimed he was suspending the suspension and then "respensioned" the show.

Over at Comedy Central's Web site, The Daily Show's Indecision2008 blog contains recent posts with titles such as "Help John McCain Drum Up His Next Big Excuse", "Barack Obama Plans to Debate on Friday, Even If All by Himself" and "John McCain Suddenly Finds Senate Work Crucial". This Modern World's Greg Saunders even suggested a new campaign sticker, sporting the slogan "McCain/Palin: Time Out".

A post at Silicon Alley Insider suggests that the "#suspending meme appears to have been started by Jason Rosenbaum, a Washington, DC-based 'writer, musician, and political blogger' at TheSeminal.com.

Examples of other #suspensions include:

me_hunt: #suspending all logical thought- it just hasn't helped me figure out McCain's strategy. Oh wait, he has none. #unsuspending logical thought.

daviddudas: #suspending mortality so i can live forever

zchamu: #suspending all cooperation with the world until someone brings me cookies.

faboomama: #suspending cleaning the house to play around in the interwebs!

glucas: #suspending celibacy as soon as she lets me. Been four whole days.

managizzle: #suspending cutting the grass until the economic crisis is over

jnb987: I'm #suspending my homework for the night. I have a sleep crisis to focus on via the Senate Subcommittee for Rest and Relaxation.

SquattyMcBody: #suspending consciousness so I can get to work on this dreaming thing.

matsie: I'm #suspending my class attendance until it's interesting.

bevbarnett: #suspending my mortgage payment until the financial crisis is solved. Do you think that will work?

Cruftbox: #Suspending work until I have dealt with the pressing issue of eating dinner, playing video games, and getting some sleep.

kishau: #suspending my diet until the cake crisis is over

suzanneyada: I have decided that I am bravely #suspending all my school work until the government bails me out of my student loans.

sarahsparks: I'm #suspending my campaign for senior class president until they start serving tequila in the lunch room

Click here to follow the latest "#suspenions."