The Anchoress nails it:
McCain is about to learn that almost no one in Washington actually values his efforts toward bi-partisanship and coalition-building, that most of them have only payed lip-service to the notion, and that Congress’ sincerity about “putting politics aside in order to work together” is as big and fat an illusion as the press’ former love for him. McCain has a lot of noble illusions. They’re all being burst. Nobility is not really what Washington is about, anymore.
McCain’s aide still doggedly tried to be bipartisan and gracious -
“Senator McCain made a decision today to suspend his campaign to return to Washington,” Schmidt said. “He had a very good conversation with Senator Obama, who also understands the severity of the economic crisis.“
and was rewarded with a kick in the gut for it -
“Presidents are going to have to deal with more than one thing at a time,” Obama said. “It’s not necessary for us to think that we can do only one thing, and suspend everything else.”
Well played, Senator Obama. Well, except for the fact that the American people are going to lose big on this. Mr. Smith left Washington a long time ago. This is the end game. Maybe it was inevitable.
The Anchoress is on fire today; just go here and read it all.
McCain wasn’t too busy to go on CBS News with Katie Couric last night. He wants to push tomorrow night’s debate to next week and cancel the VP debate entirely because he knows if the public finds out just how ill prepared and downright weird Sarah Palin is he’ll lose by 20%.
What does he want to rush back to DC for? To save the economy? Who is he kidding? That’s a topic he’s admitted and has amply shown he knows little about. His economic policy is the same kind of radical deregulatory nonsense that got us into this mess in the first place. The bailout deal is 98% done anyway and if Bush didn’t invite him to the White House he’d be cooling his heels at one of his many houses with nothing to do. You can be sure there won’t be any hugs for the cameras with Dubya this time.
Mavericky McCain isn’t going to sway any votes in the House or Senate. He’s built that image of his by telling off both Republican and Democratic politicians, vowing to make them famous for daring to bring the same kind of federal spending back to their states that has made crooks like Stevens, Young and yes, Sarah Palin so popular in Alaska. On top of that he’s shown up less in the senate over the last two years than anyone but Tim Johnson, the guy who had the stroke.
This stunt has more to do with his 180 degree flip flop from being “the great deregulator” to acting like he’s Huey Long over the last week. It seems to be a pattern: make a giant grandstanding gesture hoping voters will ignore the scandals swirling around his advisers and running mate, his disgusting dishonest smears and his devastating gaffes. Hurricane Ike is coming? Cancel the first day of the convention! Conveniently that was the day Bush and Cheney were supposed to speak. Russia attacks Georgia? We’re all Georgians now! Palin even suggested it may be necessary to start a shooting war with Russia over it. Wall St. is imploding and his “fundamentally strong economy” is ready to collapse? The New York Times isn’t fair!
If McCain wants to be president in 4 months he’d better start making his case to the American people instead of flailing around with one excuse after another for not answering questions or allowing his running mate to answer them either. The debate tomorrow night should go on. If McCain isn’t up to it he can send Palin.